Bill promoting gun safety clears Appropriations Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, has won full Appropriations Committee approval for her bill rewarding the use of gun safes and other firearm safety devices. Senate Bill 50 provides a state sales tax exemption when a gun owner purchases such equipment. The measure was approved by the committee on Wednesday.

“Responsible gun owners and those considering maintaining their firearms more safely will benefit directly from SB 50 by keeping cash in their pockets. The rest of us will benefit indirectly by the added protection the bill provides against misuse and even theft and criminal use of firearms,” Dossett said. “In an interim study we held on this topic, we learned that Oklahoma taxpayers pay about $200 million annually as a result of gun death and injury in our state. The cost to implement this $178,000 program is a small investment that will pay big dividends."

The bill's provisions include storage devices such as gun safes, cases, and lock boxes, and safety devices that are installed on a firearm and become integral to its use. More than a dozen other states are already providing incentives for the use of safety devices, and others are considering similar legislation.

SB 50 now needs a Senate floor hearing by March 27in order to continue advancing through the Legislature.

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Jo Anna Dossett: (405) 521-5624 or JoAnna.Dossett@oksenate.gov