The Julian Standard
(EST. 2026)
Established in 2026 in memory of Julian Keel, The Julian Standard is a parent-led public safety initiative developed by his parents, Adrien Lake-Watson and Alec Watson. Grounded in lived experience and supported by documented evidence, the initiative advances targeted policy aimed to close defined gaps, establish measurable accountability, and help prevent another family from experiencing the same devastating loss.
Policy Pillars
RETAIL AMMUNITION SECURITY
Establish a minimum security standard requiring ammunition to remain inaccessible without employee assistance until a lawful purchase is completed at covered retailers.
Covered retailers would retain the flexibility to select their own compliant security method. Dedicated firearm retailers, armories, and shooting-range retailers would be excluded.
FIREARM FURNISHING ACCOUNTABILITY
Create an independent felony for affirmatively furnishing a firearm when the person providing it knows, or when it is culpably foreseeable, that the firearm will be used in connection with a violent felony.
What rights remain unchanged?
The Julian Standard is not a proposal to restrict lawful firearm ownership, lawful ammunition possession, or lawful commerce.
LAWFUL FIREARM RIGHTS REMAIN
Lawful firearm purchase, ownership, possession, sale, gifting, and transfer remain fully lawful.
LAWFUL AMMUNITION ACCESS REMAINS
Lawful purchasers retain the right to buy and possess ammunition. No ammunition quantity limit is proposed or contemplated.
A NEW RETAIL SECURITY STANDARD
Covered retailers must secure ammunition using a compliant method of their choice. Security protocols remain protected from disclosure.
tARGETED FURNISHING ACCOUNTABILITY
Liability applies to the affirmative decision to furnish a firearm when violent use is known or culpably foreseeable, not mere ownership or association.
Delaware’s enacted legislation provides a tested model for securing retail ammunition while protecting sensitive security information.
24 Del. C. § 902(b)
Requires ammunition retailers to report thefts and losses and submit prevention policies with licensing materials. Detailed security protocols are protected from public disclosure.
Enacted 2024
24 Del. C. § 905
Requires ammunition to remain inaccessible without employee assistance. Enclosed cases, behind-counter placement, and other access-prevention devices comply. Violations carry escalating civil penalties.
Enacted 2024
24 Del. C. § 906
Establishes penalties for specified violations within Delaware’s deadly-weapons dealer laws.
Enacted 2024
Transparency & Accountability
The Julian Standard supports public accountability while recognizing that certain security information must remain protected.
The public should be able to determine whether the law is being followed and whether meaningful enforcement has occurred. Transparency, however, should not provide a blueprint for defeating a retailer’s security system.
Criminal Liability
Our boundaries for criminal liability are defined by Delaware law and precedent. We focus on accountability when violent use is known or culpably foreseeable, ensuring that the legal framework protects the public while respecting the rights of lawful ownership.
Security Protocols
Security protocols are the backbone of our initiative. We prioritize the safety of covered retailers and the public, implementing rigorous standards for ammunition security that balance transparency with the protection of sensitive information.