Legislation would prevent tragic accidents from poorly designed, ill-maintained, or faulty gates
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Alex Gate Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to create and enforce a consumer product safety standard for large and potentially hazardous gates often installed in residential, commercial, and recreational settings. By establishing uniform safety standards and launching a national education campaign, the bill aims to prevent further harm and raise awareness among manufacturers, installers, consumers, and local authorities.
“Simple and affordable safety mechanisms can prevent tragic accidents caused by poorly designed or maintained gates. We’ve seen the devastating impact of these preventable incidents, such as the tragic death of seven-year-old Alex Quanbeck, who was crushed by a falling gate, and the death of Esther Nakajjigo at Arches National Park,” said Senator Curtis. “By codifying industry standards, our Alex Gate Safety Act will save lives and prevent needless heartbreak.”
Background:
In 2019, seven-year-old Alex Quanbeck was playing football with friends during recess when he attempted to close the schoolyard gate to stop the ball from rolling away. However, as he pushed the gate closed, it detached from its supporting hardware and collapsed on him—a shocking accident which could have been prevented had the gate been equipped with a simple safety feature that costs no more than $50.
In 2020, Esther “Essie” Nakajjigo was killed by an unsecured gate at Arches National Park during a camping trip. A strong wind blew the metal gate into her car, decapitating Nakajigo.
To address these safety concerns, consumer advocates, industry professionals, independent experts, and standards organizations came together to update the voluntary industry standards.
Specifically, the Alex Gate Safety Act would:
- Direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue a consumer product safety standard for vehicular and large gates within one year of enactment;
- Allow the CPSC to modify standards if it determines that a modification would further reduce the risk of injury associated with covered gates; and
- Launch a national campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of covered gates, including those that detach or fall.
Senator Curtis previously introduced a version of the legislation during the 118th Congress in the House of Representatives.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
The Alex Gate Safety Act is supported by The Hummingbird Alliance, a non-profit organization founded by Alex Quanbeck’s parents; the American Fence Association; the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA); and ASTM International.
“The true tragedy in our son Alex’s death is that it was preventable, and today we honor his memory by advancing bipartisan, commonsense legislation to protect Americans from falling gates like the one that collapsed on him,” said Dayna and Eric Quanbeck, Alex’s parents and Co-Founders of The Hummingbird Alliance. “We are honored and proud to support Senator Curtis and Senator Klobuchar’s bill to improve gate safety by implementing simple, inexpensive safety features to save countless lives.”
“The American Fence Association has worked with industry partners on gate safety standards for over twenty years,” said Michael Reed, Executive Director, American Fence Association. “The Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025 reflects many of these life-saving standards. We thank Senator Curtis and Senator Klobuchar for introducing such important legislation, which will be to the benefit of all Americans.”
“We are excited to see this bipartisan effort advancing the important and overlooked priority of gate safety,” said Dave Monsour, Technical Director, DASMA.
“Comprised of industry leaders, ASTM committee F14 is dedicated to enhancing its standards,” said Ben Shirley, Chair, ASTM F14 Committee on Fences. “By integrating language from existing standards, we successfully revised our manual gate specifications to include guidelines that address safety concerns. What might seem like a minor wording change in a document can have a profound impact on the entire industry.”