PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 3, 2013
Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2013 - Amends the federal criminal code to direct the Attorney General to establish a federal system for the licensing and registration of all handguns in the United States, including a method for easily retrieving information sufficient to identify each resident of a state who owns, possesses, or controls a handgun and each such handgun.
Prohibits the ownership, possession, or control of a handgun in a state by a person who: (1) is not licensed under such system; and (2) has not registered the handgun with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency. Provides for a fine and/or imprisonment not less than 15 years for violations. Prohibits the court from suspending a sentence of imprisonment or imposing a probationary sentence for anyone who knowingly violates such prohibition.
Exempts states the Attorney General certifies have in effect such a licensing and registration system that imposes criminal penalties on anyone who owns, possesses, or controls a handgun and who: (1) has not completed training in firearms safety; (2) is not licensed by the state to possess a handgun; or (3) has not registered the handgun with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency.
People & committees
Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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