Bill

Bill > SB0033


TN SB0033

TN SB0033
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, relative to the offense of reckless endangerment.


summary

Introduced
01/06/2025
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

114th General Assembly

Bill Summary

As introduced, enacts "MaKayla's Law," which amends the offense of reckless endangerment to specifically include a person's reckless failure to render inoperable or safely secure or lock a firearm, resulting in a child under 13 gaining possession of the firearm and injuring or killing the child or another. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

AI Summary

This bill, known as "MaKayla's Law," amends Tennessee's reckless endangerment statute to create new criminal penalties for gun owners who fail to properly secure firearms, resulting in children under 13 obtaining and discharging those weapons. Specifically, if a child younger than 13 gains access to an unsecured firearm and shoots the weapon in a way that causes bodily injury to themselves or another person, the firearm owner could be charged with a Class E felony. If the shooting results in the death of the child or another person, the owner would face a Class C felony, which carries more serious legal consequences. The law aims to hold gun owners more accountable for safely storing firearms and preventing children from accessing weapons, with the goal of reducing unintentional shootings involving minors. The new provisions will take effect on July 1, 2025, giving gun owners and the public time to become aware of and comply with the new legal requirements.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee (on 04/02/2025)

bill text


bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...
Loading...