Provides immunity from civil liability to certain persons returning a firearm under certain circumstances. (BDR 3-1057)

- 83rd Session (2025)
Assembly Bill No. 451–Assemblymembers
Jauregui and O’Neill

CHAPTER..........

AN ACT relating to civil immunity; providing immunity from civil
liability to licensed firearm dealers and local law enforcement
agencies under certain circumstances; and providing other
matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law provides immunity from civil liability to certain person s for acts
or omissions under certain circumstances. (Chapter 41 of NRS) This bill extends
immunity from civil liability under certain circumstances to a licensed firearm
dealer or local law enforcement agency who returns a firearm to the owner of the
firearm pursuant to a firearm hold agreement , wherein the licensed firearm dealer
or local law enforcement agency: (1) takes possession of the owner’s firearm at the
request of the owner; and (2) returns the firearm to the owner according to the
terms of the agreement.

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

WHEREAS, Suicide is a public health crisis affecting countless
Nevada families and communities daily; and
WHEREAS, According to the Office of Suicide Prevention of the
Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of
Health and Human Services, this State had the highest state rate of
suicide from 1999-2015 for people 65 years of age or older; and
WHEREAS, Suicide prevention for seniors, veterans, military
members, their families and all Nevada residents requires expanded
secure, out-of-home storage of firearms to reduce access to lethal
means; and
WHEREAS, Encouraging temporary and voluntary out -of-home
storage of firearms is a critical step in reducing suicide risk and
saving lives as has been demonstrated by similar acts and programs
in other states; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this act and the Legislature to
facilitate efforts to reduce the risk of suicide by establishing limited
civil liability protections for licens ed firearm dealers and local law
enforcement agencies who enter into agreements with owners of
firearms who are voluntarily seeking to securely store their firearms;
now, therefore,

– 2 –

- 83rd Session (2025)
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Chapter 41 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, a licensed
firearm dealer or local law enforcement agency is immune from
civil liability for any act or omission arising from a firearm hold
agreement, including, without limitation, any personal injury or
death which results after the return of any firearm to the owner of
the firearm at the termination of a firearm hold agreement.
2. A licensed firearm dealer or local law enforcement agency
is not immune from civil liability pursuant to subsection 1 if:
(a) An action arising from a firearm hold agreement was the
result of gross negligence or reckless or unlawful conduct on the
part of the licensed firearm dealer or local law enforcement
agency; or
(b) The licensed firearm dealer or local law enforcement
agency knew at the time the person sought to retrieve a firearm
pursuant to a firearm hold agreement that the person was:
(1) Demonstrating behavior that the person would engage
in the unlawful use of the firearm;
(2) Demonstrating behavior that the person would cause
harm to himself or herself or another person; or
(3) Prohibited from owning, possessing or having under his
or her custody or control any firearm pursuant to NRS 202.360.
3. As used in this section:
(a) “Firearm hold agreement” means a written or oral
agreement between an owner of a firearm and a lice nsed firearm
dealer or local law enforcement agency in which a licensed
firearm dealer or local law enforcement agency:
(1) Takes possession of the owner’s firearm at the request
of the owner; and
(2) Returns the firearm to the owner according to the terms
of the agreement.
(b) “Licensed firearm dealer” means a person licensed
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 923(a).
Secs. 2-17. (Deleted by amendment.)

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