This week, Napa County's board of supervisors unanimously approved a new ordinance that restricts residents from keeping firearms in their homes unless they are stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock.

The new ordinance goes into effect Nov. 9.

Securely storing firearms not only reduces the risk of accidents or fatalities but also serves as a deterrent against theft, said Napa County board chair Belia Ramos.

"The passage of this ordinance underscores our collective commitment to protecting some of our community's most vulnerable members, including children and individuals experiencing suicidal impulses," Ramos said.

The ordinance states that quick access to a loaded firearm heightens the risk that a young person's impulsive decision to die by suicide will be carried out without reflection or seeking help.

The law applies to houses, apartments, condominiums, in-law units, accessory dwelling units, motels, hotels, single room occupancy units, timeshares, mobile homes, recreational vehicles and other vehicles where human habitation occurs.