I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2707 
To authorize for a grant program for handgun licensing programs, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 20, 2021 
Mr. RASKIN (for himself and Mrs. HAYES) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To authorize for a grant program for handgun licensing 
programs, and for other purposes. 
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 Purchaser 
Licensing Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) In 2019, 88.4 percent of firearm homicides 
in the United States in which a firearm type was 
specified were committed with a handgun. 
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(2) Research by top national experts show 
that— 
(A) adoption of handgun purchaser licens-
ing laws are associated with significant reduc-
tions in firearm-related homicides; and 
(B) repeal of handgun purchaser licensing 
laws are associated with significant increases in 
firearm-related homicides. 
(3) Research on the effects of the adoption of 
a handgun purchaser licensing law in Connecticut in 
1995 showed— 
(A) a 27.8-percent reduction in the rate of 
firearm homicide; and 
(B) a 32.8-percent reduction in firearm 
suicide rates. 
(4) Published research has shown that the re-
peal of a handgun purchaser licensing law in Mis-
souri in 2007 was associated with— 
(A) a 47.3-percent increase in the rate of 
firearm homicide; and 
(B) a 23.5-percent increase in firearm sui-
cide rates. 
(5) In States that have had effective handgun 
purchaser licensing laws for decades, such as Con-
necticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, 
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the vast majority of firearms traced to crimes origi-
nated in States that do not have handgun purchaser 
licensing laws, which supports the need for handgun 
purchaser licensing laws in every State. 
(6) Research has shown that States with hand-
gun purchaser licensing laws export far fewer fire-
arms for criminal use in other States than States 
that lack handgun purchaser licensing laws. 
SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED FOR HANDGUN LI-
CENSING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title I of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10101 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘PART PP—HANDGUN LICENSING GRANT 
PROGRAM 
‘‘SEC. 3061. DEFINITION. 
‘‘In this part, the term ‘handgun’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 921(a) of title 18, United States 
Code. 
‘‘SEC. 3062. GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General may 
award grants to States, units of local government, and In-
dian tribes for the development, implementation, and eval-
uation of handgun purchaser licensing requirements. 
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‘‘(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts 
appropriated to carry out this part, and not later than 
90 days after such amounts are appropriated, the Attor-
ney General shall award grants, on a competitive basis, 
to eligible applicants whose applications are approved 
under subsection (c) to assist such applicants in imple-
menting and improving handgun purchaser licensing pro-
grams. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this part, a State, unit of local government, or In-
dian tribe shall submit to the Attorney General an applica-
tion at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Attorney General may require, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(1) a description of the law that the applicant 
has enacted to require a license for any purchase of 
a handgun, including a description of any exemp-
tions to such law; and 
‘‘(2) a description of how the applicant will use 
the grant to carry out or improve its handgun pur-
chaser licensing program. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible 
for a grant under this part, an applicant shall have in ef-
fect a handgun purchaser licensing law that includes the 
following requirements: 
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‘‘(1) With respect to an individual applying for 
a handgun license or permit— 
‘‘(A) the individual shall be— 
‘‘(i) not less than 21 years old; and 
‘‘(ii) a citizen or national of the 
United States or an alien lawfully admitted 
for permanent residence (as those terms 
are defined in section 101(a) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a))); 
‘‘(B) the individual shall apply for the 
handgun purchaser license or permit at a law 
enforcement agency in the State in which the 
individual resides; 
‘‘(C) the individual shall reapply for the 
handgun purchaser license or permit after a pe-
riod not longer than 5 years; and 
‘‘(D) the individual shall, in connection 
with the application for the handgun purchaser 
license or permit— 
‘‘(i) submit to a background investiga-
tion and a criminal history check, as estab-
lished by the State, which shall ensure, at 
a minimum, that the individual is not pro-
hibited from possessing a firearm under 
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section 922(g) of title 18, United States 
Code; and 
‘‘(ii) submit fingerprints and photo-
graphs. 
‘‘(2) An individual who is prohibited from pos-
sessing a firearm under section 922(g) of title 18, 
United States Code, may not be issued a handgun 
purchasing license or permit. 
‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant funds awarded under 
this part shall be used to improve the handgun purchaser 
licensing program of the grant recipient.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
1001(a) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10261(a)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(29) There are authorized to be appropriated such 
sums as may be necessary to carry out part PP.’’. 
Æ 
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