Legislation that would expand state law governing safe storage of firearms to cover unloaded guns was passed May 7 in the state House of Representatives with support from state Rep. Kathy Kennedy (R-Milford) and the rest of the Milford and Orange representatives.
HB 7218, An Act Concerning the Safe Storage of Firearms in the Home and Firearm Safety Programs in Public Schools, passed the House by bipartisan a 127 to 16 vote. The bill expands the firearm safe storage laws, increasing the age of a minor for these purposes to under age 18 and requires the State Board of Education to develop guides to aid local and regional boards of education to develop firearm safety programs for public students in kindergarten through grade twelve.
State Reps. Richard Smith (R-New Fairfield) and Kathy Kennedy (R-Milford) listening to House debate on the safe gun storage bill, which passed the Chamber May 7. Contributed photo.
“The safe storage of firearms will provide safe, secure, and reasonable gun storage for gun owners. It will help keep firearms out of the hands of children and make our communities safer from gun violence,” Kennedy said. “I applaud the section of the bill that includes a firearm safety education component for our young people.”
The legislation was branded “Ethan’s Law” because it was initiated by the parents of Ethan Song, a Guilford teenager who died in an accidental shooting in early 2018.
Current law currently only requires loaded firearms to be stored safely, and only applies when children 16 and under are present in the home.
The bill additionally requires the state’s Department of Education to develop gun safety curriculum for kindergarten through twelfth grade and make it available for school districts to use.
The bill now awaits action in the state Senate, where it is also expected to pass.