Maine's Leadership Calls For Stiffer Gun Storage Laws

Leaders in the Pine Tree State are looking to tighten their gun laws once again. Even as the court case against its mandatory 72-hour waiting period trickles its way through the legal system, state representatives are now looking at introducing new gun control measures, tightening the state’s storage laws even further.

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Maine’s current rules

Right now, Maine has laws that effectively require parents to lock up their firearms and/or ammunition unless those guns are under their direct supervision. Under the current laws, a gun owner can be prosecuted by law enforcement if a child under the age of 16 gets ahold of a loaded firearm without having permission to do so.

While such incidents may not be prosecuted, and while a child may live in a home with unlocked ammo and firearms and never use them without permission, the state’s current laws appear to be intended to encourage gun owners to lock up their firepower. To that end, Maine’s state government website shares this document from the NSSF, with storage guidelines.

New lock-em-up laws

But according to multiple news reports, Maine’s state reps are looking to not just encourage gun owners to use locking storage to keep guns away from children, they are also looking to make it a crime to store a firearm in such a way that someone who’s prohibited from owning a firearm can access it.

Here’s the official summary of LD1120, which is under consideration by the state’s leaders:

“Under current law, it is a Class D crime to negligently store a loaded firearm in a manner that allows a child under 16 years of age to gain access to the loaded firearm without the permission of the child's parent. This bill repeals that law and makes it a Class D crime to negligently store a firearm so that a minor or person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm may gain access to the firearm and either use it in the commission of a crime or display it in a threatening manner. The bill also makes it a Class C crime to negligently store a firearm in a way so that a minor or prohibited person may gain access to the firearm and use it to cause the death of or serious bodily injury to any person. The bill also requires licensed firearms dealers to post a notice in any area where sales or transfers occur informing purchasers that access to a firearm in the home significantly increases the risk of suicide, death during domestic violence disputes and unintentional death of children.”

Note that bit at the end; Maine’s leaders are also taking a page from the New York State playbook, and requiring warning signs at points of sale for guns. And if you dig around, you’ll find other stuff moving; Maine’s lawmakers also considered magazine capacity restrictions and rewriting the rules for concealed carry. Certainly stuff worth paying attention to if you live there, lest you accidentally end up on the wrong side of the law.