What is the purpose of voluntary surrender laws?

The purpose of voluntary surrender laws is to allow individuals to dispose of firearms without facing legal penalties. These laws were designed to encourage people who may possess firearms, particularly those that are unregistered or unwanted, to surrender them safely and lawfully. By doing so, it alleviates the risk of having those firearms fall into the wrong hands or be used in inappropriate situations.

This approach also helps to reduce the total number of firearms in circulation, which can contribute to overall public safety. The voluntary nature of these laws means that individuals can take proactive steps to ensure they are complying with the law and promoting community safety without the fear of legal repercussions for surrendering their firearms.