Police can now use federal crime grants to give away gun safes
H.R. 7446 — Community Firearm Safety Act of 2026 · Filed by Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) · Introduced Feb 9, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows police departments and other law enforcement agencies receiving federal Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne grants) to use that money to give away gun safes to the public at no cost. Currently, those grants can fund various public safety programs, but gun safe distribution was not explicitly listed as an allowed use. The bill adds gun safe giveaways to the list of permitted grant uses.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a straightforward authorization for law enforcement to use existing federal crime-prevention grants on firearm storage devices — a harm-reduction public health intervention. It does not create new funding, new agencies, or new mandates; it simply adds one more permissible use to an existing grant program.
What the text implies
- Gun safe giveaway programs may reduce suicide rates among households with firearms, as secure storage is a known suicide-prevention intervention; however, the bill does not mandate such programs or track outcomes.
- The bill does not specify whether gun safes must meet any security standard or certification, leaving implementation details to individual law enforcement agencies.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
gun safe manufacturers; firearm storage device suppliers