SB3395 and HB3245 Ammunition Accountability Act

[Guest Kimber1]

After reading through the Tn General Assembly web page, I found these two bills supposedly being introduced today. They are requiring manufacturers of handgun ammo and "assault" ammo to somehow code each bullet, keep records of purchasers for seven years--including name, age, TDL numbers, etc... This, if made law, would go into affect 1/1/09. This bill also requires that any ammo already owned that is not "coded" be destroyed after 2011. These bills need to be stopped.

[Guest Len]

I agree, but they will never see the light of day. If either of these gets to the gov's desk, I will be shocked. I'll be shocked if either even gets to the floor of either house.

[Guest Kimber1]

I sure hope you're right! My concern lies with the seven year records, which I'm sure would also flag the number and quantity of purchases, and to that ammo that we already have.

[molonlabetn]

Those bills will effectively halt importation of ammunition. No foreign manufacturer is going to bother 'registering' each projectile.

[saintsfanbrian]

My question is how are they going to code the bullet? A stamp on the case? What about people that go around to ranges and re-load. A mark on the bullet itself? How effective will that be if the bullet expands/explodes etc. upon impact?

These are ridiculous bills similar to what was introduced in CA of Micro stamping the casing when the bullet is fired.

[Marswolf]

Yeah, these are DOA. Better to spend effort on stuff that might pass.

[Guest bkelm18]

I could see this passing in CA, but not here.

[dunndw]

This piece of trash doesn't deserve to see the light of day

SB3395

01197072

-1-

HOUSE BILL 3245

By Miller L

SENATE BILL 3395

By Tate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,

Chapter 17, Part 13, to enact the “Ammunition

Accountability Actâ€.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Ammunition

Accountability Actâ€.

SECTION 2. The general assembly finds the following:

(1) Each year in the United States, more than thirty percent (30%) of all

homicides that involve a gun go unsolved;

(2) Handgun ammunition accounts for eighty percent (80%) of all ammunition

sold in the United States;

(3) Current technology for matching a bullet used in a crime to the gun that fired

it has worked moderately well for years, but presupposes that the weapon was

recovered by law enforcement; and

(4) Bullet coding is a new and effective way for law enforcement to quickly

identify persons of interest in gun crime investigations.

SECTION 3.

For purposes of this act, "coded ammunition" means a bullet carrying a unique

identifier that has been applied by etching onto the base of the bullet projectile.

SECTION 4.

(a) All handgun and assault weapon ammunition manufactured or sold in the

state after January 1, 2009, shall be coded by the manufacturer.

( No later than January 1, 2011, all non-coded ammunition for the calibers

listed in this act, whether owned by private citizens or retail outlets, shall be disposed.

- 2 - 01197072

SECTION 5.

(a) The Tennessee bureau of investigation (TBI) shall be responsible for

establishing and maintaining an ammunition coding system database (ACSD) containing

the following information:

(1) A manufacturer registry. Manufacturers shall:

(A) Register with the TBI in a manner prescribed by the

department through rules and regulations; and

( Maintain records on the business premises for a period of

seven (7) years concerning all sales, loans and transfers of ammunition,

to, from, or within the state; and

(2) A vendor registry. Vendors shall:

(A) Register with the TBI in a manner prescribed by the

department through rules and regulations;

( Record the following information in a format prescribed by the

TBI:

(i) The date of the transaction;

(ii) The name of the transferee;

(iii) The purchaser's driver license number or other

government issued identification card number;

(iv) The date of birth of the purchaser;

(v) The unique identifier of all handgun ammunition or

bullets transferred; and

(vi) All other information prescribed by the TBI; and

© Maintain records on the business premises for a period of

three (3) years from the date of the recorded purchase.

- 3 - 01197072

( To the greatest extent possible or practical, the ACSD shall be built within the

framework of existing firearms databases. The ACSD shall be operational no later than

January 1, 2009.

© Privacy of individuals shall be of the utmost importance. Access to

information in the ACSD is reserved for key law enforcement personnel and shall only be

released in connection with a criminal investigation.

SECTION 6.

(a) Any vendor that knowingly fails to comply with, or falsifies the records

required to be kept by this act commits a Class A misdemeanor.

( Any manufacturer that knowingly fails to comply with this act commits a

Class A misdemeanor punishable by fine only not to exceed one thousand dollars

($1,000) for a first violation and punishable by fine only not to exceed five thousand

dollars ($5,000) for second and subsequent violations.

© Any person who knowingly destroys, obliterates, or otherwise renders

unreadable, the serialization required pursuant to this act, on any bullet or assembled

ammunition commits a Class A misdemeanor.

SECTION 7.

(a) The cost of establishing and maintaining the ACSD shall be funded by an

end-user fee. Vendors shall charge an additional one half cent ($.005) per bullet or

round of ammunition to the purchaser.

( There is established the coded ammunition fund for deposit of the end-user

fees described in this section. Moneys in the fund, upon appropriation, shall be available

to the TBI for infrastructure, implementation, operational, enforcement, and future

development costs of this act.

- 4 - 01197072

SECTION 8. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring

it.

[saintsfanbrian]

Duplicate post talked about here:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4286&highlight=SB3395

[Beretta Racer]

It'll never clear the Senate.

[molonlabetn]

Duplicate post talked about here:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4286&highlight=SB3395

Threads Merged.

[Bigiron]

Warning! Legislature in session.

[The Rabbi]

The bill makes no exception for law enforcement. That means every police dep will have to comply as well.

