Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §554, sub-§1, ¶B-1, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. C, §4 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

B-1. Being the parent, foster parent, guardian or other person having the care and custody of the child, cruelly treats that child by abuse, neglect or extreme punishment; or

Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §554, sub-§1, ¶B-2 is enacted to read:

B-2.__Does the following:

(1)__Knowingly stores or keeps a firearm on premises that are under the person's control;

(2)__Knowingly stores or keeps the firearm without a trigger lock device or in a place other than in a locked container; and

(3)__Knows or reasonably should know that a person under 16 years of age is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of that person's parent or guardian; or

SUMMARY

This bill amends the endangering the welfare of a child law. The bill adds to the types of endangerment storing a firearm that is not in a locked container or does not have a trigger lock device in a place where a child is likely to gain access to the firearm.