Understanding H.R. 127
On January 4, 2021, the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act – H.R. 127 was introduced in Congress. This new bill seeks to establish a system for licensing and registering firearms. It also intends to prohibit the possession of some types of ammunition and devices used for feeding large-capacity ammunition.
There is some confusion over what this proposed bill does and does not include. Here is a summary of the bill, what government agencies will need to do, and what it means for gun owners.
What Government Agencies Need to Do
H.R. 127 specifies actions that different government agencies must take in establishing the system proposed for licensing and registering firearms. For example:
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is required to establish a licensing system for possessing firearms or ammunition in addition to a firearm registration system.
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) must create and maintain a database of all registered firearms and make it publicly available.
What Gun Owners Could Be Required to Do
H.R. 127 creates licensing requirements for possessing a firearm and ammunition. The DOJ will issue such licenses if the applicant:
- Completes a certified firearms training course with at least 24 hours of training that includes the use, safety, and storage of firearms
- Has an insurance policy for firearm use when issued a firearm license (Your cost: $800)
- Is 21 years old or older
- Undergoes a psychological evaluation and is not found to be psychologically unsuited for firearm possession
- Undergoes a successful criminal background check through the existing national instant criminal background check system created under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
The proposed bill outlines DOJ license denial requirements. For example, denial should occur if the applicant has been hospitalized for a mental illness.
H.R. 127 would also establish additional requirements for creating separate licenses for displaying antique firearms. These requirements would include providing proof:
- Of antique firearm(s) ownership
- The firearm(s) are stored in a safe or other appliance/facility approved for storing firearms by the U.S. Attorney General
Owners of military-style weapons would need to obtain a license to own and possess those weapons. They would be required to complete a certified training course consisting of at least 24 hours of training, including the safe use and storage of the weapon, in addition to live-fire training.
What Is Prohibited under H.R. 127?
There are several circumstances prohibited under H.R. 127 that will result in penalties for non-compliance.
These include:
- Possession of a large capacity ammunition feed device
- Possession of firearms or ammunition without complying with requirements for licensing and registration
- Possession of ammunition that is 0.50-caliber or larger
- Transferring a firearm or ammunition to an unlicensed individual
You can rely on Liberty Safe for the latest news concerning gun ownership and safe storage to help you comply with federal, state, and local gun laws.
NRA-ILA Article
H.R. 127 – A Bill Designed to Express Hostility Toward Law-Abiding Gun Owners
All gun control bills share the same basic goal: a world in which fewer people own firearms. Some bills simply ban certain types of firearms or ammunition outright. Others place obstacles in the path of owning firearms or ammunition to make them more difficult and expensive to obtain, thereby shrinking the market for them. The fundamental flaw of these approaches is that they treat all law-abiding firearm owners as would-be criminals, when the reality is that most firearm-related assaults and homicides are committed by people who completely disregard the law, including laws against taking human life.
H.R. 127 combines both failed approaches. It bans common types of ammunition and original equipment magazines for most self-defense firearms. And, it makes all firearms more difficult to obtain and possess through a punitive licensing and registration scheme. In its details, however, H.R. 127 is so outrageous, persecutory, and unworkable that its main function is simply to display the hostility of its author and supporters toward firearms, those who own them, and those who want to own them.