Sponsors (21)
The bill aims to reduce availability of certain semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines to lower mass-shooting risk and strengthen enforcement, but does so by imposing new criminal penalties, compliance burdens, transfer limits, and costs that affect lawful owners, manufacturers, and taxpayers.
People in communities with gun violence (urban and rural) would likely face reduced availability of certain gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines, which could lower the risk and severity of mass shootings.
Federal, state, and tribal law enforcement retain access and the bill gives prosecutors clearer statutory tools to charge and deter prohibited possession, which could improve consistency of enforcement and public-safety operations.
Current lawful owners of affected firearms are grandfathered so there is no immediate confiscation of weapons lawfully manufactured and acquired before enactment.
Owners of affected firearms and high-capacity magazines lose the ability to sell or transfer those items in interstate commerce, reducing resale value and market options for many lawful owners and collectors.
The bill creates new mandatory criminal penalties (including a 2-year mandatory minimum and potential fines up to $250,000) that substantially increase prison exposure and legal penalties for possession-related offenses.
Broad prohibitions on parts and devices that materially increase rate of fire could criminalize common modifications or create exposure for private owners and hobbyists who alter or accessorize firearms.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Bans gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and certain parts, treats >10-round magazines as covered, creates penalties, requires an ATF prohibited-list process, and allows Byrne buyback payments.
Introduced April 9, 2025 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress April 9, 2025
Prohibits the import, manufacture, sale, transfer, receipt, and possession of gas-operated semi-automatic firearms and certain parts or devices that enable gas-operated cycling or materially increase rate of fire, and treats large-capacity magazines (over 10 rounds) similarly. Establishes criminal penalties (including a mandatory prison term when a separate serious felony is committed while possessing a banned firearm), requires marking of covered firearms, creates ATF-administered listing and review procedures with fees and a trust fund, and allows Byrne grant funds to be used for buyback payments for surrendered covered firearms and large-capacity feeding devices. Grandfathers firearms lawfully made and transferred before enactment (with limited family transfers), exempts certain government and Atomic Energy Act licensee uses, and directs ATF to publish and maintain a prohibited-firearm list and to process manufacturer applications and appeals within set deadlines.