House Bill 316 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Barbara DrummondRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Firearms; storage requirements provided; criminal penalty for violation resulting in possession by minor under certain circumstances, subject to exceptions

Summary

HB316 would require guardians to securely store firearms to prevent minor access and would impose a penalty on guardians when a minor unlawfully possesses a firearm on a public school campus, effective October 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

It requires firearm storage that reasonably secures the gun from unauthorized access by a minor, using methods like trigger locks, locked boxes/safes, or coded/fingerprint access. If a minor (18 years or younger) unlawfully possesses a firearm on the premises of a public school because of a guardian's failure to reasonably secure the firearm, the guardian would be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. The bill includes exceptions for certain lawful minor possession and for firearms kept in a vehicle parked on school property, with the act taking effect on October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Parents or legal guardians of minors: must securely store firearms to prevent access and could face a Class A misdemeanor if a child possesses a firearm on school property due to improper storage.
• Public schools, school staff, and students: affected by safety rules and enforcement related to firearm storage and minor access on school grounds.

Key Provisions

• Storage requirement: A parent or legal guardian must store a firearm in a manner that reasonably secures it from unauthorized access by a minor (examples include trigger locks, locked boxes/safes with keys or codes, or fingerprint access).
• Liability and exceptions: If a minor 18 or younger unlawfully possesses a firearm on the premises of a public school as a proximate result of a guardian's failure to reasonably secure the firearm, the guardian commits a Class A misdemeanor; the act includes specified exceptions and becomes effective October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Firearms