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119-s-726119th Congress
Ethan's Law
Sponsored By: Senator Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced
Summary
Secure firearm storage: Ethan's Law would create a federal standard that makes it a crime to keep a firearm at home if a minor is likely to access it or if an ineligible resident lives there. It would also create grants to help states and tribes adopt matching laws and signal greater civil liability for failures to secure guns.
Show full summary
- Families and children: Would criminalize leaving guns where minors could reach them, reflecting findings that about 4.6 million minors live in homes with at least one unsecured firearm.
- Gun owners and residents: Owners who knowingly or negligently store firearms accessible to minors or ineligible residents would face a $500 fine per violation; if access leads to injury or death the penalty can include fines, up to 5 years in prison, or both. Firearms kept in violation could be seized and forfeited.
- States and tribes: Would create the Firearm Safe Storage Program to award Department of Justice grants to jurisdictions that enact laws functionally identical to the federal standard and would give affirmative preference for certain grants for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
- Liability and litigation: Includes a sense-of-Congress provision saying failure to comply should be treated as negligence and as a proximate cause when it is the but-for cause of harm, which could influence tort and statutory claims.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to states that pass storage laws
If enacted, the bill would create a Firearm Safe Storage grant program to help States and Indian Tribes that pass laws matching the federal storage rule. A State or Tribe must adopt a functionally identical law and have its attorney general or comparable Tribal official certify that fact to be eligible. Grants could be used to help law enforcement or courts enforce or encourage compliance. From fiscal years 2025 through 2029, the Attorney General would give extra preference in certain Justice discretionary grants to certified States and Tribes. The law does not set a total dollar amount for the program.
New penalties for unsafe home storage
If enacted, you could face a $500 fine each time you keep a covered firearm in your home when a child could likely get it or a resident is barred from owning guns. You would not be fined if the gun is locked with a secure storage device, kept where a reasonable person would think it is secure, or carried on your person. If a gun taken from your home is obtained by a minor or ineligible resident and causes injury or death, you could face federal fines, up to 5 years in prison, or both. Any firearm stored in violation could be seized and forfeited.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
VT • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/9/2025
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 11/3/2025
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
MI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]
MI • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2026
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 7/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov