Summary#
This bill, called the Hearing Protection Act, changes how federal law treats firearm silencers (also called mufflers or suppressors). It removes silencers from one federal definition of "firearm" in the Internal Revenue Code. It adds silencers to a 10 percent federal excise tax. It says people who acquire or possess a silencer in line with chapter 44 of Title 18 U.S.C. are treated as meeting National Firearms Act (NFA) registration and licensing requirements. It requires the Attorney General to destroy current federal registration records and certain silencer applications within 365 days. It also adds a federal rule that blocks State or local taxes (other than general sales or use taxes) and State marking, recordkeeping, or registration rules that target silencers. The bill updates the federal definition of a silencer and requires licensed importers and manufacturers to mark silencers with serial numbers on the outer tube or primary housing, with limited exceptions.
What it means for you#
- If you make, import, buy, or own a silencer, the bill would change which federal rules and taxes apply.
- Silencers would be subject to a 10 percent federal excise tax when sold by manufacturers, producers, or importers.
- People who follow federal chapter 44 procedures for silencers would be treated as meeting the NFA registration and licensing requirements specified in the bill.
- The federal government would delete existing silencer registration and related transfer/make applications from the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record within 365 days.
- States and localities would not be able to impose special taxes (other than general sales or use taxes) or extra marking, recordkeeping, or registration requirements on silencers that affect interstate or foreign commerce.
- Manufacturers and importers would generally need to put a serial number on the silencer outer tube or primary housing unless the Attorney General grants a marking variance.
Expenses#
- The bill adds silencers to the list of items subject to a 10 percent federal excise tax.
- It requires destruction of existing federal registration records for silencers within 365 days.
- No publicly available information on estimated federal revenue, administrative costs, or state fiscal impacts is included in the bill text or provided metadata.
Proponents' View#
No publicly available information.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.