Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023 This bill subjects bump stocks to regulation under federal firearms laws. Specifically, the bill adds bump stocks to the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., registration and licensing requirements) under the National Firearms Act. Additionally, it includes bump stocks in the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., background check requirements) under the Gun Control Act of 1968.
Impact
The enactment of HB 396 would significantly change the legal landscape surrounding firearm regulations by categorizing bump stocks as regulated firearms. This regulation will entail the implementation of registration and licensing requirements for individuals who own such devices. Additionally, existing owners will be required to register their bump stocks within one year of the bill's enactment, leading to a more comprehensive firearms registry that includes previously unregulated devices. This change aims to limit the availability and use of bump stocks among the public.
Summary
House Bill 396, titled the 'Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023', seeks to regulate bump stocks under the same federal firearms laws that govern machineguns. Specifically, the bill intends to add bump stocks to the list of firearms subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act of 1968. The legislation defines a bump stock as any device that enables a semiautomatic weapon to fire at a rate similar to that of a machinegun, thereby increasing its lethality and potential for misuse.
Contention
Despite the potential safety benefits attributed to stricter bump stock regulations, the bill may face opposition from gun rights advocates who argue that such restrictions infringe upon Second Amendment rights. The debate surrounding this bill is likely to focus on the effectiveness of regulating bump stocks as a means to prevent mass shootings and whether it serves as a precedent for future firearm restrictions. Supporters of the bill view it as a necessary step toward enhancing public safety, while detractors may see it as an unjust government overreach into lawful firearm ownership.
Hearing Protection Act This bill removes silencers from the definition of firearms for purposes of the National Firearms Act. It also treats persons acquiring or possessing a firearm silencer as meeting any registration and licensing requirements of such Act. The Department of Justice must destroy certain records relating to the registration, transfer, or making of a silencer. The bill also revises the definitions of firearm silencer and firearm muffler under the federal criminal code and includes such items in the 10% excise tax category.
Protecting Individual Sovereignty Through Our Laws Act or the PISTOL Act This bill modifies the definition of rifle for purposes of the National Firearms Act to exclude from such definition a pistol equipped with a rear brace or rear attachment designed to assist the shooter in controlling the pistol. The bill also directs the Department of Justice to amend applicable regulations governing pistols to provide that the presence or absence of rear mounted braces or attachments that can assist a user in controlling the pistol shall not cause a firearm to be considered a pistol.