Sponsors (14)
The bill strengthens federal enforcement, oversight, and penalties to deter illegal gun trafficking and improve public safety, but does so by expanding criminal and administrative exposure, increasing burdens on small dealers, and raising significant due‑process and civil‑liberties concerns.
Federal law enforcement (ATF) and the public: ATF is authorized to hire staff, conduct more inspections, require inventories, and produce biennial reports — increasing enforcement capacity and oversight to detect illegal gun diversion and improve public safety.
People harmed by illegal firearm distribution and public safety: tougher criminal penalties (including higher maximum sentences and up to 10 years for falsifying/destroying records) strengthen deterrence and give prosecutors more leverage to hold bad actors accountable.
Buyers, families, and communities: dealers must offer secure gun storage or safety devices to non-licensee buyers and regulators get a civil‑penalty framework with procedural protections — likely increasing access to safe storage and giving regulators clearer tools while preserving some due process for licensees.
Individuals (including lawful gun owners, dealers, and applicants): the bill lowers mens rea standards and expands enforcement/discretion (changes to §923, broader §926(a) scope, AG discretion), increasing the risk of criminal conviction, license denial, or administrative sanction for negligent or unintended conduct.
Small firearm dealers and businesses: more inspections, inventory demands, tighter recordkeeping liability, and civil fines (including up to $10,000 per violation) raise compliance costs, administrative burden, insurance costs, and could push some small sellers out of the market.
Defendants and communities disproportionately represented in the criminal system: harsher criminal penalties and longer maximum sentences (including 5–10 year exposures) increase incarceration risk and costs and could disproportionately impact marginalized groups.
Based on analysis of 13 sections of legislative text.
Expands federal oversight of licensed firearms dealers: lowers mens rea for some violations, increases inspections and penalties, authorizes inventories and license suspensions/denials, and adds ATF hires.
Introduced June 24, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress June 24, 2025
Tightens federal oversight and enforcement of licensed firearms dealers by lowering the mental‑state needed to prove certain violations, expanding inspection authority and inventory requirements, raising criminal and civil penalties for some offenses, and giving the Attorney General broader powers to suspend, revoke, or deny licenses. It also directs the ATF to hire additional staff and report biennially to Congress on implementation and resource needs. The bill adds procedural protections for licensees facing administrative action (notice, hearings, stays, and expedited court review), requires dealers to offer secure storage or safety devices for retail sales to non‑licensees, and increases inspection frequency and possible prison terms for certain recordkeeping and false‑statement–related offenses. Funding for new hires is not specified.