SF 2253 (LSB 5797XS (5) 90)

SENATE FILE 2253

BY  WEINER, CELSI, WINCKLER, TRONE GARRIOTT, and PETERSEN

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a mental health firearm safety fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  225C.70  Mental health firearm safety fund.
   1.  A mental health firearm safety fund is created in the state treasury under the control of the department and shall consist of any moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by the department for placement in the fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used to award grants to organizations or coalitions of organizations for any of the following purposes:
   a.  To train staff at a firearms retailer or a firearm range on how to recognize signs that a person may be considering suicide.
   b.  To provide suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearms retailer or a firearm range.
   c.  To provide voluntary, temporary firearm storage for the lawful owner of a firearm who is or may be experiencing a mental health emergency.
   2.  A grant awarded pursuant to this section shall not exceed five thousand dollars per recipient organization per fiscal year.
   3.  In awarding grants pursuant to subsection 1, the department shall give preference to organizations or coalitions of organizations that have not previously received a grant under this section.
   4.  For purposes of this section, “organization” means any of the following:
   a.  A county.
   b.  A city.
   c.  An Indian tribe as that term is defined in 25 U.S.C. §5304, including any subdivision, subsidiary, or business enterprise wholly owned by such an Indian tribe.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a mental health firearm safety fund (fund) under the control of the department of health and human services (HHS) to be funded with moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by HHS for placement in the fund.
   The bill allows HHS to use moneys in the fund to award grants to organizations for the purposes of training staff at a firearms retailer or a firearm range on how to recognize signs that a person may be considering suicide; providing suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearms retailer or a firearm range; or providing voluntary, temporary firearm storage for the lawful owner of a firearm who is or may be experiencing a mental health emergency.
   The bill limits annual awards from the fund to $5,000 per recipient organization per fiscal year.
   The bill requires HHS, when awarding grants from the fund, to give preference to organizations or coalitions of organizations that have not previously received a grant from the fund.
   The bill defines “organization” as a county; a city; or an Indian tribe as defined in 25 U.S.C. §5304, including any subdivision, subsidiary, or business enterprise wholly owned by such an Indian tribe.