I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5148

To provide for the establishment of a national database of ballistics information about firearms for use in fighting crime, and to require firearms

manufacturers to provide ballistics information about new firearms to

the national database.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 12, 2000

Mr. ANDREWS (for himself and Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide for the establishment of a national database of

ballistics information about firearms for use in fighting

crime, and to require firearms manufacturers to provide

ballistics information about new firearms to the national

database.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gun Ballistics Safety

5 Act of 2000’’.
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1 SEC. 2. NATIONAL FIREARMS BALLISTICS DATABASE.

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director of the Bureau

3 of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (in this section referred

4 to as the ‘‘Director’’) shall establish an electronic database

5 designed to contain information on the ballistic character6 istics of firearms, which shall be known as the ‘‘National

7 Firearms Ballistics Database’’.

8 (b) FIREARMS BALLISTICS INFORMATION REQUIRE9 MENT.—The Director shall, by regulation, prescribe the

10 type of ballistics information required by section 922(z)

11 of title 18, United States Code, to be provided to the Na12 tional Firearms Ballistics Database, and the form and

13 manner in which the information is to be so provided.

14 (c) USE OF DATABASE INFORMATION.—The Director

15 shall ensure that the information in the National Firearms

16 Ballistics Database is made available, on request, to any

17 law enforcement agency or law enforcement officer.

18 (d) NOTICE.—On establishment of the National Fire19 arms Ballistics Database, the Director shall notify each

20 licensed manufacturer and the chief law enforcement offi21 cer of each State of the establishment.

22 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

23 (1) FIREARM.—The term ‘‘firearm’’ has the

24 meaning given in section 921(a)(3) of title 18,

25 United States Code.
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1 (2) FIREARM MANUFACTURER.—The term

2 ‘‘firearm manufacturer’’ means any person who

3 manufactures a firearm.

4 (3) LICENSED MANUFACTURER.—The term ‘‘li5 censed manufacturer’’ has the meaning given in sec6 tion 921(a)(10) of title 18, United States Code.

7 (4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean8 ing given in section 921(a)(2) of title 18, United

9 States Code.

10 SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT THAT FIREARM MANUFACTURER

11 OBTAIN AND PROVIDE BALLISTICS INFORMA12 TION TO THE NATIONAL FIREARMS BALLIS13 TICS DATABASE.

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 922 of title 18, United

15 States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (y)

16 the following:

17 ‘‘(z) Within 30 days after a person manufactures a

18 firearm, the person shall provide to the National Firearms

19 Ballistics Database the ballistics information prescribed

20 under section 2(b) of the Gun Ballistics Safety Act of

21 2000 with respect to the firearm.’’.

22 (b) PENALTIES.—

23 (1) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—Section 924(a) of

24 such title is amended by adding at the end the fol25 lowing:
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1 ‘‘(7) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(z) shall

2 be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20

3 years, or both.’’.

4 (2) LICENSE REVOCATION.—Section 923(e) of

5 such title is amended by inserting after the 2nd sen6 tence the following: ‘‘The Secretary shall, after no7 tice and opportunity for hearing, revoke any license

8 issued under this section if the Secretary determines

9 that the holder of the license has violated section

10 922(z).’’.

11 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by

12 this section shall apply to conduct engaged in after the

13 30-day period that begins with the date of the enactment

14 of this Act.

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