WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2025 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 3325
By Delegate Young
[Introduced March 12, 2025; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §61-7-13, relating to requiring safe storage of firearms; creating misdemeanor offense; and exception.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
(a) Any person who stores or leaves, on a premise under his or her control, a loaded firearm, as defined in §61-7-2 of this code, and who knows or reasonably should know that a minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor’s parent or the person having charge of the minor, or without the supervision required by law, shall keep the firearm in a securely locked box or container or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure or shall secure it with a trigger lock, except when the person is carrying the firearm on his or her body or within such close proximity thereto that he or she can retrieve and use it as easily and quickly as if he or she carried it on his or her body. Any person who violates this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.
(b) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section by failing to store or leave a firearm in the required manner and as a result thereof a minor gains access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor’s parent or the person having charge of the minor, and possesses or exhibits it, without the supervision required by law (1) in a public place; or (2) in a rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.
This subsection does not apply if the minor obtains the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry by any person.
(c) As used in this act, the term "minor" means any person under the age of 16.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require safe storage of firearms and creating misdemeanor offense.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.