S123-119

What This Bill Does

The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act authorizes federal grants to help states, local governments, and Indian tribes create and improve handgun licensing programs. The bill aims to reduce gun violence by incentivizing jurisdictions to adopt permit-to-purchase requirements for handguns, backed by research showing such laws significantly reduce firearm homicides and suicides.

Who Benefits and How

States, local governments, and Indian tribes that have enacted handgun licensing laws benefit by receiving federal grant funding to develop, implement, and evaluate their programs. Communities in these jurisdictions may benefit from reduced gun violence - the bill cites research showing Connecticut's licensing law led to a 27.8% reduction in firearm homicides and Maryland's law reduced indicators of illegal handgun diversion by 82%.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Individuals seeking to purchase handguns in jurisdictions with qualifying licensing programs must meet new requirements: be at least 21 years old, apply at a local law enforcement agency, submit fingerprints and photographs, pass a background check, and reapply for their license every 5 years or less. The Department of Justice bears administrative responsibility for managing the competitive grant program within 90 days of appropriations.

Key Provisions

• Creates a new federal grant program under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act for handgun purchaser licensing
• Establishes minimum requirements for qualifying state/local licensing laws: 21-year age minimum, in-person application at law enforcement agency, background checks, fingerprinting, and renewal every 5 years
• Prohibits license issuance to individuals barred from possessing firearms under federal law (18 U.S.C. 922(g))
• Authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for appropriations
• Applies to states, local governments, and Indian tribes