HB 216 Alabama House · 2025 Regular Session

Firearms; firearm hold agreements defined; civil immunity therefrom provided

This bill defines a "firearm hold agreement" as a private arrangement where a federal firearms licensee (like a gun store) temporarily holds a customer's lawfully owned firearm for a set period and returns it. It provides civil immunity to licensees who follow these agreements, meaning gun owners cannot sue them for returning firearms as agreed. The protection does not apply if the licensee acts unlawfully or if the agreement involves illegal firearm transfers. The bill becomes effective June 1, 2025.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 6, 2025 Last action Feb 18, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Feb 18, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to narrow its scope by removing municipal and county law enforcement officers from the firearm hold agreement program, which previously allowed them to participate alongside federal firearm licensees. The bill also simplified the civil immunity language to focus solely on federal firearm licensees. These changes reduce the number of entities eligible to enter into firearm hold agreements and limit the civil protections to a single category of actor.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed from including both federal firearm licensees and law enforcement officers to only federal firearm licensees.

ELIGIBILITY

Municipal and county law enforcement officers were removed from eligibility to enter into firearm hold agreements.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'firearm hold agreement' was updated to exclude law enforcement officers as participants.

The definition of 'federal firearms licensee' was added as a new term to clarify who is covered under the act.

REQUIREMENT

Civil immunity provisions were narrowed to apply only to federal firearm licensees rather than law enforcement officers.

The exception for unlawful conduct was updated to apply only to federal firearm licensees, removing law enforcement officers from this protection.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending Committee Action in Second House (Judiciary)

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 162

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 161

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Introduced

Judiciary 1st Substitute Offered (Judiciary)

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Judiciary)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors