Title: Responsible Body Armor Possession Act
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Responsible Body Armor Possession Act
This bill prohibits the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by civilians. Enhanced body armor refers to body armor, including a helmet or shield, the ballistic resistance of which meets or exceeds the ballistic performance of Type III armor, determined using the National Institute of Justice standard.
The bill provides exceptions for (1) the purchase, ownership, or possession by or under the authority of the United States or any state or political subdivision; (2) qualified law enforcement officers; and (3) enhanced body armor that was lawfully possessed before the effective date of the bill.
A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4568 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4568

  To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body 
                  armor by civilians, with exceptions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2019

   Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Brownley of 
    California, Ms. Norton, Mr. Engel, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. 
 Velazquez, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Mr. Carson of Indiana) introduced the 
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body 
                  armor by civilians, with exceptions.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Responsible Body Armor Possession 
Act''.

SEC. 2. BAN ON PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, OR POSSESSION OF ENHANCED BODY 
              ARMOR BY CIVILIANS; EXCEPTIONS.

    (a) Ban.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States 
        Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 932. Ban on purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body 
              armor by civilians
    ``(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful 
for a person to purchase, own, or possess enhanced body armor.
    ``(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to--
            ``(1) a purchase, ownership, or possession by or under the 
        authority of--
                    ``(A) the United States or any department or agency 
                of the United States; or
                    ``(B) a State, or a department, agency, or 
                political subdivision of a State;
            ``(2) a qualified law enforcement officer; or
            ``(3) enhanced body armor that was lawfully possessed by 
        any person at any time before the date this section takes 
        effect.
    ``(c) In this section, the term `qualified law enforcement officer' 
means any current or former officer (including a corrections officer), 
agent, or employee of the United States, a State, or a political 
subdivision of a State authorized by law to engage in or supervise the 
prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of any violation 
of the laws of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision 
of a State.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
        44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
        end the following:

``932. Ban on purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor 
                            by civilians.''.
    (b) Enhanced Body Armor Defined.--Section 921(a) of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(36) The term `enhanced body armor' means body armor, including a 
helmet or shield, the ballistic resistance of which meets or exceeds 
the ballistic performance of Type III armor, determined using such 
standard as the National Institute of Justice has in effect at the time 
at which a person purchases, owns, or possesses such armor.''.
    (c) Penalties.--Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 932 shall be fined under 
this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.''.
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