BUMP Act

Full Title:
BUMP Act

Summary#

This bill would change federal criminal statutes to prohibit devices and changes that make a semiautomatic firearm fire like a machinegun. It defines “semiautomatic firearm,” bans importing, selling, manufacturing, transferring, receiving, or possessing (in interstate or foreign commerce) any device or part that is primarily designed or functions to materially increase the firearm's rate of fire or to approximate a machinegun's action. It also bans semiautomatic firearms that have been modified in ways that materially increase their rate of fire or approximate a machinegun. Owners of semiautomatic firearms modified in that way before the law takes effect must register those firearms under section 5841 of the Internal Revenue Code within 120 days. The bill exempts the United States, States, Tribes, and their agencies, and it allows existing lawful modifications to remain lawful if they are registered as required. The bill also amends the definition list in the Internal Revenue Code to treat such modified semiautomatic firearms under the National Firearms Act.

What it means for you#

  • If you make, sell, import, or transfer devices designed to increase a semiautomatic firearm's rate of fire, those activities would become unlawful after 120 days from enactment.
  • If you own a semiautomatic firearm that was modified before enactment in a way that materially increases its rate of fire, you must register that firearm under section 5841 within 120 days to remain lawful.
  • Federal, state, and tribal agencies are exempt from the prohibitions. Pre-enactment lawful owners who register are also exempt from the prohibition for that firearm.
  • The bill adds the new prohibitions into existing criminal enforcement provisions, so violations would be handled under the cited sections of current federal firearms law.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on budgetary costs or fiscal effects is included in the bill text or metadata provided.

Proponents' View#

The sponsors introduced the bill to ban machinegun conversion devices and illegal modifications of semiautomatic firearms and to require registration of covered modified firearms, placing such modified weapons under the National Firearms Act framework.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' views or formal opposition is included in the bill text or metadata provided.