Sponsors (5)
The bill makes rifle and shotgun taxation uniform and easier to enforce federally—lowering costs for buyers and retailers—but does so by stripping state and local authority to impose stricter gun rules, raising public-safety, legal-uncertainty, and litigation-cost concerns.
Firearm purchasers and retailers will not face additional state or local taxes or fees on rifles and shotguns above federal levels, reducing out-of-pocket costs for buyers and businesses.
Private individuals and organizations can sue to enforce the federal preemption (with fee-shifting), making it easier to challenge state and local laws that impose additional taxes or otherwise conflict with the federal rule.
State and local governments and residents will lose the ability to enact or keep stricter local regulations on rifles and shotguns (including existing laws), creating legal uncertainty and potentially increasing local firearm availability and public-safety risks.
States and localities may incur increased litigation and defense costs as they face enforcement suits seeking to invalidate preexisting gun-safety laws, diverting public resources and taxpayer money to legal defense.
The bill includes a non‑substantive naming provision that does not change legal rights or obligations, which provides little policy benefit while using legislative attention and resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Preempts state and local rules that are more restrictive or impose greater monetary burdens than federal law on rifles, shotguns, specified parts and magazines, and allows prevailing plaintiffs to recover attorney’s fees.
Preempts state and local laws that regulate rifles or shotguns (including parts, detachable magazines/ammunition feeding devices, and certain stock or grip designs) when those laws are more restrictive or impose greater monetary burdens than federal law, and voids any conflicting state or local law. It also creates a private right of action allowing plaintiffs who prevail in enforcement actions under this preemption to recover reasonable attorney’s fees. The measure adds this federal preemption to the criminal code provision listed in federal law, directly limiting state and local regulatory authority over covered long guns and related components and creating a civil remedy for violations.
Introduced January 13, 2025 by Claudia Tenney · Last progress January 13, 2025