United States HR 175: To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.

Bill Text

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116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 175
To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to more comprehensively
address the interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 3, 2019
Mr. GRIFFITH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to
more comprehensively address the interstate transpor-
tation of firearms or ammunition.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF FIREARMS 3
OR AMMUNITION. 4
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 926A of title 18, United 5
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 6
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‘‘§ 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms or am-1
munition 2
‘‘(a) Notwithstanding any provision of any law, rule, 3
or regulation of a State or any political subdivision there-4
of: 5
‘‘(1) A person who is not prohibited by this 6
chapter from possessing, transporting, shipping, or 7
receiving a firearm or ammunition shall be entitled 8
to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from 9
any place where the person may lawfully possess, 10
carry, or transport the firearm to any other such 11
place if, during the transportation, the firearm is 12
unloaded, and— 13
‘‘(A) if the transportation is by motor vehi-14
cle, the firearm is not directly accessible from 15
the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and, 16
if the vehicle is without a compartment separate 17
from the passenger compartment, the firearm is 18
in a locked container other than the glove com-19
partment or console, or is secured by a secure 20
gun storage or safety device; or 21
‘‘(B) if the transportation is by other 22
means, the firearm is in a locked container or 23
secured by a secure gun storage or safety de-24
vice. 25
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‘‘(2) A person who is not prohibited by this 1
chapter from possessing, transporting, shipping, or 2
receiving a firearm or ammunition shall be entitled 3
to transport ammunition, or any detachable maga-4
zine or feeding device for ammunition, for any lawful 5
purpose from any place where the person may law-6
fully possess, carry, or transport the ammunition, 7
magazine, or feeding device to any other such place 8
if, during the transportation, the ammunition, maga-9
zine, or feeding device is not loaded into a firearm, 10
and— 11
‘‘(A) if the transportation is by motor vehi-12
cle, the ammunition, magazine, or feeding de-13
vice is not directly accessible from the pas-14
senger compartment of the vehicle, and, if the 15
vehicle is without a compartment separate from 16
the passenger compartment, the ammunition, 17
magazine, or feeding device is in a locked con-18
tainer other than the glove compartment or 19
console; or 20
‘‘(B) if the transportation is by other 21
means, the ammunition, magazine, or feeding 22
device is in a locked container. 23
‘‘(b) In subsection (a), the term ‘transport’ includes 24
staying in temporary lodging overnight, stopping for food, 25
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fuel, vehicle maintenance, an emergency, medical treat-1
ment, and any other activity incidental to the transport, 2
but does not include transportation— 3
‘‘(1) with the intent to commit a crime punish-4
able by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year 5
that involves the use or threatened use of force 6
against another; or 7
‘‘(2) with knowledge, or reasonable cause to be-8
lieve, that such a crime is to be committed in the 9
course of, or arising from, the transportation. 10
‘‘(c)(1) A person who is transporting a firearm, am-11
munition, magazine, or feeding device may not be arrested 12
or otherwise detained for violation of any law or any rule 13
or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof 14
related solely to the possession, transportation, or carrying 15
of firearms, ammunition, magazine, or feeding device un-16
less there is probable cause to believe that the person is 17
doing so in a manner not provided for in subsection (a). 18
‘‘(2) When a person asserts this section as a defense 19
in a criminal proceeding, the prosecution shall bear the 20
burden of proving, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the 21
conduct of the person did not satisfy the conditions set 22
forth in subsection (a). 23
‘‘(3) When a person successfully asserts this section 24
as a defense in a criminal proceeding, the court shall 25
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