MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A bill that would require parents and legal guardians to securely store firearms, and establish criminal penalties for parents whose children gain access to a firearm failed to pass out of the House Committee on Public Safety Wednesday.
Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, House Bill 103 would require parents or legal guardians to make their firearms “reasonably secure,” which the bill defines as utilizing a trigger lock, a gun safe or other security mechanism.
For the firearm owner, the bill would also make it a Class A misdemeanor, punishable with up to one year in jail, were their child to gain access to the firearm due to their failure to properly secure it and bring it onto public school property.
Members of the committee unanimously praised Drummond for her intent behind the bill, though many took issue with what they considered to be unintended consequences of the proposal, including Reps. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, Ron Bolton, R-Northport, Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster, and Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg.
The bill ultimately failed to pass through the committee.
“I hope none of our children die as a result,” Drummond said upon her bill failing to receive sufficient votes.