I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 915
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national standard 
in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry certain 
concealed firearms in the State, and to exempt qualified current and 
former law enforcement officers from State laws prohibiting the carrying 
of concealed handguns. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2003
Mr. STEARNS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national 
standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a 
State may carry certain concealed firearms in the State, 
and to exempt qualified current and former law enforce-
ment officers from State laws prohibiting the carrying 
of concealed handguns.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NATIONAL STANDARD FOR THE CARRYING OF 
CERTAIN CONCEALED FIREARMS BY NON-
RESIDENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 926A 
the following: 
‘‘§ 926B. National standard for the carrying of certain 
concealed firearms by nonresidents 
‘‘(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the law of any 
State or political subdivision thereof, a person who is not 
prohibited by Federal law from possessing, transporting, 
shipping, or receiving a firearm and is carrying a valid 
license or permit which is issued by a State and which 
permits the person to carry a concealed firearm (other 
than a machinegun or destructive device) may carry in an-
other State a concealed firearm (other than a machinegun 
or destructive device) that has been shipped or transported 
in interstate or foreign commerce, subject to subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(b)(1) If such other State issues licenses or permits 
to carry concealed firearms, the person may carry a con-
cealed firearm in the State under the same restrictions 
which apply to the carrying of a concealed firearm by a 
person to whom the State has issued such a license or 
permit.
‘‘(2) If such other State does not issue licenses or 
permits to carry concealed firearms, the person may not, 
in the State, carry a concealed firearm in a police station, 
in a public detention facility, in a courthouse, in a public 
polling place, at a meeting of a State, county, or municipal 
governing body, in a school, at a professional or school 
athletic event not related to firearms, in a portion of an 
establishment licensed by the State to dispense alcoholic 
beverages for consumption on the premises, or inside the 
sterile or passenger area of an airport, except to the extent 
expressly permitted by State law.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for such chapter is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 926A the following:
‘‘926B. National standard for the carrying of certain concealed firearms by non-
residents.’’.
SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF QUALIFIED CURRENT AND FORMER 
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM STATE 
LAWS PROHIBITING THE CARRYING OF CON-
CEALED HANDGUNS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 926B, 
as added by section 1(a) of this Act, the following:
‘‘§ 926C. Carrying of concealed handguns by qualified 
current and former law enforcement offi-
cers 
‘‘(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the law 
of any State or any political subdivision thereof, an indi-
vidual who is a qualified law enforcement officer or a 
qualified former law enforcement officer and who is car-
rying appropriate written identification of such status may 
carry a concealed handgun. 
‘‘(b) As used in this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘qualified law enforcement offi-
cer’ means an officer, agent, or employee of a public 
agency who—
‘‘(A) is a law enforcement officer; 
‘‘(B) is authorized by the agency to carry 
a firearm in the course of duty; 
‘‘(C) is not the subject of any disciplinary 
action by the agency; and 
‘‘(D) meets such requirements as have 
been established by the agency with respect to 
firearms. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘qualified former law enforce-
ment officer’ means an individual who—
‘‘(A) retired from service with a public 
agency as a law enforcement officer, other than 
for reasons of mental disability;
‘‘(B) immediately before such retirement, 
was a qualified law enforcement officer; 
‘‘(C) has a nonforfeitable right to benefits 
under the retirement plan of the agency; 
‘‘(D) meets such requirements as have 
been established by the State in which the indi-
vidual resides with respect to training in the 
use of firearms; and 
‘‘(E) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
receiving a firearm. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘law enforcement officer’ means 
an individual authorized by law to engage in or su-
pervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or 
prosecution of any violation of law, and includes cor-
rections, probation, parole, and judicial officers. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘appropriate written identifica-
tion’ means, with respect to an individual, a docu-
ment which—
‘‘(A) was issued to the individual by the 
public agency with which the individual serves 
or served as a law enforcement officer; and 
‘‘(B) identifies the holder of the document 
as a current or former officer, agent, or em-
ployee of the agency.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for such chapter is amended by inserting after the item 
added by section 1(b) of this Act the following:
‘‘926C. Carrying of concealed handguns by qualified current and former law en-
forcement officers.’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
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