,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cbhe  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #ac1 #bjai,mr4 
,raskin 7for himself and ,mrs4 ,hayes7  
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on the      
,judiciary  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide for a
 grant program for handgun licensing    
programs1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,handgun ,purchaser ,licensing ,act4
  #b4 ,findings ,congress finds as      
follows3  7#a7 ,in #bjag1 #ia percent of
 firearm homicides in the ,united       
,states in which firearm type was       
specified were committed with handguns4 
7#b7 ,research by top national experts  
shows that handgun purchaser licensing  
laws are associated with significant    
reductions in firearm-related homicides4
 ,research on the effects of            
,connecticut's adoption of a handgun    
purchaser licensing law in #aiie was    
associated with a #dj-percent reduction 
in the rate of firearm homicide and a   

#ae-percent reduction in firearm suicide
 rates during the first #aj years the   
law was in place4 ,published research   
has shown that ,missouri's repeal of its
 handgun purchaser licensing law in     
#bjjg was associated with an increase in
 firearm homicide rates in the state of 
#bg percent and a #af-percent increase  
in suicides committed with firearms4    
7#c7 ,in ,states which have had         
effective handgun purchaser licensing   
laws for decades1 such as ,connecticut1 
,massachusetts1 ,new ,jersey1 and ,new  
,york1 the vast majority of guns traced 
to crimes originated in other ,states1  
which supports the need for handgun     
purchaser licensing laws in every       
,state4  #c4 ,definitions ,in this      
,act-- 7#a7 the terms ,attorney         
,general1 ,state1 and handgun have the  
meanings given those terms in section   
#iba7;a7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states  
,code2 and  7#b7 the term ,indian tribe 
has the meaning given the term in       
section #d of the ,indian               

,self-,determination and ,education     
,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 
#d4 ,grant program authorized for       
handgun licensing  7a7 ,in general ,the 
,attorney ,general may award grants to  
,states1 units of local government1 and 
,indian tribes for the development1     
implementation1 and evaluation of       
handgun purchaser licensing             
requirements4  7b7 ,program authorized  
,from the amounts appropriated to carry 
out this ,act and not later than #ij    
days after such amounts are             
appropriated1 the ,attorney ,general    
shall award grants1 on a competitive    
basis1 to eligible applicants whose     
applications are approved under         
subsection 7c7 to assist such applicants
 in implementing and improving handgun  
purchaser licensing programs4  7c7      
,application ,to be eligible to receive 
a grant under this ,act1 a ,state1 unit 
of local government1 or ,indian tribe   
shall submit to the ,attorney ,general  
an application at such time1 in such    

manner1 and containing such information 
as the ,attorney ,general may require1  
including--  7#a7 a description of the  
law that the applicant has enacted to   
require a license for any purchase of a 
handgun including a description of any  
other exemptions to such law2 and  7#b7 
a description of how the applicant will 
use the grant to carry out or improve   
its handgun purchaser licensing program4
  7d7 ,eligibility requirements ,to be  
eligible for grants1 an applicant shall 
have in effect handgun purchaser        
licensing laws that include the         
following provisions3  7#a7 ,an         
individual applying for a handgun       
license or permit must be not less than 
#ba years old and be a national or      
lawful permanent resident of the ,united
 ,states4  7#b7 ,such an individual must
 apply for the handgun purchaser license
 or permit at a law enforcement agency  
in the ,state in which they reside4     
7#c7 ,such an individual must reapply   
for the handgun purchaser license or    

permit after a period not longer than #e
 years4  7#d7 ,such an individual must  
submit to a background investigation1   
and a criminal history check1 in        
connection with their application1 as   
established by the ,state1 which        
background investigation and criminal   
history check ensure1 at a minimum1 that
 such individual is not prohibited from 
possessing a firearm under section      
#ibb7;g7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states  
,code4  7#e7 ,such an individual must   
submit fingerprints and photographs in  
connection with the application for the 
license or permit4  7#f7 ,any individual
 who is prohibited from possessing a    
firearm under section #ibb7;g7 of title 
#ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 may not     
receive a license or permit4  7e7 ,use  
of funds ,a recipient of a grant under  
this ,act shall use such grant to       
improve handgun purchaser licensing     
programs of that grantee4  #e4          
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
are authorized to be appropriated such  

sums as may be necessary to carry out   
this ,act4