Florida HB 15: Good Intentions, Bad Execution

Gun laws always come in with the best intentions—protect kids, prevent crime, hold people accountable. But too often, they end up punishing the wrong people while failing to stop the real problem. Florida’s HB 15 is the latest example.

This bill is supposed to make sure handguns in cars and boats are stored securely so minors can’t steal them. Sounds reasonable, right? But when you break it down, it shifts responsibility in a way that punishes lawful gun owners instead of actually preventing crime.

Who Does This Really Affect?

HB 15 requires counties to create rules that hold parents accountable if their child steals a gun from someone else’s vehicle or boat. That raises a big question—if a kid is already at the point of stealing a firearm, is a storage law really going to stop them? The issue isn’t just safe storage. We’re talking about deeper problems: lack of supervision, criminal influence, maybe even gang recruitment. Slapping parents with fines or charges after the fact doesn’t fix any of that.

And what if a gun owner does everything right? Locks their firearm up, secures it in a safe, follows every rule—but their gun still gets stolen. The bill doesn’t clearly state whether they’d still be held liable. That’s a huge problem. Law-abiding citizens could face legal trouble for something entirely out of their control.

Urban Areas Face Higher Risks

Not all areas face the same risks. If a vehicle is parked in a garage or driveway, the chances of theft are much lower than in urban areas, where cars are left overnight in public parking lots or on the street. Criminals don’t care about gun storage laws—they’re looking for easy targets.

This legislation treats every gun owner the same, even though their level of risk isn’t. Instead of a one-size-fits-all policy, why not focus on targeted solutions where gun theft is actually a problem?

Punishment vs. Incentives

Laws like this take a punitive approach when incentives would work better. If this legislation is truly about promoting responsible gun storage, why not offer tax breaks for high-quality safes? Florida already uses this approach with its Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, where families can buy school supplies tax-free. That’s an incentive to do the right thing.

There are also property improvement grants in some Florida cities that help homeowners make security upgrades. If the goal is preventing stolen guns from being used in crimes, why not make it easier and more affordable for people to properly secure them instead of threatening penalties after the fact?

The Market Solves This Better Than Government

The private sector is already leading the way with solutions like biometric safes, quick-access lockboxes, and smart storage. Most gun owners don’t need a law to tell them to be responsible—most already are. The problem is, when legislation steps in with vague rules and penalties, it creates confusion and unintended consequences.

If this bill is really about keeping guns out of the wrong hands, it should focus on black market sales and organized crime—not lawful gun owners. Criminals aren’t stealing firearms from gun safes in people’s homes. They’re getting them through illegal channels, straw purchases, and theft rings. But tackling that is hard, so politicians go for the easy win—passing another law that sounds good on paper.

A Smarter Approach

If this legislation is serious about improving gun safety, here’s a better plan:

• Statewide tax breaks for gun safes and lockboxes – Incentivize responsible storage instead of penalizing people after the fact.
• Security improvement grants for property owners – Help people make their homes and vehicles harder targets for theft.
• Target high-crime areas with smarter enforcement – Focus on the places where gun theft is actually happening instead of punishing every gun owner equally.
• Stronger action against illegal gun trafficking – Criminals aren’t buying their weapons legally, so go after the real supply chain.

Conclusion

HB 15 is trying to solve a problem, but it does it the wrong way—by punishing responsible gun owners instead of incentivizing better security. Legislation that truly prioritizes gun safety should take a page from Florida’s playbook on tax breaks and property improvement grants.

Because if history has taught us anything, it’s that more laws on responsible people don’t stop criminals from being criminals.