I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1248

To prohibit the possession of a firearm in a hospital zone.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 27, 2001

Mr. MEEHAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To prohibit the possession of a firearm in a hospital zone.

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

3 SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON THE POSSESSION OF A FIRE4 ARM IN A HOSPITAL ZONE.

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

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

7 the following:

8 ‘‘(z)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess

9 a firearm that has been shipped or transported in inter10 state or foreign commerce, in a place that the person

11 knows or has reasonable cause to believe is in a hospital

12 zone.
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1 ‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the possession

2 of a firearm—

3 ‘‘(A) on private property that is not on the

4 grounds of any hospital;

5 ‘‘(B) on public property outside any building or

6 enclosed structure, if the individual possessing the

7 firearm is licensed to do so by the State or political

8 subdivision in which the hospital zone is located, and

9 the law of the State or political subdivision requires

10 that, before an individual obtains such a license, the

11 law enforcement authorities of the State or political

12 subdivision verify that the individual is qualified

13 under law to receive the license;

14 ‘‘(C) by an individual in accordance with a con15 tract entered into between the owner of a hospital in

16 the hospital zone and the individual or an employer

17 of the individual; or

18 ‘‘(D) by a law enforcement officer acting in his

19 or her official capacity.

20 (b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 921(a) of such title is

21 amended by adding at the end the following:

22 ‘‘(35) The term ‘hospital zone’ means—

23 ‘‘(A) in or on the grounds of a public or private

24 hospital; or
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1 ‘‘(B) within 1,000 feet from the grounds of a

2 public or private hospital.

3 ‘‘(36) The term ‘hospital’ means an institution

4 which—

5 ‘‘(A) is primarily engaged in providing, by or

6 under the supervision of physicians, to inpatients—

7 ‘‘(i) diagnostic services and therapeutic

8 services for medical diagnosis, treatment and

9 care of injured, disabled or sick persons; or

10 ‘‘(ii) rehabilitation services for the rehabili11 tation of injured, disabled or sick persons; or

12 ‘‘(B) in the case of an institution in a State in

13 which State or applicable local law provides for the

14 licensing of hospitals—

15 ‘‘(i) is licensed pursuant to such law; or

16 ‘‘(ii) is approved, by the agency of the

17 State or locality responsible for licensing hos18 pitals, as meeting the standards established for

19 such licensing.’’.

20 (c) PENALTIES.—Section 924(a) of such title is

21 amended by adding at the end the following:

22 ‘‘(7) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(z) shall

23 be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5

24 years, or both. Notwithstanding any other provision of

25 law, a term of imprisonment imposed under this para-
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1 graph shall not run concurrently with any other term of

2 imprisonment imposed under any other provision of law.’’.

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