summary
Introduced
01/10/2025
01/10/2025
In Committee
01/24/2025
01/24/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An act relating to storage of handguns in private conveyances and vessels; amending s. 790.25, F.S.; providing requirements for storage of handguns in private conveyances and vessels; providing definitions; requiring law enforcement agencies to engage in a specified promotional campaign; requiring counties to adopt, by a date certain, specified ordinances concerning the parents of children who have been found to have stolen a handgun from a conveyance or vessel; providing a declaration of important state interest; providing effective dates. WHEREAS, on average, at least one gun is stolen from a car every 9 minutes in the United States, and WHEREAS, the rate of gun thefts from cars is triple what it was a decade ago, including both consistent increases nearly every year over the decade and a marked spike during the recent pandemic, and WHEREAS, a decade ago, roughly a quarter of gun thefts were from cars, but in 2022, over half of gun thefts were from cars, and WHEREAS, cars parked at residences are the most common source of stolen guns, demonstrating the importance of securely storing guns at all times and locations, and WHEREAS, cities in states with the weakest gun safety laws see nearly 18 times the rate of gun thefts from cars as those in states with the strongest gun laws, and WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that it is the responsibility of parents to supervise their children under 18 years of age, NOW, THEREFORE,
AI Summary
This bill introduces new requirements for storing handguns in private vehicles and vessels, aimed at reducing gun theft. Starting October 1, 2025, the law will prohibit storing a handgun in an unoccupied, unsecured vehicle or vessel unless the firearm is hidden from view and secured with a device or locked in a trunk, glove box, or other locked container. The bill mandates that each county adopt an ordinance by July 1, 2025, imposing sanctions on parents or legal guardians whose children under 18 have stolen a handgun from a vehicle or vessel. These sanctions may include parent education classes, community service projects, and family counseling. Additionally, law enforcement agencies are required to conduct promotional campaigns to educate the public about handgun storage responsibilities. The bill defines key terms like "private conveyance" and "unsecured" and declares that its purpose is to provide an efficient deterrent to juvenile handgun theft, tailored to local conditions. The legislation recognizes the growing problem of gun thefts from vehicles, noting that over half of gun thefts now occur in cars, and aims to encourage more responsible firearm storage to prevent such incidents.
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration (on 05/03/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
Document Type | Source Location |
---|---|
State Bill Page | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/190 |
BillText | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/190/BillText/Filed/HTML |
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