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HB 159 2026
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hb159-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to storage of handguns in private 2
conveyances and vessels; amending s. 790.25, F.S.; 3
providing requirements for storage of handguns in 4
private conveyances and vessels; providing 5
definitions; requiring law enforcement agencies to 6
engage in a specified promotional campaign; requiring 7
certain firearms education, safety, and training 8
courses to include instruction on the requirements for 9
storage of handguns in private conveyances and 10
vessels; amending s. 790.175, F.S.; revising required 11
warnings for transfer or sale of firearms; providing 12
penalties; providing a declaration of important state 13
interest; providing effective dates. 14
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WHEREAS, on average, at least one gun is stolen from a car 16
every nine minutes in the United States, and 17
WHEREAS, the rate of gun thefts from cars has tripled in 18
the last decade, showing both consistent increases nearly every 19
year and a marked spike during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 20
WHEREAS, a decade ago, roughly a quarter of gun thefts were 21
from cars, but in 2022, over half of gun thefts were from cars, 22
and 23
HB 159 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
WHEREAS, guns are most commonly stolen from cars parked at 24
residences, demonstrating the importance of securely storing 25
guns at all times and locations, and 26
WHEREAS, cities in states with the weakest gun safety laws 27
see nearly 18 times the rate of gun thefts from cars as those in 28
states with the strongest gun laws, and 29
WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that it is the 30
responsibility of parents to supervise their children under 18 31
years of age, NOW, THEREFORE, 32
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 34
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Section 1. Effective October 1, 2026, subsection (4) of 36
section 790.25, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 37
790.25 Lawful ownership, possession, and use of firearms 38
and other weapons.— 39
(4) POSSESSION IN PRIVATE CONVEYANCE.— 40
(a)1. Except as provided in subparagraph 2. and 41
notwithstanding s. 790.01, a person 18 years of age or older who 42
is in lawful possession of a handgun or other weapon may possess 43
such a handgun or weapon within the interior of a private 44
conveyance if the handgun or weapon is securely encased or 45
otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use. A person who 46
possesses a handgun or other weapon as authorized under this 47
subparagraph paragraph may not carry the handgun or weapon on 48
HB 159 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
his or her person. 49
2.a. A person may not store a handgun, whether loaded or 50
unloaded, in an unoccupied, unsecured private conveyance or 51
vessel unless the handgun is kept from ordinary observation and 52
view and secured with a device or mechanism that is securely 53
affixed to the private conveyance or vessel or kept locked 54
within a trunk, utility or glove box, or other locked container. 55
b. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term: 56
(I) "Private conveyance" includes any motor vehicle as 57
defined in s. 790.251(2)(b) other than a public conveyance. 58
(II) "Unsecured" means unlocked or otherwise left open to 59
entry. 60
(III) "Vessel" has the same meaning as in s. 327.02. 61
c. Each law enforcement agency shall engage in a 62
promotional campaign to educate the public and handgun owners 63
regarding the requirements of sub-subparagraph a. 64
d. The curricula of the firearms education, safety, and 65
training courses specified in s. 790.06(2)(h)1.-4. and 7. shall 66
contain instruction on the requirements of sub-subparagraph a. 67
Section 2. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 790.175, 68
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 69
790.175 Transfer or sale of firearms; required warnings; 70
penalties.— 71
(1) Upon the retail commercial sale or retail transfer of 72
any firearm, the seller or transferor shall deliver a written 73
HB 159 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
warning to the purchaser or transferee, which warning states, in 74
block letters not less than 1/4 inch in height: 75
"IT IS UNLAWFUL, AND PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT AND FINE, FOR 76
ANY ADULT TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN THE 77
REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR TO 78
KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF 79
A FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND. A PERSON MAY 80
NOT STORE A HANDGUN, WHETHER LOADED OR UNLOADED, IN AN 81
UNOCCUPIED, UNSECURED PRIVATE CONVEYANCE OR VESSEL UNLESS THE 82
HANDGUN IS KEPT FROM ORDINARY OBSERVATION AND VIEW AND SECURED 83
WITH A DEVICE OR MECHANISM THAT IS SECURELY AFFIXED TO THE 84
PRIVATE CONVEYANCE OR VESSEL OR KEPT LOCKED WITHIN A TRUNK, 85
UTILITY OR GLOVE BOX, OR OTHER LOCKED CONTAINER." 86
(2) Any retail or wholesale store, shop, or sales outlet 87
which sells firearms must conspicuously post at each purchase 88
counter the following warning in block letters not less than 1 89
inch in height: 90
"IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN 91
THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR TO 92
KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF 93
A FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND. A PERSON MAY 94
NOT STORE A HANDGUN, WHETHER LOADED OR UNLOADED, IN AN 95
UNOCCUPIED, UNSECURED PRIVATE CONVEYANCE OR VESSEL UNLESS THE 96
HANDGUN IS KEPT FROM ORDINARY OBSERVATION AND VIEW AND SECURED 97
WITH A DEVICE OR MECHANISM THAT IS SECURELY AFFIXED TO THE 98
HB 159 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
PRIVATE CONVEYANCE OR VESSEL OR KEPT LOCKED WITHIN A TRUNK, 99
UTILITY OR GLOVE BOX, OR OTHER LOCKED CONTAINER." 100
Section 3. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide 101
for the most efficient and effective deterrent to juvenile theft 102
of handguns from vessels and conveyances, tailored to local 103
conditions and resources. Therefore, the Legislature determines 104
and declares that this act fulfills an important state interest. 105
Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 106
act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 107