Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 186
       
       
        
       By Senator Berman
       
       
       
       
       
       26-00172-25                                            2025186__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to safe storage of firearms and
    3         ammunition in motor vehicles and vessels; creating s.
    4         790.176, F.S.; defining the terms “motor vehicle,”
    5         “trunk,” and “vessel”; requiring persons who store or
    6         leave firearms or ammunition in motor vehicles or
    7         vessels under their control to keep the firearms or
    8         ammunition locked inside specified locations within
    9         the motor vehicles or vessels while not in the motor
   10         vehicles or vessels; providing criminal penalties;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 790.176, Florida Statutes, is created to
   16  read:
   17         790.176 Requirements for safe storage of firearms and
   18  ammunition in motor vehicles and vessels.—
   19         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   20         (a) “Motor vehicle” has the same meaning as in s.
   21  320.01(1).
   22         (b) “Trunk” means the fully enclosed and locked main
   23  storage compartment of a motor vehicle which is not accessible
   24  from the passenger compartment. The term does not include a
   25  compartment that has a window, the bed of a pickup truck, or the
   26  rear area of a hatchback, station wagon-type motor vehicle, or
   27  sport utility motor vehicle.
   28         (c) “Vessel” has the same meaning as in s. 327.02.
   29         (2) A person who stores or leaves a firearm, whether loaded
   30  or unloaded, or ammunition in a motor vehicle or vessel under
   31  his or her control while the person is not in the motor vehicle
   32  or vessel must keep the firearm or ammunition locked inside the
   33  trunk, inside a locked utility or glove box, or inside a locked
   34  container securely affixed to the motor vehicle or vessel.
   35         (3) A person who violates subsection (2) commits a
   36  misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.
   37  775.082 or s. 775.083.
   38         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.