North Coast California News

Washington, D.C.–On April 24, U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) introduced the Prevent Family Fire Act, H.R. 2770, with Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), and Rep. Young Kim (R-CA). This bipartisan bill will help reduce gun violence – including suicide and accidental shootings – by providing a modest tax credit for retailers to incentivize the sale of safe storage devices for firearms.

“Family fire” refers to a shooting caused by someone who had unauthorized access to a gun that was unsafely stored. The Prevent Family Fire Act provides a tax credit to retailers for external devices sold in the United States that are designed and marketed to deny unauthorized access to, or render inoperable, a firearm or ammunition, and secured by a combination, key, or biometric lock. The credit is equal to 10 percent of cost at sale, with a maximum of $40 per device sold.

“There is an epidemic of gun violence in this country, and both Democrats and Republicans must come together to enact commonsense reforms to save lives,” said Rep. Levin. “In the past few years and months we’ve faced countless tragedies that have gripped the nation and it’s time we do more to address gun violence. This bill is a strong step we can take to reduce unintentional discharges, suicides, and school shootings by incentivizing the safe storage of firearms. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleague Rep. Lawler, and I will continue to fight every single day to advance legislation that reduces gun violence.”

“As a father who is about to celebrate my daughter’s first birthday, I know first-hand the importance of working to keep our children safe,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. “Too often we hear of tragedies involving accidental firearm discharges impacting children, and an estimated 4.6 million kids live in homes with access to a loaded, unlocked firearm. Encouraging the use of gun safes by providing a tax credit to purchasers will help ensure these preventable tragedies do not occur. That’s why I’m proud to co-sponsor the Prevent Family Fire Act. I firmly believe this legislation will help protect kids and save lives.”

"With more than 400 million firearms currently circulating in America, there are more guns than people in our country,” said Congressman Boyle. “Congress must seek commonsense strategies to correct this pressing societal issue that continues to tear apart families and communities. The Prevent Family Fire Act will provide a practical incentive to retailers to encourage gun safety, and will hopefully reduce the plague of gun violence that has become too commonplace in many of our cities and neighborhoods.”

“Over the past decade, nine in every 10 youth suicides by gun were with guns in the victim’s home, and roughly one in every three kids lives in a home with guns. As a mother of four and new grandmother, protecting the safety of our kids, our schools, and our communities is personal to me,” said Rep. Kim. “Incentivizing the safe storage of guns protects law abiding citizens’ safe usage of guns while reducing the chance of gun violence, suicide, or accidental shootings. I will always support common sense policies that save lives and keep our communities safe.”

Over 75 percent of school shootings involve kids and teens having access to unsecured or unsupervised guns at home, and more than 80 percent of guns used by youth in suicide attempts were kept in the home of the victim, a relative, or a friend. Keeping firearms safely stored reduces the chances of family fire by 73 percent, and according to studies, even a modest intervention that motivates households to safely store guns could reduce youth firearm deaths by up to 32 percent.  Additionally, the number of children dying due to family fire has dramatically increased over the years, and a safe storage law would mitigate children accessing guns in the home.

"Unsecured and improperly stored firearms in the home can quickly change childhood curiosity to permanent loss, an all-too-common tragedy in the United States. The Prevent Family Fire Act is a common-sense policy to increase safe gun storage supported by both gun owners and non-gun owners alike and will make a significant difference in preventing cases of Family Fire. Brady is proud to endorse this legislation and thanks Reps. Mike Levin, Mike Lawler, Brendan Boyle, and Young Kim for their leadership on this bipartisan issue," said Brady President Kris Brown.

"Lethal means safety is a critical part of suicide prevention, especially for children and youth," said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "We thank Rep. Mike Levin and Rep. Mike Lawler for introducing this important bipartisan legislation, which will help keep firearms secure and save lives."

Original source can be found here.