# Plain Language Summary: Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act of 2023

This bill removes short-barreled rifles from federal gun regulations that have been in place since the 1930s. Currently, short-barreled rifles (rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches) are treated as heavily regulated weapons similar to machine guns and silencers. They require federal registration, a $200 tax stamp, and extensive paperwork. This bill eliminates that special regulatory status, treating short-barreled rifles like regular rifles instead.

The practical effect is that people would no longer need to register short-barreled rifles with the federal government, pay the $200 federal tax, or wait for approval from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The bill also prevents states and cities from creating their own special taxes or registration requirements for these weapons. Additionally, the bill requires the federal government to destroy all existing records of short-barreled rifle registrations within one year of the law taking effect.

This primarily affects gun owners and manufacturers who want to make, sell, or own these shorter rifles for home defense or competitive shooting. Currently, these weapons are relatively uncommon and expensive due to the regulatory burden. If passed, short-barreled rifles would become more accessible and affordable, similar to standard rifles. The bill also affects states like California and New York that have their own regulations on these weapons—those state laws would no longer apply to short-barreled rifles.

Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act of 2023

Griffith, H. Morgan

Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act of 2023 This bill removes short-barreled rifles (barrels of less than 16 inches in length) from the definition of firearms for purposes of the National Firearms Act. It also eliminates the prohibition on the transportation of such rifles in interstate commerce and treats persons who acquire or possess a short-barreled rifle as meeting the registration or licensing requirements for such rifle where such requirements are determined by reference to the National Firearms Act. The bill preempts state or local laws that impose a tax or recordkeeping requirements on short-barreled rifles. The Department of Justice must destroy records relating to the registration of&nbsp; certain rifles within one year after the enactment of this bill.