I'd count this miserable POS legislation as dead on arrival.

Geez, what are these people smoking? Last year they outlawed bestiality, like that was a big problem in this state. Now this. You would think they could do something worthwhile, like lowering the sales tax rate and putting in caps on tort damages.

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

(4) Bullet coding is a new and effective way for law enforcement to quickly

identify persons of interest in gun crime investigations.

(a) The Tennessee bureau of investigation (TBI) shall be responsible for

establishing and maintaining an ammunition coding system database (ACSD) containing

the following information:

(1) A manufacturer registry. Manufacturers shall:

(A) Register with the TBI in a manner prescribed by the

department through rules and regulations; and

( Maintain records on the business premises for a period of

seven (7) years concerning all sales, loans and transfers of ammunition,

to, from, or within the state; and

(2) A vendor registry. Vendors shall:

(A) Register with the TBI in a manner prescribed by the

department through rules and regulations;

( Record the following information in a format prescribed by the

TBI:

(i) The date of the transaction;

(ii) The name of the transferee;

(iii) The purchaser's driver license number or other

government issued identification card number;

(iv) The date of birth of the purchaser;

(v) The unique identifier of all handgun ammunition or

bullets transferred; and

(vi) All other information prescribed by the TBI; and

© Maintain records on the business premises for a period of

three (3) years from the date of the recorded purchase.

( To the greatest extent possible or practical, the ACSD shall be built within the

framework of existing firearms databases. The ACSD shall be operational no later than

January 1, 2009.

Ummm...... Like a gun registry, all this does is prove the LEGAL owner. So, stolen ammo gets the cops nowhere.

And what is this about being built "built within the

framework of existing firearms databases." Last I checked, TN doesn't have a "firearms database". I love how people who have no clue about the laws are allowed to write them.

[analog_kidd]

( No later than January 1, 2011, all non-coded ammunition for the calibers

listed in this act, whether owned by private citizens or retail outlets, shall be disposed.

Now just how in the world do they expect to enforce this part? Are they going to come to my house and collect all my old ammo?

"Uhh, yeah, about that old ammo, I shot it all up already. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Gimmie a break.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

We have too many gun addicts here...it'll wont pass...I'm not worried about it.

[Guest UKTN]

When will we in Eastern TN be able to get away from the mess caused by the "elected officials" in the western part of the state? Only someone elected from the Memphis area could propose such a stupid idea.

[saintsfanbrian]

Hey, they don't elect them around here, they appoint them (only by a pseudo vote to make the locals "feel" better)

[Guest db99wj]

Hey, they don't elect them around here, they appoint them (only by a pseudo vote to make the locals "feel" better)

Hey, we have elections, just ask the dead people that voted for Opheila Ford.

[Mike.357]

I contacted my senator and representative about these bills. I urged them to use any and all influence they have in putting a stop to it.

Does it have a chance of becoming law? Sure it does. Odds are that it won't but the odds increase that it won't if you take time to contact your elected officials and express your viewpoint.

[dralarms]

Here is the reply I got from Mike Bell, on a Sunday no less

This a horrible bill and you can be sure I will not only vote against it but I will actively oppose this bill.

Mike

[towerclimber37]

I've already contacted my legislators...

[Guest BG38357]

I wrote mine this morning. Finney already replied about 45 minutes later:

Dear Bud:

Good morning.

I agree completely with your views about SB3395.

I doubt this bill will survive the committee hearing. If it does, however, I will vote against it.

If you have not yet done so, please consider taking a few minutes to participate in my online 2008 constituent preference survey at www.finneylistens.com/2008survey.html . I will appreciate reading your views and comments.

Thank you for contacting me. Please stay in touch.

Respectfully yours,

State Senator Raymond Finney

[Guest 2HOW]

TENNESSEE: Ammo Serialization Bill Filed in House and Senate! On Thursday, January 17, legislation was filed in both the Tennessee House and Senate that would requires all handgun ammunition manufactured or sold in Tennessee to be coded with a serial number, and entered into a statewide database at the time of sale. Encoded ammunition would be registered to the purchaser and would include the date of transaction, the purchaser's name, date of birth, driver's license number, and the serial number of the ammunition. SB3395, sponsored by State Senator Reginald Tate (District 33) and HB3245, sponsored by State Representative Larry Miller (District 88) pose a serious threat to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms and need to be stopped immediately. Please contact your State Legislators and respectfully urge them to protect the Second Amendment rights of Tennessee's law-abiding gun owners by opposing SB3395 and HB3245. Please visit http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/senate/members/smembers.htm#Find for contact information for your State Senator, and http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/house/members/hmembers.htm#Findfor contact information for your State Representative.

Senate Judiciary Committee to Vote on Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment! On Tuesday, February 5, Tennessee's Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on State Senator Doug Jackson's (D-25) House Joint Resolution 108 with amendments. The passage of this meaningful legislation will preserve the Right to Hunt and Fish in Tennessee's constitution. Please contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to support HJR 108 with NRA-backed amendments. The future of Tennessee's honorable hunting heritage depends on it! Please click here for contact information.

[Guest SomeGuy]

Here is the reply I got from Mike Bell, on a Sunday no less

dra,

Mike Bell is a good guy. He has introduced more than one pro-gun piece of legislation. I am in the Chattanooga area, and I have met with, spoken to, and respect him. If all the Republicans in Nashville were like him, we wouldn't need to pay attention.