Ethan's Law
Sponsored By: Representative DeLauro
Introduced
Summary
Secure firearm storage would become a federal standard that makes it an offense to leave guns where a minor or someone barred from owning firearms is likely to gain access. The bill also creates grants to help states and tribes adopt matching laws and signals that unsafe storage can count as negligence in civil cases.
Show full summary
- Families and children: Owners would have to secure firearms if a person under 18 or someone ineligible is likely to access them. The law defines a minor as under 18 and targets situations where access is likely.
- Gun owners and legal consequences: Violations carry a $500 fine per offense. If a violation leads to injury or death the owner faces up to 5 years in prison, fines, and possible forfeiture of the firearm. Exceptions apply if the gun is locked with an approved device, kept where a reasonable person would expect it to be secure, or carried on the owner.
- States and Tribal governments: A new Firearm Safe Storage Program would award grants to states and Indian Tribes that pass laws functionally identical to the federal standard. The Attorney General must give preference to compliant jurisdictions for certain grants from fiscal years 2025 through 2029, and a one year eligibility exception covers preexisting matching laws.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Grants to states for safe gun storage
If enacted, the Assistant Attorney General would give grants to States and Tribes that pass a gun‑storage law matching the federal rule and send a written certification. Money could help police and courts enforce and support compliance with those laws. If a place already has a matching law, it could apply in the first year after enactment if it certifies. Applicants would file as the Department of Justice requires. From 2025 through 2029, the Attorney General would give preference to Bureau of Justice Assistance grant applications from States and Tribes with the matching law and certification.
New penalties for unsafe gun storage
If enacted, it would be illegal to keep a gun at home unsecured when a child is likely to access it without permission, or a resident cannot legally have a gun. You could avoid penalties by using a secure lock or safe, storing it where a reasonable person would think it is secure, or keeping it on your person or within quick reach. The fine would be $500 for each violation. If someone gets the gun and causes injury or death, you could face a fine, up to 5 years in prison, or both. Guns stored in violation could be seized. A minor would mean under age 18.
Easier lawsuits after unsafe gun storage
The bill states Congress’s view on civil lawsuits after unsafe storage. Not following the storage rule would count as negligence. If that failure is the but‑for cause of a shooting, it should be treated as a legal cause, even if someone acted intentionally. If passed, this could make it easier for victims to win damages against people who failed to secure a gun.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
DeLauro
CT • D
Cosponsors
Larson (CT)
CT • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Courtney
CT • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Himes
CT • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Hayes
CT • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Cleaver
MO • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Castor (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
McGarvey
KY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Connolly
VA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
McIver
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Auchincloss
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Neal
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Frost
FL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Garcia (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Subramanyam
VA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Beyer
VA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Magaziner
RI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Ruiz
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Torres (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Fields
LA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Ramirez
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sherrill
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
McCollum
MN • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Velazquez
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Moskowitz
FL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Landsman
OH • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Min
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Dexter
OR • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Olszewski
MD • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
McBath
GA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Deluzio
PA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Williams (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sherman
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Tran
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Dean (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Omar
MN • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Keating
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Pallone
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Ivey
MD • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
DeSaulnier
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sykes
OH • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Leger Fernandez
NM • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Vargas
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Cisneros
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Jayapal
WA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Amo
RI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
DeGette
CO • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Takano
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Waters
CA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Foushee
NC • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Aguilar
CA • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
McClain Delaney
MD • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Turner (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Mrvan
IN • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Balint
VT • D
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Beatty
OH • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Smith (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Bynum
OR • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Carter (LA)
LA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Garcia (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Vasquez
NM • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Green, Al (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Morelle
NY • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Schneider
IL • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Pettersen
CO • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Scott (VA)
VA • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Case
HI • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Johnson (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Stanton
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Bell
MO • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Larsen (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Conaway
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/8/2025
Jacobs
CA • D
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 5/21/2025
Strickland
WA • D
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Liccardo
CA • D
Sponsored 6/6/2025
Horsford
NV • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Scott, David
GA • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Nadler
NY • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Thanedar
MI • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Pou
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Pappas
NH • D
Sponsored 7/15/2025
Brown
OH • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Meeks
NY • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Underwood
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Hoyer
MD • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Huffman
CA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Levin
CA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Hoyle (OR)
OR • D
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Evans (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Frankel, Lois
FL • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Scholten
MI • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Garcia (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 10/6/2025
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 10/6/2025
Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Casar
TX • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Raskin
MD • D
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Lee (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Garamendi
CA • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Boyle (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Morrison
MN • D
Sponsored 11/12/2025
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Ryan
NY • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Pelosi
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Menendez
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Stevens
MI • D
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Ansari
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Walkinshaw
VA • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Correa
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 12/12/2025
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Crockett
TX • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Goodlander
NH • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Kamlager-Dove
CA • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Kaptur
OH • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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