LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln residents will now be required to keep any firearms in their vehicles out of sight with the doors locked under a new city ordinance.
The Lincoln City Council voted unanimously Monday in favor of the ordinance, according to the Lincoln Journal Star .
The ordinance was proposed to reduce opportunities for juveniles to steal guns from cars. In 2018, Lincoln police received 149 reports about guns being stolen, including 24 that were stolen from cars.
City Councilman Roy Christensen initially proposed requirements that guns be stored in a locked glove box, trunk or hardened case, but he removed that language because it proved impractical for transporting long guns.
Christensen said the changes remove some of the temptation for thieves to break into cars, while remaining practical.
"I think this is a reasonable approach that brings gun safety to people's attention but doesn't go so far as (to) infringe on people's rights," Christensen said.
Violators of the ordinance would likely face a civil infraction punishable by a fine on their first and second offenses. Subsequent offenses would result in a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.
Members of the military and law enforcement are exempt from the ordinance when they are on duty or in training.
The ordinance will replace a current one that bans the storage of firearms in a vehicle for more than 24 hours.
Monday's vote comes on the heels of a council vote last month requiring gun owners to report thefts of their weapons to police within 48 hours. Both ordinances are designed to reduce the number of gun thefts from vehicles.