Opinion ID: 2326508
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Possession of Unregistered Firearms and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

Text: The current UF and UA provisions are direct descendants of police regulations that similarly prohibited the possession of unregistered firearms and the unlawful possession of ammunition. Prior to enactment of the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act (the Home Rule Act or the HRA), Pub.L. 93-198, the Council of the District of Columbia (formerly the District of Columbia Council) (both, the Council) was authorized and empowered to enforce, all such usual and reasonable police regulations . . . as the Council may deem necessary for the regulation of firearms, projectiles, explosives, or weapons of any kind in the District of Columbia. D.C.Code § 1-227 (1967) (now codified at D.C.Code § 1-303.43 (2001)). Pursuant to D.C.Code § 1-227, the Council promulgated police regulations governing firearms in 1968. D.C. Police Regulations, arts. 50-55, provided that no person shall within the District, possess, or keep under his control. . . any pistol, or rifle or shotgun unless such person is the holder of a valid registration certificate for such pistol, rifle or shotgun. D.C. Police Regs., art. 51, § 1. The police regulations also provided that no person shall within the District of Columbia purchase or possess ammunition for a firearm unless he is the holder of a valid certificate of registration issued under the regulations; and unless the ammunition is of the same gauge or caliber as the firearm described in the certificate of registration issued to such person. D.C. Police Regs., art. 53, § 2. Violation of these regulations carried a maximum penalty of a fine of not more than $300 or imprisonment for not more than ten days. D.C. Police Regs., art. 55, § 11. The Council repealed and replaced Police Regulations, arts. 50-55, with the comprehensive gun control framework of the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975, D.C. Law 1-85 (1976) (FCRA) (codified as amended in D.C.Code Title 7). The provisions of the original FCRA related to unregistered firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition were substantially similar to the police regulations that they replaced. Section 201 of the FCRA provided that no person or organization shall, within the District receive, possess or have under his or its control any firearm, unless such person or organization is the holder of a valid registration certificate for such firearm. D.C. Law 1-85, § 201. The FCRA further provided that [n]o person shall possess ammunition in the District of Columbia unless . . . [h]e is the holder of a valid registration certificate for a firearm of the same gauge or caliber as the ammunition he possesses. D.C. Law 1-85, § 601. The major difference between the FCRA and the police regulations that it replaced was the FCRA's increased penalties for violation of its provisions. Any person in violation of these provisions could be fined not more than three hundred dollars or be imprisoned for not more than ten days, or both.  D.C. Law 1-85, § 706 (emphasis added). The current UF and UA provisions are nearly identical to the analogous provisions of the original FCRA, with the exception of the increased penalties provided for their violation. Possession of an unregistered firearm is currently prohibited by the following language: no person or organization in the District shall possess or control any firearm, unless the person or organization holds a valid registration certificate for the firearm. D.C.Code § 7-2502.01. The current UA statute provides that [n]o person shall possess ammunition in the District of Columbia unless . . . [h]e is the holder of the valid registration certificate for a firearm of the same gauge or caliber as the ammunition he possesses. D.C.Code § 7-2506.01. Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of this unit shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both. D.C.Code § 7-2507.06.