ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2013 U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein A bill to ensure proper regulation of military-style 331 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition http://feinstein.senate.gov feeding devices. 2/13 20152370 Confronting Assault Weapons in Society More than eight years have passed since the federal Assault Weapons Ban on military-style firearms expired in 2004. Since then, more than 350 people have been killed and more than 450 injured by these weapons. Towns like Newtown, Aurora and Tucson are now known for the mass shootings that shocked the nation. Mass murders in these towns and others across America demonstrate all too clearly the need to regulate deadly assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. On January 24, 2013, we gathered to introduce a new Assault Weapons Ban of 2013. This legisla- tion, stronger than the 1994 bill, has two primary goals: • First, halt the sale, manufacture, transfer and importation of 157 of the most commonly-owned military-style assault weapons and ban an additional group of assault weapons that are particularly lethal because they can accept a detachable ammunition magazine and have one or more military characteristics. • Second, ban large-capacity magazines and other ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. These devices allow shooters to fire numerous rounds in rapid succession without having to reload. We firmly believe that weapons designed for war have no place on the streets of a civilized soci- ety. We must enforce existing law and enact commonsense measures to stop the proliferation of military-style assault weapons while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens who use guns for hunting, household defense or legitimate recreational purposes. This is critical if we are to make the streets of America safer. Please learn more about this issue and get involved. Sincerely, ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2013 What the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 Does Assault Weapons -Bans the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of: • 157 specifically-named weapons including the Bushmaster, Smith & Wesson M&P15, What is an assault weapon? AK-47, Streetsweeper and others (list begins on page 14); • Any semiautomatic rifle or handgun that accepts a detachable magazine and has at • All semiautomatic rifles and handguns that can least one military feature. accept a detachable magazine and have at least • Any semiautomatic rifle or handgun with a one military feature; fixed magazine that accepts more than 10 rounds. • All semiautomatic rifles and handguns that have a fixed magazine with the capacity to • Any semiautomatic shotgun with one of accept more than 10 rounds or are belt fed; the following characteristics: detachable magazine, revolving cylinder, fixed • All semiautomatic shotguns that have a magazine that accepts more than 5 rounds detachable magazine, revolving cylinder, fixed or at least one military feature. magazine capable of accepting more than 5 • Any belt-fed semiautomatic firearm. rounds or at least one military feature. High-Capacity Magazines -Bans the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of: • All ammunition feeding devices (magazines, strips and drums) capable of accepting more than 10 rounds. Aftermarket Modifications and Workarounds -Bans: • Bump or slide fire stocks, which are modified stocks that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire at rates similar to fully automatic machine guns. • So-called “bullet buttons” that allow the rapid replacement of ammunition magazines, frequently used as a workaround to prohibitions on detachable magazines. • Thumbhole stocks, a type of stock that was created as a workaround to avoid prohibitions on pistol grips. Weapons Excluded from the Bill -Protects the Following Weapons: • Any weapon that is lawfully possessed at the date of the bill’s enactment; • 2,200 legitimate hunting and sporting rifles and shotguns are excluded from the bill by specific make and model (list begins on page 16); • Any gun manually operated by a bolt, pump, lever or slide action; • Semiautomatic assault weapons used by military, law enforcement and retired law enforcement; and • Antique weapons. - 1 - ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2013 Requiring background checks on assault weapon transfers The Assault Weapons Ban only prohibits assault weapons not yet manufactured. However, an estimated 18 million to 35 million assault weapons have already been legally manufactured. The Justice Department estimates that loopholes allow approximately 40% of these items to be transferred to new owners without background checks. That means 7 million to 14 million assault weapons are owned by indi- viduals who have not undergone background checks. The Assault Weapon Ban closes these dangerous loopholes by requiring background checks on all transfers of assault weapons covered by the legislation including sale, trade, gift, etc. Safeguarding existing “Military-style assault weapons have no purpose but to kill many people quickly, weapons and high-capacity threatening our communities’ most public places—from malls and movie magazines theaters, to schools and street corners. The Assault Weapons Ban requires that grandfathered assault By taking the basic steps of requiring weapons be stored safely using a secure gun storage or safety every gun buyer to get a background device to keep them away from criminals and the mentally check, and limiting military style ill. The bill also prohibits the sale or transfer of high-capacity weapons, we can make our communities ammunition feeding devices that are currently in existence. safer—and save many of the 33 people who are killed with guns each and every Stopping “copycat” guns day in America.” - New York City Mayor The bill bans all semiautomatic assault weapons with de- Michael Bloomberg tachable magazines and one or more military characteristics. Those military characteristics are: RIFLES SHOTGUNS • Pistol grip • Folding, telescoping or detachable stock • Forward grip • Pistol grip • Folding, telescoping or detachable stock • Fixed magazine capacity greater than five • Grenade or rocket launcher rounds • Barrel shroud • Detachable magazine capacity • Threaded barrel • Forward grip • Grenade launcher or rocket launcher PISTOLS • Threaded barrel • Second pistol grip • Barrel shroud • Detachable magazine capacity outside of the pistol grip • Semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm - 2 - ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2013 Endorsements Law Enforcement • Child Welfare League of America • Children’s Defense Fund • International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators • Every Child Matters • International Association of Chiefs of Police • Los Angeles Community College District • Major Cities Chiefs Association • National Association of Women Law Enforcement “Assault weapons have no legitimate purpose Executives for recreation, sports or hunting. In the major • National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent cities of our nation, these weapons are the tools Gun Violence of violent crime and death. In the wake of • National Organization of Black Law Enforcement brutal murders with assault weapons, we are Executives calling for legislation to ban them, once and for • Police Executive Research Forum all.” • Police Foundation • Women in Federal Law Enforcement - Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles • Chaska, Minn., Police Chief Scott Knight, former Ramsey, president of Major Cities Chiefs chairman of the Firearms Committee, International Association Association of Chiefs of Police • Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca • Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck • MomsRising • San Diego Police Chief Bill Lansdowne • National Association of Social Workers • National PTA • National Education Association Health care • San Diego Unified School District • American Academy of Nursing • Save the Children • American Academy of Pediatrics • American Congress of Obstetricians and Gun safety Gynecologists • American Medical Association • Arizonans for Gun Safety • American Public Health Association • Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence • California Medical Association • Ceasefire Oregon • Doctors for America • Coalition to Stop Gun Violence • National Association of School Nurses • Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence • National Physicians Alliance • Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence • San Francisco Mental Health Association • Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence • Society for the Advancement of Violence and • Mayors Against Illegal Guns Injury Research • Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence • One Million Moms for Gun Control Education and child welfare • Protect Minnesota • Violence Policy Center • 20 Children • Washington CeaseFire • American Federation of Teachers • Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort • California Teachers Association - 3 - ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2013 Religious • Rabbinical Assembly • Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism • African Methodist Episcopal Church • San Francisco Interfaith Council • Alliance of Baptists • Sikh Council on Religion and Education, USA • American Baptist Churches of the South • Sisters of Mercy of the Americas • American Baptist Home Mission Societies • Sojourners • American Friends Service Committee • Unitarian Universalist Association of • Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America Congregations • Camp Brotherhood • Catholic Charities USA • Catholic Health Association “The AMA believes that gun violence is a • Catholic Health Initiatives serious public health issue. Physicians and • Catholics in Alliance