Read the full stored bill text
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1379
H.P. 901 House of Representatives, April 1, 2025
An Act to Require Public Health Warnings to Be Posted and
Provided by Firearm Dealers and Gunsmiths
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative STOVER of Boothbay.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ARFORD of Brunswick, BRENNAN of Portland,
GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, KUHN of Falmouth,
MEYER of Eliot, MOONEN of Portland, ZAGER of Portland.
Page 1 - 132LR1709(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2017 is enacted to read:
3§2017. Public health warning
41. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the
5 following terms have the following meanings.
6 A. "Firearm" has the same meaning as in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 12-A.
7 B. "Firearm dealer" means a person that is licensed as a dealer under 18 United States
8 Code, Section 923(a)(3) or that is required to be licensed as a dealer under that section.
9 C. "Gunsmith" means a person who designs, repairs or modifies firearms.
102. Public health warning sign and brochure. A firearm dealer or a gunsmith shall
11 prominently display a sign with the public health warning under subsection 3 at the business
12 premises of the firearm dealer or gunsmith where firearms are displayed, sold or transferred
13 and provide a purchaser or transferee of a firearm with a brochure containing the public
14 health warning. A public health warning sign under this subsection must be at least 11
15 inches by 17 inches and printed in large, bold font written in English and any other
16 predominant language in the community where the business premises are located. The
17 public health warning brochure must include additional information about firearm safety,
18 secure storage practices and resources for suicide prevention and domestic violence support
19 as developed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
203. Public health warning. A public health warning under this section must state:
21 "WARNING: Firearms pose a significant risk to public health and safety. Access to a
22 firearm in the home increases the risk of suicide, domestic violence fatalities and
23 unintentional deaths, particularly among children. Keep firearms locked and unloaded
24 when not in use. For help, contact the Maine Crisis Line at [insert telephone number
25 provided by the Department of Health and Human Services for a hotline for suicide and
26 crisis services]."
274. Department of Health and Human Services support. The Department of Health
28 and Human Services shall develop standardized public health warning signs and brochures
29 under subsection 2 and distribute the signs and brochures to all firearm dealers and
30 gunsmiths in the State. The Department of Health and Human Services shall collaborate
31 with firearm dealers and related business owners, public health experts and suicide
32 prevention advocates, including representatives of a gun shop project under section 2015,
33 to ensure all public health warning materials are accurate and effective.
345. Enforcement and penalties. The Department of Health and Human Services shall
35 monitor compliance with this section and may conduct an inspection of the business
36 premises of a firearm dealer or gunsmith to determine compliance. A person that violates
37 this section is subject to:
38 A. For a first offense, a written warning; or
39 B. For a 2nd or subsequent offense, a penalty not to exceed $500.
406. Rules. The Department of Health and Human Services may adopt rules to carry out
41 this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined
42 in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Page 2 - 132LR1709(01)
1Sec. 2. Department of Health and Human Services to implement guidance
2within 90 days of effective date. The Department of Health and Human Services shall
3 perform the department's duties under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 2017,
4 subsection 4 within 90 days of the effective date of this Act.
5Sec. 3. Effective date. That portion of this Act that enacts the Maine Revised
6 Statutes, Title 25, section 2017, subsection 2 takes effect 180 days after the effective date
7 of this Act.
8SUMMARY
9 This bill requires firearm dealers and gunsmiths to post public health warning signs on
10 their business premises and provide public health warning brochures to purchasers and
11 transferees of firearms stating the significant risk of firearms to public health and safety
12 and that access to firearms increases the risk of suicide, domestic violence fatalities and
13 unintentional deaths, particularly among children. The bill authorizes the Department of
14 Health and Human Services to enforce these provisions and to develop standardized public
15 health warning signs and brochures.
9
10
11
12
13
14
15