HR5306-119

What This Bill Does

The Gun Suicide Prevention Act creates a firearm suicide-prevention labeling requirement. Despite firearms' usual exclusion from the Consumer Product Safety Act definition of consumer product, manufacturers and retailers may not sell or offer for sale a firearm unless a clear and conspicuous label is attached to the firearm or appears on firearm packaging and descriptive material. The label must be in English and Spanish, state that a person contemplating suicide should call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 and the maintained toll-free number or successor number, and include a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark before the words 'IF YOU.' A violation is treated as a Consumer Product Safety Act section 19(a) violation and is subject to civil and criminal penalties under sections 20 and 21. Retailer includes a dealer under title 18. The requirement takes effect two years after enactment, giving manufacturers, dealers, and packaging operations time to adjust.

Who Benefits and How

People at risk of suicide benefit because firearm labels and packaging would display 988 and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline information at the point of sale. Families of firearm purchasers benefit from more visible crisis-contact information when a firearm enters the home. Suicide prevention organizations benefit because the bill embeds hotline information directly into firearm sales materials. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline administrators benefit from statutory visibility on firearm labels and packaging.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Firearm manufacturers must attach or include bilingual suicide-prevention labels on firearms, packaging, and descriptive materials. Firearm retailers must stop selling or offering firearms that do not meet the labeling requirement after the two-year effective date. Firearm dealers face Consumer Product Safety Act penalties for violations. Consumer Product Safety Commission enforcement staff must treat violations as Consumer Product Safety Act violations despite the firearm exclusion.

Key Provisions

• Requires clear and conspicuous firearm suicide-prevention labels in English and Spanish.
• Requires labels to include 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, and a yellow warning triangle.
• Applies the requirement to firearms, packaging, and descriptive material.
• Treats violations as Consumer Product Safety Act violations with civil and criminal penalties.
• Delays the effective date until two years after enactment.