I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2732 
To provide for a grant program for handgun licensing programs, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 11, 2015 
Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself, Ms. ESTY, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, and Ms. 
DELAURO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To provide 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 2013, almost 90 percent of the nearly 
9,000 firearm homicides in the United States oc-
curred with a handgun. 
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(2) Recently published research by top national 
experts, notably on Missouri and Connecticut hand-
gun purchaser licensing laws, have estimated that 
Missouri’s repeal of its handgun purchaser licensing 
law led to a 25 percent increase in firearm homicide 
rates while Connecticut’s adoption of its handgun 
purchaser licensing law led to a 40 percent decrease 
in firearm homicide rates. 
(3) In States which have had effective handgun 
purchaser licensing laws for decades, such as Con-
necticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, 
the vast majority of guns traced to crimes originated 
in other States, which supports the need for hand-
gun purchaser licensing laws in every state. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the terms ‘‘Attorney General’’ and 
‘‘handgun’’ have the meanings given those terms in section 
921(a) of title 18, United States Code. 
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED FOR HANDGUN LI-
CENSING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General is author-
ized to award grants to States, units of local government, 
and Indian tribes for the development, implementation, 
and evaluation of handgun purchaser licensing require-
ments. 
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(b) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts ap-
propriated to carry out this Act and not later than 90 
days after such amounts are appropriated, the Attorney 
General shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eli-
gible applicants whose applications are approved under 
subsection (c) to assist such applicants in implementing 
and improving handgun purchaser licensing programs. 
(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this Act, 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 other ex-
emptions 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 
grants, an applicant must have in effect handgun pur-
chaser licensing laws that include the following provisions: 
(1) An individual applying for a handgun li-
cense or permit must be at least 21 years old and 
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be a national or lawful permanent resident of the 
United States. 
(2) Such an individual must apply for the hand-
gun purchaser license or permit at a law enforce-
ment agency in the State in which they reside. 
(3) Such an individual must reapply for the 
handgun purchaser license or permit after a period 
no longer than five years. 
(4) Such an individual must submit to a back-
ground investigation, and a criminal history check, 
in connection with their application, as established 
by the State. 
(5) Such an individual must submit fingerprints 
and photographs in connection with the application 
for the license or permit. 
(6) Such an individual must provide proof that 
the individual is legally present and lawfully resides 
in the United States, including a birth certificate, or 
valid passport. A lawful permanent resident must 
provide his or her alien registration number and 90- 
day proof of residency. A naturalized citizen must 
provide proof of citizenship. 
(7) Any individual who is prohibited from pos-
sessing a firearm under section 922(g) of title 18, 
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United States Code, may not receive a license or 
permit. 
(e) USE OF FUNDS.—A grantee under this Act shall 
use such grant to improve handgun purchaser licensing 
programs of that grantee. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
Æ 
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