Reps. Craig, Gonzales Introduce Bipartisan Lethal Means Safety Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN-02) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) introduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to lethal means safety supplies – like lockboxes and safes – for parents of children at risk of overdose or suicide.

Their bipartisan Kid PROOF Act would allow health care providers to purchase and distribute lethal means safety supplies – like lockboxes or safes – for children at risk of overdose or suicide. This would help parents safely store opioids or other dangerous materials and keep them away from at-risk children in the home.

Research shows that proper storage of lethal means – like opioids or a knife – saves lives. 95% of individuals considering suicide do not go on to die by suicide when lethal means are effectively stored.

“Our bipartisan legislation takes an informed, compassionate, evidence-based approach to keeping kids safe, and I’m grateful for Rep. Gonzales’ partnership on this important issue,” said Rep. Angie Craig. “As a mother and a grandmother, I’ll do everything I can to help parents keep their children safe and healthy – that's what this bipartisan bill will accomplish.”

“Reducing access to lethal means for children at risk of suicide is a proven method to decrease suicide rates. Our bill, the Kid PROOF Act, would help physicians obtain funding to provide parents with safes and lockboxes to properly store medications and other dangerous materials,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “The Kid PROOF Act is an important step forward in our commitment as parents to protect our kids. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this life-saving legislation across the finish line.”

Full text of the Kid PROOF Act can be found here.

Reps. Maria Salazar (R-FL-27) and David Trone (D-MD-06) joined as original co-sponsors of the bill. U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Protecting America’s children starts at home,” said Rep. Maria Salazar. “I am proud to support this compassionate legislation to give healthcare providers the resources they need to empower parents to protect their children. Our national mental health crisis requires bold and incisive solutions, and this bill is a great step toward our ultimate objective: saving lives.”

"We're living during a time when a record number of Americans are fighting mental illness and substance use disorder. With nearly 110,000 overdose deaths and over 49,000 suicide deaths last year alone, we can't afford to sit on the sidelines any longer," said Congressman David Trone, co-chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. "That's why I'm proud to co-lead the Kid PROOF Act to ensure more folks have lockboxes or safes to store opioids and other high-risk, lethal substances. Simple measures like this one can be the difference between life or death, and if we can save just one life it's worth it."

Leading national safety and mental health organizations endorsed the Kid PROOF Act.

“Today, members of Congress took an important step to help prevent tragedies at home. The ‘Kid PROOF Act’ will give parents and families the support they need to protect kids by giving grants for lockboxes and safes to keep potentially lethal items away from children and teens. With the grants provided by children’s health care providers, the ‘Kid PROOF Act’ will support families in addressing rising rates of youth suicide and overdose. We commend Representatives Craig (D-MN), Gonzales (R-TX), Trone (D-MD), and Salazar (R-FL) for their leadership in introducing this bipartisan bill. In doing so, they are prioritizing our children and taking an important step to stem violence and youth suicide,” said Mark Barden, co-founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund.

“AFSP is proud to support the Kid PROOF Act, critical legislation to reduce access to lethal means for our youngest and most vulnerable populations,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer. “Youth and young adults experience a heightened risk of suicide; according to the CDC, suicide was the third leading cause of death for youth ages 10-19 in 2021. Helping families and communities keep environments safe from lethal means, as an essential and effective component of suicide prevention, is a priority for AFSP, and we stand ready to advocate for the enactment of the Kid PROOF Act.”

“We’re pleased to support the Kid PROOF Act, a vital piece of legislation that would further the safety of children by giving parents the means and tools to store potentially harmful objects,” said Christy Gleason, Vice President of Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns for Save the Children. “Far too often, children face harm that is easily preventable, inhibiting them from living their lives to the fullest. Save the Children believes every child has the right to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm – and the Kid PROOF Act is important to realizing this bright future for kids.”

“The national emergency in youth mental health continues to put too many children and teens at risk of self-injury, suicide and overdose. Children’s hospitals support the bipartisan Kid PROOF Act, which will help to provide parents and guardians with the resources and tools that they need to keep their children safe, especially during a mental health crisis,” said Matthew Cook, CEO Children’s Hospital Association.

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