S. 1915: Handgun Trigger Safety Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-10-04 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-10-04 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 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 Trigger Safety Act of 2017

Plain summary

Handgun Trigger Safety Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the National Institute of Justice to make grants to states or local governments, nonprofit or for-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education to develop technology for personalized handguns (i.e., technology that enables only an authorized user to fire a handgun). The bill prohibits, subject to exceptions: (1) the manufacture of a handgun inside the United States that is not a personalized handgun, and (2) the distribution in commerce of a handgun that is not a personalized handgun or retrofitted personalized handgun. It authorizes the Consumer Product Safety Commission and states to enforce violations, which are treated as violations under the Consumer Product Safety Act. A manufacturer must, at an owner's request, retrofit a U.S.-manufactured handgun that is not a personalized handgun or retrofitted personalized handgun. The Department of Justice (DOJ) may use amounts from the DOJ Assets Forfeiture Fund to reimburse a manufacturer for the costs of retrofitting. Finally, the bill amends the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to modify the definition of "qualified product." Current law limits civil actions against a licensed manufacturer, dealer, or seller of a qualified product for injuries resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of the product. This bill specifies that a newly manufactured handgun is not a qualified product unless is it a personalized handgun or retrofitted personalized handgun.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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 Trigger Safety Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] reported raising $6.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s1915.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s1915 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115