Secure Firearm Storage and Suicide Prevention Act of 2026
House Bill Would Require Schools to Teach Gun Safe Storage to Students and Parents
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill would require the Department of Education to create a list of best practices for keeping guns safely locked up. The goal is to prevent suicides and accidental shootings, which are leading causes of death for children and teenagers.
- Most public schools would be required to share this safety information with students, parents, and teachers. Schools would send these guides through email and as paper handouts at the beginning and end of every school year, starting in 2027.
- The safety guides would teach parents how to use locks and safes, explain the risks of leaving guns out, and tell students what to do if they find a gun. It would also include information on where families can get free gun locks or storage devices.
- The law requires the information to be neutral. This means the school materials cannot tell people whether they should or should not own a gun; they can only provide facts about safety and storage.
- Supporters of the bill note that nearly 80% of youth suicides involving a gun use a weapon belonging to a family member. They believe that putting a lock or safe between a person in crisis and a firearm can save lives.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
The Department of Education would be required to develop and distribute firearm safety best practices within one year of enactment, consulting with multiple federal agencies including the ATF, CDC, NIH, SAMHSA, DHS, and FBI. Staff across these agencies would take on new coordination responsibilities, and the Department of Education would need to update the guidance every three years based on stakeholder feedback.
Disabilities
Activities
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articles
Biden administration pushes safe gun storage in schools
The Biden administration is launching a new effort to encourage parents to safely store their firearms. The Department of Education will provide school districts with a template to communicate with parents about the importance of keeping guns locked and away from children.
White House enlists school principals in new safe gun storage push
The Biden administration is rolling out a new initiative to promote safe gun storage through schools. The move comes as the administration seeks executive avenues to address gun violence while broader legislative efforts like the Secure Firearm Storage and Suicide Prevention Act remain stalled.
Biden administration announces new steps to promote safe firearm storage
The White House is taking new steps to encourage safe gun storage, including a push for schools to educate parents. The administration is also calling on Congress to pass the Secure Firearm Storage and Suicide Prevention Act to make these requirements federal law.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Secure Firearm Storage and Suicide Prevention Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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