The National Rifle Association of America has lobbied against such laws, arguing that they are ineffective and infringe on the rights of gun owners to protect their homes.
[5] However, according to Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, it is unlawful for any licensed gun carrier to transfer firearms without safe storage.
A case in 2007, United States v Nieves-Castaño, found Nieves guilty for having a firearm in her apartment, a public housing project, which was within a 1000 feet of a school.
[5][6] Four states (California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland) have the most stringent CAP laws that impose criminal liability when a minor is merely likely to gain access to a gun that is negligently stored.
[5][6] On the other end of the spectrum, some states, such as Utah, only impose criminal liability when a minor is directly provided a gun by an adult.
[5] In Massachusetts, all firearms are required to be stored using a locking device,[5] and allowing a child unsupervised access to a handgun can result in a $5,000 fine and/or 2.5 years in jail.
The law says that if a gun that was negligently stored get used by a minor to injure or kill someone, the owner of the firearm will be responsible therefore he will be fined, put to prison, or even in some cases both.
As July 2004, the US Secret Service and US Department of Education published a study examining 37 school shootings from 1974-2000 that found that in more than 65% of cases, the attacker got the gun from his or her own home or that of a relative.
In 2016, a NRA lobbyist testified against a safe storage bill in Tennessee, saying that the Eddie Eagle program was the best way "to reduce firearm-related accidents" regarding children.