H.R. 117: Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-01-03 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-01-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2013

Plain summary

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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Federalism: The sharing of power between a national government and state governments. Each level has its own powers, and some powers are shared. Counties and cities get their powers from their state.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr117.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr117 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113