Opinion ID: 6984040
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

Text: In 1994, Congress passed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Pub.L. No. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1796 (“the Act”). Subtitle A of Title XI of the Act, which regulates assault weapons, is entitled the “Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Act.” See Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, § 110101, 108 Stat. 1796, 1996. Section 110102(a) of the Act makes it “unlawful for a person to manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon.” See 18 U.S.C. § 922(v)(l). Section 110102(b) defines “semiautomatic assault weapon” to include “any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms” enumerated in nine categories of guns identifying 15 weapons by name. See 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(30)(A). Two of the categories of guns specified by the statute are “INTRA-TEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9, and TEC-22; and ... revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12.” 18 U.S.C. §§ 921(a)(30)(A)(viii), (ix). The definition of “semiautomatic assault weapon” in section 110102(b) also includes semiautomatic rifles and semiautomatic pistols that have the ability to accept a detachable magazine and any two of five enumerated accessories, and semiautomatic shotguns that have any two of four enumerated features. See 18 U.S.C. §§ 921(a)(30)(B)-(D). Section 110102(a) of the Act contains a “grandfather” clause which exempts from the Act semiautomatic assault weapons lawfully possessed on the date of enactment. See 18 U.S.C. § 922(v)(2). The statute does not apply to certain enumerated firearms as well as firearms, replicas or duplicates of firearms specified in an appendix. See id. § 922(v)(3); id. App. A. Persons convicted of knowingly violating the statute are subject to a fine and imprisonment of up to five years. See id. § 924(a)(1).