The American Fence Association (AFA) is pleased to announce the introduction of the Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025. This bipartisan initiative aims at improving gate safety standards across the United States. U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the legislation, which seeks to prevent accidents caused by poorly designed, inadequately maintained, or faulty gates.
This legislation represents the culmination of months of dedicated effort by industry professionals and advocates. The bill directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to codify industry recognized ASTM gate standards and launch an awareness campaign to ensure gates meet modernized industry safety guidelines. The Act is named in memory of Alex Quanbeck, the seven-year-old boy who tragically lost his life after being crushed by a falling gate during recess at school. His death highlights the urgent need for updated standards to prevent similar incidents.
Senate Support for Gate Safety
“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.”
Industry and Advocacy Group Endorsements
Michael Reed, Executive Director of the American Fence Association, emphasized the industry’s collaboration on these efforts: "The American Fence Association has worked with industry partners on gate safety standards for over twenty years. 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.”
Ben Shirley, Chair of the ASTM F14 Committee on Fences, highlighted the importance of industry standards: "Comprised of industry leaders, ASTM committee F14 is dedicated to enhancing its standards. 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.”
Dave Monsour, Technical Director of the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA), reflected on the legislative process: “We are excited to see this bipartisan effort advancing the important and overlooked priority of gate safety.”
Eric and Dayna Quanbeck, Alex’s parents and founders of The Hummingbird Alliance, shared their perspective: "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. 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."
For further information, please contact:
Catherine Mills-Reynolds
Director, Government Relations and Industry Standards
Email: catherine@americanfenceassociation.com
More News from American Fence Association
