House File 2439 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2439 BY MADISON A BILL FOR An Act relating to trigger locks for firearms, including the 1 establishment of a public safety trigger lock fund and 2 requiring trigger locks on certain firearms, and providing 3 penalties. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5973YH (1) 90 as/js

H.F. 2439 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 80.49 Public safety trigger lock 1 fund. 2 1. A public safety trigger lock fund is established in 3 the state treasury under the control of the department. The 4 department may receive and accept donations, grants, loans, and 5 contributions from any public or private source for deposit 6 into the fund. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the 7 department for the purposes set forth in subsection 2. 8 2. The department shall establish a trigger lock program 9 in the state for the purpose of providing free trigger locks 10 to firearms owners. The department shall work with law 11 enforcement agencies of the state, local governments, and other 12 local entities and nonprofit organizations to provide trigger 13 locks at no cost to firearms owners in the state. 14 3. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund 15 that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a 16 fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for 17 expenditure for the purposes designated. Notwithstanding 18 section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in 19 the fund shall be credited to the fund. 20 Sec. 2. Section 724.22, subsection 7, Code 2024, is amended 21 to read as follows: 22 7. It shall be unlawful for any person to A person shall 23 not store or leave a loaded or unloaded firearm which that is 24 not secured by a trigger lock mechanism, placed in a securely 25 locked box or container, or placed in some other location which 26 that a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a 27 minor under the age of fourteen eighteen years, if such person 28 knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age 29 of fourteen eighteen years is likely to gain access to the 30 firearm without the lawful permission of the minor’s parent, 31 guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor 32 lawfully gains access to the firearm without the consent of 33 the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the 34 minor , and the minor exhibits the firearm in a public place in 35 -1- LSB 5973YH (1) 90 as/js 1/ 3

H.F. 2439 an unlawful manner, or uses the firearm unlawfully to cause 1 injury or death to a person . This subsection does not apply if 2 the minor obtains the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry 3 by any person. A violation of this subsection is punishable as 4 a serious misdemeanor. 5 EXPLANATION 6 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 7 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 8 This bill relates to trigger locks for firearms, including 9 the establishment of a public safety trigger lock fund and 10 requiring trigger locks on certain firearms. 11 The bill establishes a public safety trigger lock fund 12 in the state treasury under the control of the department of 13 public safety (department). The department may receive and 14 accept donations, grants, loans, and contributions from any 15 public or private source for deposit into the trust fund for 16 the purpose of providing free trigger locks to firearms owners. 17 The department shall work with law enforcement agencies of 18 the state, local governments, and other local entities and 19 nonprofit organizations to provide trigger locks at no cost to 20 firearms owners in the state. 21 Current law prohibits any person from storing or leaving 22 a loaded firearm which is not secured by a trigger lock 23 mechanism, placed in a securely locked box or container, or 24 placed in some other location which a reasonable person would 25 believe to be secure from a minor under the age of 14 years, if 26 such person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under 27 the age of 14 years is likely to gain access to the firearm, the 28 minor lawfully gains access to the firearm without the consent 29 of the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the 30 minor, and the minor exhibits the firearm in a public place in 31 an unlawful manner, or uses the firearm unlawfully to cause 32 injury or death to a person. 33 The bill prohibits any person from storing or leaving a 34 loaded or unloaded firearm that is not secured by a trigger 35 -2- LSB 5973YH (1) 90 as/js 2/ 3

H.F. 2439 lock mechanism, placed in a securely locked box or container, 1 or placed in some other location that a reasonable person would 2 believe to be secure from a minor under the age of 18 years, if 3 such person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under 4 the age of 18 years is likely to gain access to the firearm 5 without the lawful permission of the minor’s parent, guardian, 6 or person having charge of the minor, and the minor lawfully 7 gains access to the firearm without the consent of the minor’s 8 parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor. 9 A violation of the bill is punishable as a serious 10 misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by 11 confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least 12 $430 but not more than $2,560. 13 -3- LSB 5973YH (1) 90 as/js 3/ 3