Louisville Metro Government - File #: R-020-23

• File #: R-020-23
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 2/27/2023
• In control: Public Safety Committee
• On agenda: 3/16/2023
• Final action: 3/16/2023
• Title: A RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT HOUSE BILL 325 AND SENATE BILL 168, EMPOWERING LOUISVILLE-JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT TO PERMANENTLY DESTROY ABANDONED, CONFISCATED, OR FORFEITED FIREARMS IN ITS CUSTODY.
• Sponsors: Tammy Hawkins (D-1), Jeff Hudson (R-23)

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
3/16/2023	1	Metro Council	adopted	Pass
3/7/2023	1	Public Safety Committee	recommended for approval
3/2/2023	1	Metro Council	assigned

RESOLUTION NO. _________, SERIES 2023
Title
A RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT HOUSE BILL 325 AND SENATE BILL 168, EMPOWERING LOUISVILLE-JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT TO PERMANENTLY DESTROY ABANDONED, CONFISCATED, OR FORFEITED FIREARMS IN ITS CUSTODY.
Body
SPONSORED BY: COUNCIL MEMBERS HAWKINS AND HUDSON

WHEREAS, 146 people were killed by firearms in Louisville-Jefferson County in 2022, of which 14 were children under the age of 18 years old; and
WHEREAS, over ninety percent of homicides committed in Louisville-Jefferson County in 2022 used a firearm; and
WHEREAS, Louisville Metro Police Department ("LMPD") currently has thousands of firearms in the custody of the LMPD property room; and
WHEREAS, Kentucky statutes prohibit LMPD from destroying forfeited firearms which were used in the commission of a crime, and further requires transferring those firearms to the Kentucky State Police ("KSP") to be made available for sale by public auction; and
WHEREAS, the Courier-Journal has found at least 31 instances where firearms sold at KSP auctions were tied to later criminal cases in Louisville, including 12 that were auctioned multiple times; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Craig Greenberg has ordered LMPD to remove the firing pins and affix a warning label to forfeited firearms that were used in commission of a crime prior to transferring to KSP for auction; and
WHEREAS, Kentucky State Representative Keturah Herron has filed House Bill 325 and State Senators Karen Berg and Reggie Thomas have filed Senate Bill 168 to allow consolidated local governments, such as Louisville-Jefferson County, to permanently destroy abandoned, confiscated, or forfeited firearms in the custody according to guidelines set forth by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT...