PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 7, 2003
Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal criminal code to require the Attorney General to establish a Federal system for the licensing and registration of all handguns owned, possessed, or controlled in the United States, which shall include a method for easily retrieving information to identify: (1) each State resident who owns, possesses, or controls a handgun; and (2) the handgun.Makes it unlawful for any person to own, possess, or control a handgun in a State to which this Act applies unless the person is licensed under the system and has registered the handgun with a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency.Makes such requirements inapplicable to a State which has in effect a system for the licensing and registration of handguns which includes such identifying information (as certified by the Attorney General).Provides criminal penalties for violations under this Act.
People & committees
Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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