PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 6, 2025
Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective Firearm Storage Act or the SECURE Firearm Storage Act
This bill establishes security requirements for the business premises of a licensed firearms importer, manufacturer, or dealer.
Specifically, when the premises are closed for business, an importer, manufacturer, or dealer must secure the firearms inventory and securely store paper business records.
A violator is subject to penalties—a civil fine, suspension or revocation of a license, or both a civil fine and suspension or revocation of a license.
People & committees
Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10] · D–IL
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-06 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This bill would require federally licensed firearms importers, manufacturers, and dealers to secure inventory guns and paper business records when their premises are closed. It would also let the Attorney General set additional security requirements. An existing provision concerning gun shows would qualify these duties, but its details are not supplied. These are proposed requirements.
(1) Relation to provision governing gun shows This subsection shall apply to a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer except as provided in subsection (j).
When the premises covered by the license are not open for business, the licensee shall, with respect to each firearm in the business inventory of the licensee—
When the premises covered by the license are not open for business, the licensee shall store each paper record of the business inventory and firearm transactions of, and other dispositions of firearms by, the licensee at the premises in a secure location such as a locked fireproof safe or locked vault.
The Attorney General may, by regulation, prescribe such additional security requirements as the Attorney General determines appropriate with respect to the firearms business conducted by a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer
Section 1 names the proposal the SECURE Firearm Storage Act.
This Act may be cited as the Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective Firearm Storage Act or the SECURE Firearm Storage Act.
Licensed importers, manufacturers, and dealers would have to keep each inventory firearm at the premises covered by their license. The security subsection would apply subject to existing subsection 923(j), identified here as governing gun shows. That subsection is not supplied, so the exception's precise scope cannot be determined.
(1) Relation to provision governing gun shows This subsection shall apply to a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer except as provided in subsection (j).
A person who is a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer shall keep and store each firearm in the business inventory of the licensee at the premises covered by the license.
When closed, a business could secure each firearm with an anchored, quarter-inch hardened steel rod passing between the trigger guard and the frame or receiver. The rod would need a hardened steel lock with a shackle, and both the lock and shackle would need protection against bolt cutters.
When the premises covered by the license are not open for business, the licensee shall, with respect to each firearm in the business inventory of the licensee— (i) secure the firearm with a hardened steel rod 1/4 inch thick through the space between the trigger guard, and the frame or receiver, of the firearm, with— (I) the steel rod secured by a hardened steel lock that has a shackle; (II) the lock and shackle protected or shielded from the use of a bolt cutter; and (III) the rod anchored to prevent the removal of the firearm from the premises
Alternatively, when closed, a business could store firearms in a locked fireproof safe, locked gun cabinet, or locked vault. A cabinet that is not steel would also require each firearm inside to be secured with an anchored, quarter-inch hardened steel rod protected against bolt cutters.
When the premises covered by the license are not open for business, the licensee shall, with respect to each firearm in the business inventory of the licensee—
(ii) store the firearm in— (I) a locked fireproof safe; (II) a locked gun cabinet (and if the locked gun cabinet is not steel, each firearm within the cabinet shall be secured with a hardened steel rod 1/4 inch thick, protected or shielded from the use of a bolt cutter and anchored to prevent the removal of the firearm from the premises); or (III) a locked vault.
When closed, businesses would have to keep paper records of inventory, firearm transactions, and other firearm dispositions at the licensed premises in a secure location. A locked fireproof safe or locked vault would be examples, rather than the only permitted choices.
When the premises covered by the license are not open for business, the licensee shall store each paper record of the business inventory and firearm transactions of, and other dispositions of firearms by, the licensee at the premises in a secure location such as a locked fireproof safe or locked vault.
The Attorney General could issue additional security regulations covering alarms, cameras, physical protection of premises, electronic records, and other measures necessary to reduce theft risk. The bill would authorize these rules without itself requiring every listed measure.
