The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved legislation to require firearm owners to safely store their weapons when not in use.
Under the proposal, these would have to be stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant lock.
Penalties under the civil offense would be a 250-dollar fine, with a thousand-dollar fine for the second.
Subsequent violations would also include up to six months behind bars.
The bill would also expand the law to affect those who leave weapons where children can access them.
Similar laws are on the books in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and supporters say firearms accidents remain the top reason for kids' fatalities in the U.S..
Opponents claim the measure oversteps and puts gun owners' lives at risk.
The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up the measure today.
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