Utah: Three Anti-Gun Bills Die in Committee

Yesterday, multiple gun control measures were either defeated or held from passage during their committee consideration.  Those measures include:

House Bill 115 defines “firearm custodian” and makes them liable for the illegal actions of others.  This measure could make law-abiding gun owners liable if their firearms were stolen and then used in a crime, shifting the responsibility from criminals to law-abiding individuals. 

House Bill 136 creates a blanket requirement that all firearms be locked and stored in a manner where an unauthorized or prohibited person would be unable to access them.  Gun safety and storage is a matter of personal responsibility and every person’s situation is different.  It is unreasonable for the law to impose a one-size-fits-all solution.  In short, this measure invades people’s homes and forces them to render their firearms useless for self-defense or become criminals.

House Bill 109 bans most firearm sales and transfers between private individuals without first paying fees and obtaining government permission.  Firearm sales between friends or neighbors would not be exempted.  This proposal would have no impact on crime and is completely unenforceable.

Thank you to NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters who contacted committee members in opposition to these measures. Stay-tuned to NRA-ILA for more information and updates as the 2020 Utah Legislative Session continues.