I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 821

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the manufacture or 

importation, or transfer by a licensed firearms dealer, of a pistol that 

does not have a chamber load indicator and, in the case of a semiautomatic pistol that has a detachable magazine, a mechanism that prevents 

the pistol from being fired when the magazine is not attached. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 13, 2003

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. CORRINE

BROWN of Florida, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, 

Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FARR, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FRANK of 

Massachusetts, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. HONDA, Ms. EDDIE

BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. KENNEDY of 

Rhode Island, Mr. KIRK, Mr. LANTOS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. LYNCH, Mrs. 

MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

MORAN of Virginia, Mr. NADLER, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 

TOWNS, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. WEXLER, and Ms. WOOLSEY) 

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

Judiciary 

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the manufacture or importation, or transfer by a licensed firearms 

dealer, of a pistol that does not have a chamber load 

indicator and, in the case of a semiautomatic pistol that 

has a detachable magazine, a mechanism that prevents 

the pistol from being fired when the magazine is not 

attached.
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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 ‘‘Accidental Shooting 

5 Prevention Act of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION. 

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

8 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(z)(1) It shall be unlawful for a person to manufac11 ture or import into the United States a pistol, or for a 

12 person licensed under this chapter to transfer possession 

13 of or title to a pistol manufactured on or after January 

14 1, 2006, unless the pistol includes—

15 ‘‘(A) a plainly visible device in a con16 trasting color that clearly indicates whether the 

17 pistol is loaded; and 

18 ‘‘(B) if the pistol is a semiautomatic pistol 

19 that has a detachable ammunition magazine, a 

20 mechanism that prevents the pistol from being 

21 fired when the magazine is not attached to the 

22 pistol.’’. 

23 (b) PENALTY.—Section 924(a) of such title is amend24 ed by adding at the end the following: 
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1 ‘‘(7)(A) The Attorney General shall impose a civil 

2 fine of $1,000 on whomever knowingly violates section 

3 922(z). 

4 ‘‘(B) In the case of the 2nd such violation by a person 

5 who is licensed under this chapter, the Atorney General 

6 shall, in addition, suspend the license for the 30-day pe7 riod beginning with the date on which the Attorney Gen8 eral finds that the person has committed the violation. 

9 ‘‘(C) In the case of the 3rd or subsequent such viola10 tion by a person who is licensed under this chapter, the 

11 Attorney General shall immediately revoke the license, and 

12 the person shall thereafter be ineligible for a license under 

13 this chapter.’’. 

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

15 this section shall apply to conduct engaged in after Janu16 ary 1, 2006.

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