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103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 711
To amend title 18, United States Code, to ensure that handguns are available
only to persons with demonstrated knowledge and skill in their safe
use, maintenance, and storage.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 2, 1993
Mr. GONZALEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to ensure that hand-
guns are available only to persons with demonstrated
knowledge and skill in their safe use, maintenance, and
storage.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. HANDGUNS AVAILABLE ONLY TO PERSONS
WITH 
DEMONSTRATED 
KNOWLEDGE 
AND
SKILL IN THEIR SAFE USE, MAINTENANCE,
AND STORAGE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 923 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing:
‘‘(l)(1)(A) An individual who is not licensed under
this section may not possess a handgun on or after the
date final regulations are prescribed pursuant to para-
graph (2) unless the individual has been issued a handgun
permit under paragraph (2).
‘‘(B) Subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not
apply to an individual who owns a handgun on the date
final regulations are prescribed pursuant to paragraph
(2), until the earlier of—
‘‘(i) the first day the individual does not own
the handgun; or
‘‘(ii) the end of the ninety-day period that be-
gins with the date the final regulations are so pre-
scribed.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations provid-
ing for the issuance of a handgun permit to any individual
who—
‘‘(A) has successfully completed a course of in-
struction, in the safe use, maintenance, and storage
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of handguns, offered by a Federal or State law en-
forcement agency or an entity designated by such an
agency to offer the instruction;
‘‘(B) has attained the age of twenty-one years;
‘‘(C) is not otherwise prohibited by Federal law,
or by the law of the State or political subdivision
thereof in which the individual resides, from possess-
ing a handgun; and
‘‘(D) has not willfully violated any provision of
this chapter or any regulation issued under this
chapter.
‘‘(3)(A) In the case of an individual’s first violation
of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, after notice and op-
portunity for a hearing, impose a civil fine of not more
than $500 upon the individual.
‘‘(B) In the case of an individual’s second or subse-
quent violation of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, after
notice and opportunity for a hearing—
‘‘(i) impose a civil fine of not more than $2,500
upon the individual; and
‘‘(ii) seize the handgun.
‘‘(4)(A) The Secretary shall provide written notice to
any individual of any action to be taken under paragraph
(3) with respect to the individual.
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‘‘(B) If the Secretary takes an action under para-
graph (3) with respect to an individual, the Secretary
shall, upon request of the individual, promptly hold a hear-
ing to review the action.
‘‘(C) After reviewing an action taken under para-
graph (3) with respect to an individual, the Secretary shall
provide written notice to the individual of any decision of
the Secretary to affirm, reverse, or modify the action.
‘‘(D) Within sixty days after an individual receives
notice provided under subparagraph (C) of a decision of
the Secretary to affirm or modify an action taken with
respect to the individual, the individual may file a petition
in the United States district court for the district in which
the individual resides for review of the action.
‘‘(5) As used in this subsection, the term ‘handgun’
means any firearm designed to be fired by the use of a
single hand, and any combination of parts from which
such a firearm can be assembled.’’.
(b) DEADLINE FOR ISSUANCE OF FINAL REGULA-
TIONS.—Not later than one hundred and eighty days after
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary
of the Treasury shall prescribe final regulations to carry
out section 923(l) of title 18, United States Code.
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