Van Hollen, Raskin Reintroduce Permit-to-Purchase Gun Safety Bill

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Jamie Raskin (both D-Md.) reintroduced their Handgun Permit to Purchase Act, legislation to expand adoption of state and local permit-to-purchase gun safety laws. The lawmakers’ bill creates an incentive for state and local governments to implement laws that require individuals to obtain a license before purchasing a handgun. This introduction comes after the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week declined to hear a challenge to Maryland’s 2013 Handgun Qualification Licensing Law – leaving in place a lower court ruling that affirmed its constitutionality. Maryland’s law is a prime example of a common-sense firearm safety measure that the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act is designed to incentivize in other states across the country.

In the Senate, this legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy (both D-Conn.). In the House, it is cosponsored by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.).

“Too many families, loved ones, and communities across America have had their lives forever scarred by the epidemic of gun violence gripping our nation. Permit-to-purchase laws have been proven to reduce gun violence and help keep firearms out of dangerous hands, and Maryland’s handgun licensing law demonstrates that we can take steps to address gun violence while protecting Americans’ rights. States require licenses to drive a car in order to protect public safety – requiring a license to buy a handgun should be a no-brainer,” said Senator Van Hollen, who first introduced this legislation in 2015.

“Our government shatters our social contract when our people can’t shop, pray and learn without being fearful of being shot down in random acts of gun violence,” said Rep. Raskin. “The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act builds on a law I helped pass in Maryland by incentivizing more states to implement laws that require people to obtain a license before purchasing a handgun—a commonsense safeguard most Americans support. I’m grateful to Senator Van Hollen and Rep. Hayes for their commitment to passing this legislation and other commonsense gun safety reforms.”

“Adopting nationally my state’s handgun permit law, which has saved lives and reduced crime, will prevent senseless gun violence tragedies. Licenses are required in every state to drive a car, and should be for handguns too, which can kill even more readily. Commonsense reforms like the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act are desperately needed to curb the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our nation and to make our communities safer,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“Connecticut’s permit-to-purchase law led to a huge drop in gun homicides and has undoubtedly saved lives. This legislation would encourage other states to follow suit and adopt laws that require a license to purchase a handgun. It’s a proven way to keep guns out of dangerous hands,” said Senator Murphy.

The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act creates a federal grant program to incentivize state and local governments nationwide to enact laws requiring individuals to obtain a license from law enforcement before purchasing a handgun. While details of these laws may vary, a grant recipient’s PTP law must, at a minimum, require prospective handgun owners to: apply for a permit from a state-designated law enforcement agency; submit to a background check to ensure they are not barred by federal law from possessing firearms; and be 21 or older. The PTP law must also require licensed individuals to renew their handgun permits within five years. 14 states – including Maryland and Connecticut – as well as the District of Columbia have laws that require a license prior to the purchase of a handgun.

Text of the bill can be viewed here.

The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act is supported by Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Giffords, March for Our Lives, and Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.

“States that require permits to purchase handguns consistently experience lower levels of gun violence than those that do not and are far less likely to be the sources of firearms diverted to the illegal market. Incentivizing these systems in states would play an outsized role in ending the epidemic of gun violence and save countless lives. Brady is proud to endorse the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act and thanks Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Raskin for reintroducing this important legislation,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady.

“Too many lives have been lost due to weak gun laws that allow firearms to fall into the wrong hands. The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act takes a critical step toward addressing this by ensuring that common-sense protections, like background checks, take place before a buyer even steps foot in a gun store. We applaud Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Raskin for pushing this critical legislation forward and for their steadfast commitment to reducing gun violence and improving public safety,” Vanessa Gonzalez, Vice President of Government & Political Affairs at GIFFORDS.

“The Handgun Permit to Purchase Act is a massive step forward in keeping young people and communities safe,” said Elena Perez, Senior Policy Associate at March for Our Lives. “Permit-to-purchase laws have shown to be effective across the country, time and time again, at reducing firearm homicides. At a time when guns continue to be the leading cause of death for children and young people, this bill is all the more important. March For Our Lives is proud to stand with Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Raskin as they reintroduce this vital piece of legislation and we thank them for his dedication to fighting this gun violence epidemic.”

“Maryland’s handgun permit law has proven to be a vital tool in reducing gun violence and keeping our communities safer. Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Raskin’s Handgun Permit to Purchase Act would extend these proven strategies nationwide, empowering states to implement common-sense licensing policies that save lives. Research consistently shows that permit-to-purchase laws are effective in preventing firearms from falling into dangerous hands, and we fully support this critical step toward a safer America,” said Karen Herren, Executive Director of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.