Hirschauer Safe Gun Storage Bill Becomes Law

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. – Working to keep firearms out of the wrong hands and prevent accidental shootings, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, successfully passed the Safe Gun Storage Act into law Monday. The new law works to keep guns out of the wrong hands, protect children from unintentional shootings, and track lost and stolen firearms by codifying ‘safe storage’ practices widely used by Illinois firearm owners.

“Safe firearm storage and responsible gun ownership are practices on which all of us, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, can agree,” said Hirschauer. “Senate Bill 8 is a common-sense gun safety measure that enhances safe firearm storage requirements and strengthens the reporting and data collection processes for lost and stolen guns.”

Hirschauer’s Senate Bill 8, known as the Safe Gun Storage Act, will enhance gun storage safety and address stolen firearm requirements with the ultimate goal of preventing access to firearms by minors, at-risk individuals, and those prohibited from possessing them. The bill would require firearm owners to secure their weapons in a locked container, rendering them inaccessible and unusable to anyone except the owner or an authorized user.

Additional provisions in a companion bill, House Bill 850, will tighten the reporting requirements for lost and stolen guns. House Bill 850 was signed into law last month.

“By promoting responsible gun ownership, this bill aims to prevent unauthorized access to firearms — helping reduce unintentional injuries, suicides, and acts of intentional harm, including school shootings," said Hirschauer. “This is a big step in promoting universal firearm safety and storage, and will ultimately save lives.”