Ethan's Law
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1564
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-25: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-09T08:06:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
This bill, titled "Ethan's Law," aims to promote the safe storage of firearms in homes to prevent unauthorized access by minors (individuals under 18) or people ineligible to possess firearms under federal, state, or local laws. It seeks to reduce risks of unintentional shootings, youth suicides, school shootings, firearm thefts, and related community harms, while tying these issues to interstate commerce to justify federal authority.
Key Provisions
- Safe Storage Requirement: It becomes unlawful to store or keep a firearm (one that has moved in or affected interstate or foreign commerce) in a residence if the owner knows or should know that a minor is likely to access it without parental/guardian permission, or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm. Exceptions apply if the firearm is secured with a locking device or in a location a reasonable person would consider safe, or if carried on the person's body or close enough for immediate use.
- Penalties: A basic violation carries a $500 fine per incident. If a minor or ineligible person accesses the firearm and causes injury or death to themselves or others, the violator faces fines, up to 5 years in prison, or both. Firearms stored in violation are subject to seizure and forfeiture under existing federal procedures.
- Grant Program: Establishes a federal program under the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide grants to states or Indian tribes that enact laws matching the federal safe storage rule. Grants help fund enforcement, compliance, and court activities. States/tribes with pre-existing similar laws can qualify immediately for the first year; others must certify their laws align with the federal intent. Additional preference is given to qualifying states/tribes in DOJ discretionary grants from 2025 to 2029.
- Sense of Congress on Liability: Declares that failing to securely store firearms constitutes negligence under relevant laws, and such failure should be considered the legal or "proximate" cause (a direct contributing factor) of harm from the firearm's discharge, even if other intentional acts contributed.
- Severability Clause: If any part of the law is ruled invalid, the rest remains in effect.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new subsection (4) to 18 U.S.C. § 922(z), which previously dealt with safe storage during firearm sales or transfers but did not mandate residential storage rules.
- Creates a new "Part PP—Firearm Safe Storage Program" in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. § 10101 et seq.), introducing federal funding incentives for state and tribal adoption of similar laws—previously, no such national grant program existed for safe storage enforcement.
- Introduces civil and criminal penalties for home storage violations, expanding beyond commerce-related firearm regulations to personal residential practices.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Firearm owners must adopt secure storage practices (e.g., locks or safes), potentially increasing costs for devices but reducing risks of accidents, suicides, thefts (estimated 238,000 in 2016 alone), and crimes involving stolen guns. Could lower youth injury/death rates, as over 75% of youth firearm incidents involve home-stored guns.
- On Government Agencies: The DOJ's Assistant Attorney General and Bureau of Justice Assistance will administer grants and certifications, increasing administrative workload but providing resources for enforcement. Law enforcement gains tools to seize unsafe firearms and pursue enhanced penalties in injury cases.
- On Communities and Economy: Aims to curb gun violence's effects, such as declining property values, business loss, and depopulation in high-violence areas, with ripple effects on national commerce.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it reinforces U.S. efforts to address domestic gun violence, which can influence global perceptions of U.S. firearm policies.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Firearm Owners and Households: Primary targets for compliance, especially those with children or ineligible residents (e.g., felons).
- Minors and Vulnerable Individuals: Beneficiaries through reduced access to unsecured guns, potentially lowering suicide and accident rates.
- Law Enforcement and Courts: Responsible for enforcement, seizures, and prosecutions; gain federal grant support.
- States and Indian Tribes: Eligible for funding if they align laws with federal standards, encouraging policy harmonization.
- Department of Justice: Oversees grant distribution and certifications.
- Communities Impacted by Gun Violence: Including victims' families, schools, and neighborhoods facing economic fallout from thefts and shootings.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on Congress's power under the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution) to regulate firearms affecting interstate trade, including thefts used in crimes across states. The "sense of Congress" provision encourages courts to treat storage violations as negligence or proximate cause in lawsuits, potentially expanding civil liability without creating new federal tort laws.
- Constitutional: May face challenges under the Second Amendment (right to keep and bear arms), as it imposes storage conditions on home possession; courts would assess if exceptions (e.g., for immediate carry) preserve core rights. The severability clause protects the law's overall structure from partial invalidation.
- Political: Sponsored by over 70 House members (mostly Democrats), it represents a targeted gun safety measure amid debates on firearm regulation. By incentivizing state action rather than mandating it, it balances federal leadership with local flexibility, but could spark partisan divides on gun rights versus public safety.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
Cosponsors (200)
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2], Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25], Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47] and 150 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-25: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-02-25: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-25: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Ethan's Law — issued 2025-02-25 — PDF (10 pages)