WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced bicameral legislation aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing the theft of firearms from federally-licensed gun dealers (FFLs). The Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm Storage Act would address the problem of “smash and grab” gun store burglaries by requiring all firearms to be securely stored when a federally-licensed gun dealer is not open for business. Additionally, the bill would authorize the Attorney General to review and put forth additional security measures to reduce the risk of theft, and require a new section on the FFL application for an applicant to describe security plans before a license can be approved.

"Every day, we see the consequences of stolen guns being used in crimes that devastate families and communities across this country. Gun dealers need to take simple steps to secure their inventory, just like any other business that sells dangerous products. It’s about basic responsibility—if you’re selling deadly weapons in your store, you should have to lock them up when you close.” said Murphy.

“Thousands of guns disappear each year during gun store burglaries - posing a serious public safety threat when these firearms show up again in the wrong hands. Responsible gun storage requirements for gun retailers are critical to preventing senseless and unnecessary deaths in our communities. I am proud to support the SECURE Firearm Storage Act, which strengthens sensible safety standards and would save countless lives, and I will continue to fight to put an end to the scourge of gun violence,” said Blumenthal.

Gun thefts from FFLs are a significant problem across the country.  In 2023, FFLs reported 13,301 guns to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as lost through burglaries, larceny, robberies, or simply missing from inventory. These guns frequently end up being used in crime; one study found that between 2012 and 2018, nearly 14,800 guns recovered in crimes had been reported as lost or stolen from gun dealers.

Thefts of guns from FFLs can be deterred by reasonable security measures, and FFLs that fail to take such measures have been the targets of recent burglaries. For example, last September, multiple suspects allegedly broke into a gun store in Springfield, Maryland, and stole 14 guns. Last May, a 14-year-old was arrested and charged with 16 counts of firearm theft stemming from a FFL burglary in New Castle, Delaware. Last February, two suspects allegedly burglarized a store in Virginia, taking six handguns. Such thefts could be deterred or prevented if FFLs ensured that their guns were stored securely.

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) also cosponsored the legislation.

The legislation has been endorsed by Brady United Against Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, and GIFFORDS.

To decrease the loss or theft of guns from FFLs, the SECURE Firearm Storage Act would take several commonsense measures to reduce firearm loss by:

  1. Requiring FFLs, when their premises are closed, to secure all firearms in their inventory either by fastening them to an anchored steel rod or storing them in a locked safe or gun cabinet;
  2. Requiring FFLs to store all paper records of firearms transactions in a secure location so the records can be preserved in case they are needed for crime gun tracing investigations;
  3. Authorizing the Attorney General to prescribe regulations with additional security requirements relating to alarm and security cameras, site hardening on FFL premises, and security of electronic records;
  4. Ensuring that an FFL that fails to follow these security requirements would face a civil penalty for the first violation; possible FFL license suspension for the second violation; and possible license revocation upon a third violation; and,
  5. Adding a new section to the FFL application for applicants to describe how they will comply with these security requirements, and directing the Attorney General to ensure that an applicant’s plan will be compliant before approving a license application.  

Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

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