Sponsors (24)
Ask me about this bill
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Requires most private firearm owners to report the theft or loss of any firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce to the Attorney General (or to local law enforcement via an AG web portal) within 48 hours. Failure to report carries civil penalties and, after repeated penalties, temporary bans on acquiring firearms; the bill also directs the Attorney General to build an online reporting portal, requires certain federal grant recipients to dedicate at least 5% of grant funds to lost/stolen firearm data management (unless they already forward reports to NCIC), and orders updates to federal background‑check processes.
Private (non-licensed) firearm owners whose firearms were shipped or transported in, or possessed in or affecting, interstate or foreign commerce must report the theft or loss of the firearm to the Attorney General within 48 hours after discovering or reasonably should have discovered the theft or loss. If the owner does not use the Attorney General's web portal for the report, the owner must report the theft or loss to local law enforcement authorities.
Within 72 hours after the Attorney General receives a report through the web portal, the Attorney General must notify the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction where the theft or loss occurred of the name and address of the reporting person.
The Attorney General must create a web-based electronic portal for public reporting of lost or stolen firearms within 180 days after enactment. The portal must include notice of penalties under 18 U.S.C. 924(a)(1) for knowingly making a false statement in such a report.
Amendment to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (34 U.S.C. 10153(a)) requiring grant applicants to assure that not less than 5 percent of each fiscal year's grant award will be used to study and implement effective management and collection of data relating to lost or stolen firearms reported to a law enforcement agency under 18 U.S.C. 922(aa), unless the applicant has ensured—and the Attorney General has certified—that the applicant has laws and procedures ensuring reports are forwarded to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
Addition to 18 U.S.C. 924 establishing civil money penalties for violations of 18 U.S.C. 922(aa): up to $1,000 for a first violation, and up to $5,000 for a second or subsequent violation. The Attorney General must provide notice and opportunity for a hearing before assessment and must notify the person of prohibitions set forth in 18 U.S.C. 922(bb).
Primary effects: private firearm owners will face a new legal duty to report thefts or losses within a short (48‑hour) window; failing to report can lead to civil fines and, after repeated failures, temporary restrictions on purchasing firearms. Federal law‑enforcement and justice systems (Department of Justice, FBI/NCIC, and NICS operators) will need to build or adapt IT systems and procedures: DOJ must create a public reporting portal within 180 days and update background‑check processes within six months. Grant administrators and recipients who receive covered federal grants must reallocate or document spending (at least 5% of funds) for managing lost/stolen firearm data unless they already forward reports to NCIC, producing programmatic compliance work for grantees and oversight bodies.
Operational burdens and risks: owners (including rural or casual owners) bear compliance burdens and an expedited timeline that could be hard to meet in some circumstances; DOJ and law enforcement must resource, staff, and secure a new portal and ensure timely NCIC/NICS integration; grant programs must revise budgets and reporting to meet the 5% requirement. Legal and administrative enforcement (civil penalty processes and acquisition bans) will require adjudication and casework by courts or administrative bodies. Privacy and data‑handling practices must be established for submitted reports. Practical enforcement will depend on outreach, portal availability, and interagency coordination. The measure changes owner behavior incentives — it may increase reporting rates but also raise concerns about administrative complexity and unequal enforcement impacts across communities.
Adds new subsections (aa) and (bb) to require reporting of lost or stolen firearms by unlicensed owners and to create firearm receipt prohibitions tied to civil money penalty assessments.
Adds a new subsection (q) establishing civil money penalties for violations of the new reporting requirement and requires notice of prohibitions; also amends existing penalty provisions to reference the new receipt-prohibition subsection (bb) and to cover false reporting of lost or stolen firearms under 922(aa).
Adds an assurance requirement to applications under this section that applicants use at least 5 percent of annual grant awards to manage and collect data on lost or stolen firearms reported under 18 U.S.C. 922(aa), unless the applicant has laws/procedures and the Attorney General certifies reports are forwarded to the National Crime Information Center.
Makes conforming amendments to provisions of section 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act by replacing occurrences of the phrase "(g) or (n)" with specified subparagraphs and subsections, and updates cross-references to account for the new 18 U.S.C. 922(bb) in related title 18 provisions.
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced February 21, 2025 by Sean Casten · Last progress February 21, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House