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 · Jun 11, 2015
Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act
Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes for the development, implementation, and evaluation of handgun purchaser licensing requirements and the implementation and improvement of handgun purchaser licensing programs.
Requires grant applications to include a description of: (1) the law that the applicant has enacted to require a license for any purchase of a handgun, including any exemptions; and (2) how the applicant will use the grant to carry out or improve its program.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires an applicant, to be eligible for a grant, to have in effect handgun purchaser licensing laws that include requirements that:
an applicant for a handgun license or permit must be at least 21 years old and must be a national or lawful permanent resident of the United States;
such an individual must apply for the license or permit at a law enforcement agency in the state in which he or she resides, must reapply within five years, and must submit to a background investigation and a criminal history check;
such an individual must submit fingerprints and photographs and must provide proof that the individual is legally present and lawfully resides in the United States; and
any individual who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under the federal criminal code may not receive a license or permit.
People & committees
Rep. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD-8] · D–MD
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
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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