Durbin, Schneider, Olszewski Introduce Bill To Reduce Gun Violence From Stolen Firearms
The SECURE Firearm Storage Act would require more effective secure storage measures for firearms
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) and Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-2) today 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.
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.
“Each year, thousands of guns are stolen from gun dealers and then used to commit violent crimes. The SECURE Firearm Storage Act would help prevent ‘smash and grab’ burglaries, which supply criminals with weapons they use to carry out acts of violence in our communities. This commonsense legislation will help prevent bloodshed in our neighborhoods,” Durbin said.
“The rise of gun store robberies, including ‘smash and grab’ attacks, is a public safety issue,” said Schneider. “Stolen firearms from these burglaries end up in the hands of dangerous criminals. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to implement sensible security measures at gun dealers to help stop the flow of guns into our communities and reduce gun violence.”
“We should do everything possible to keep our communities safe — and that includes taking more action to keep stolen firearms off the streets,” said Olszewski. “As Baltimore County Executive, I led the successful passage of nearly-identical bipartisan legislation that was later replicated across Maryland. I am proud to again champion this common sense solution at the national level with the full backing of both law enforcement and gun safety advocates.”
“People who are prohibited from owning guns often turn to stolen firearms sold on the illegal market. Requiring licensed gun dealers to securely store firearms when their businesses are closed is a commonsense step to prevent theft and keep guns from ending up in the wrong hands. We applaud Senator Durbin and Representative Schneider for advancing this critical legislation and for their steadfast commitment to reducing gun violence and improving public safety,” said Vanessa Gonzalez, Vice President of Government & Political Affairs at GIFFORDS.
“As long as gun stores are vulnerable to ‘smash and grab’ burglaries, our communities will be vulnerable to gun-wielding criminals,” said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Requiring gun stores to securely store their wares will keep our neighborhoods and law enforcement safe, and we applaud Senator Durbin and Representative Schneider for introducing this lifesaving legislation.”
“In just the last five years, over 68,000 firearms were reported lost or stolen from licensed gun dealers across the country. These firearms are often quickly diverted to the criminal market and used in countless acts of gun violence. The remedy is clear — states that require gun dealers to securely store their firearms after close of business and enhance their overall security indisputably have far fewer firearms lost or stolen. Brady is proud to endorse the SECURE Firearm Storage Act and is grateful to Rep. Schneider, Rep. Olszewski, and Sen. Durbin for reintroducing this lifesaving legislation,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy for Brady.
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.
This problem is not new. In a series of burglaries in June and August of 2022, 59 guns were stolen from a gun store in Omaha, Nebraska. On January 7, 2022, 33 firearms were stolen during the burglary of a gun store in Asheville, North Carolina. The Chicago Tribune reported on a gun stolen from a Wisconsin gun store in 2016 – that gun has since been linked to at least 27 shootings in Chicago, Illinois. Such thefts could be deterred or prevented if FFLs ensured that their guns were stored securely.
Along with Durbin, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Ed Markey (D-MA).
The legislation has been endorsed by Brady United Against Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, and GIFFORDS.
In order 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:
- 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;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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,
- 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.
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