I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 124
To provide for the mandatory licensing and registration of handguns. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 7, 2003
Mr. HOLT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To provide for the mandatory licensing and registration of 
handguns.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Handgun Licensing 
and Registration Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL HANDGUN LICENSING AND REGISTRA-
TION SYSTEM TO APPLY IN ANY STATE THAT 
DOES NOT HAVE A HANDGUN LICENSING AND 
REGISTRATION SYSTEM THAT MEETS CER-
TAIN REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 931. Licensing and registration of handguns 
‘‘(a)(1) The Attorney General shall establish a Fed-
eral system for the licensing and registration of all hand-
guns owned, possessed, or controlled in the United States, 
which shall include a method for easily retrieving informa-
tion sufficient to identify—
‘‘(A) each resident of a State to which this sub-
section applies who owns, possesses, or controls a 
handgun; and 
‘‘(B) the handgun. 
‘‘(2) It shall be unlawful for a person to own, possess, 
or control a handgun in a State to which this subsection 
applies unless the person—
‘‘(A) is licensed to do so by the system estab-
lished pursuant to paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) has registered the handgun with a Fed-
eral, State, or local law enforcement agency.
‘‘(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply in a State if there 
is in effect a certification by the Attorney General that 
the State has in effect a system for the licensing and reg-
istration of handguns owned, possessed, or controlled in 
the State that—
‘‘(1) includes a method for easily retrieving in-
formation sufficient to identify—
‘‘(A) each resident of the State who owns, 
possesses, or controls a handgun in the State; 
and 
‘‘(B) the handgun; and 
‘‘(2) at a minimum, imposes criminal penalties 
on any person who owns, possesses, or controls a 
handgun in the State, and who—
‘‘(i) has not completed training in firearms 
safety; 
‘‘(ii) is not licensed by the State to possess 
a handgun; or 
‘‘(iii) has not registered the handgun with 
a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agen-
cy. 
‘‘(c) A certification under subsection (b) with respect 
to a State shall have no force or effect on or after the 
date the Attorney General finds, after an opportunity for
a hearing on the record, that the State does not have in 
effect the system described in subsection (b). 
‘‘(d) The Attorney General shall prescribe such regu-
lations as may be necessary to carry out this section.’’. 
(b) PENALTIES.—Section 924(a) of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) Whoever knowingly violates section 931(a)(2) 
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not less than 
15 years, or both. The court shall not suspend a sentence 
of imprisonment imposed under this paragraph or impose 
a probationary sentence under this paragraph.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘931. Licensing and registration of handguns.’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to conduct engaged in after the 
2-year period that begins with the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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