Interim study looks at tax incentives for gun safes

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate Finance Committee held an interim study Thursday looking at incentivizing greater voluntary use of gun safes through tax exemptions. The study was requested by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa.

“This study gave us an opportunity to hear from state and national experts about what other states are doing and the benefits of incentivizing voluntary use of gun safes,” Dossett said. “I believe the majority of Oklahomans are responsible with their firearms. The goal is to provide an incentive for even more citizens to keep their guns in a secure place.”

Oklahoma Rifle Association President Mark Vaughan said the concept would be of benefit to Oklahomans.

“Any measure that promotes the voluntary security and storage of firearms, and that prevents unauthorized individuals, such as children, those with mental illness, and those with criminal intent—anything that prevents those individuals from ready access to firearms—we are 100 percent for,” Vaughan said.

Associate Regional Director of Government Affairs, Tyler Smith, with Everytown For Gun Safety, told the committee that extensive research underscores the critical importance of secure storage practices in mitigating the risk of gun violence.

“The secure storage of firearms serves as a protective measure for both children and adults, helping to prevent unintentional shootings, suicides involving firearms, and instances of gun theft,” Smith said. “By implementing laws that incentivize secure storage, we can work towards reducing the tragic toll of preventable incidents and fostering a safer environment for all Oklahomans.”

Senators also heard from Anne Teigen, associate director with the National Conference of State Legislature’s (NCSL) Criminal and Civil Justice Division, and Andrea Jimenez, policy analyst at NCSL’s Fiscal Affairs Program. Currently, 13 states offer tax incentives on firearm safety devices. Texas is among those, with Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee and Michigan as the most recent states to enact such legislation.

Dossett said she was looking at a state sales tax exemption only on gun safes, so that local sales tax collections wouldn’t be impacted.  

“The Tax Commission projects the revenue impact would be $271,555 but compare that to the data we heard from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that showed gun deaths and injuries cost Oklahoma taxpayers more than $200 million each year,” Dossett said. “Clearly, this is a concept that makes good sense in terms of public safety and sound fiscal policy.”

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