The Attorney General may, by regulation, prescribe such additional security requirements as the Attorney General determines appropriate with respect to the firearms business conducted by a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer, such as requirements relating to the use of— (A) alarm and security camera systems; (B) site hardening; (C) measures to secure any electronic record of the business inventory and firearm transactions of, and other dispositions of firearms by, the licensee; and (D) other measures necessary to reduce the risk of theft at the business premises of a licensee.
For a first violation or related series of violations on the same date involving the security requirements or implementing regulations, the Attorney General would have to impose a civil fine of $1,000 to $10,000 after notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
With respect to a violation by a licensee of section 923(m) or a regulation issued under that section, the Attorney General, after notice and opportunity for hearing— (i) in the case of the first violation or related series of violations on the same date, shall subject the licensee to a civil penalty in an amount equal to not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000
For a second violation or related series on the same date, the Attorney General would have to suspend the license until the business corrects the violation and could also impose a $1,000 to $10,000 fine. Notice and an opportunity for a hearing would apply.
the Attorney General, after notice and opportunity for hearing—
(ii) in the case of the second violation or related series of violations on the same date— (I) shall suspend the license issued to the licensee under this chapter until the licensee cures the violation; and (II) may subject the licensee to a civil penalty in an amount provided in clause (i)
a civil penalty in an amount equal to not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000
For a third violation or related series on the same date, the Attorney General would have to revoke the license and could also impose a $1,000 to $10,000 fine. Notice and an opportunity for a hearing would apply.
the Attorney General, after notice and opportunity for hearing—
(iii) in the case of the third violation or related series of violations on the same date— (I) shall revoke the license issued to the licensee under this chapter; and (II) may subject the licensee to a civil penalty in an amount provided in clause (i).
a civil penalty in an amount equal to not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000
Review of these enforcement actions would be available only as provided under existing section 923(f), whose procedures are not reproduced in the supplied source. A fine, suspension, or revocation would not prevent the Attorney General from using other available administrative remedies.
(B) Review An action of the Attorney General under this paragraph may be reviewed only as provided under section 923(f).
The imposition of a civil penalty or suspension or revocation of a license under paragraph (1) shall not preclude any administrative remedy that is otherwise available to the Attorney General.
The bill would insert language requiring license applications to describe how the applicant plans to comply with the new security requirements. It would also add a condition in section 923(d)(1) requiring the Attorney General to determine that the described plan would comply if implemented. The surrounding application provisions are not supplied.
in subsection (a), in the second sentence, by striking be in such form and contain only that and inserting describe how the applicant plans to comply with subsection (m) and shall be in such form and contain only such other
(2) in subsection (d)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking and at the end; (B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (H) the Attorney General determines that the description in the application of how the applicant plans to comply with subsection (m) would, if implemented, so comply.
The firearm storage requirements would take effect one year after enactment. The paper-record storage requirements would take effect 90 days after enactment.
(1) Initial firearm storage requirements Section 923(m)(2) of title 18, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) Initial paper records storage requirements Section 923(m)(3) of title 18, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
The supplied actions snapshot, updated December 5, 2025, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Judiciary Committee on February 6, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-05T21:47:45Z. 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-06. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials; formal earmark disclosures and reports are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Evidence is limited
The complete supplied introduced text was reviewed, but missing referenced law prevents determining whether the exception below constitutes a materially narrow preferential benefit. This assessment is limited to the supplied version and evidence.
The proposed security subsection expressly applies to licensed importers, manufacturers, and dealers subject to an exception under subsection 923(j), which the bill identifies as governing gun shows. This is a possible exception to the bill's main security policy requiring scrutiny, but subsection 923(j) is not supplied. The evidence does not establish which licensees or activities would receive different treatment, what requirements would be affected, or whether the exception qualifies as a materially narrow targeted benefit.
(1) Relation to provision governing gun shows This subsection shall apply to a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer except as provided in subsection (j).
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 5, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI