Skip to main content
HR 645 112th Congress House

Second Amendment Enforcement Act

Official title: To restore Second Amendment rights in the District of Columbia.

Introduced: April 5, 2011 See on congress.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement Administrative remediesBusiness recordsDistrict of ColumbiaFirearms and explosives
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Government information and archivesLicensing and registrationsMarylandRetail and wholesale tradesState and local government operationsVirginia
This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 10, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Feb 10, 2011
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action February 10, 2011

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Second Amendment Enforcement Act - Amends specified law prohibiting the killing of wild birds and wild animals in the District of Columbia to declare that nothing in it or any other provision of law shall authorize or be construed to permit the Council, the Mayor, or any governmental or regulatory authority of the District to prohibit, constructively prohibit, or unduly burden the ability of persons otherwise not prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law from acquiring, possessing in their homes or businesses, transporting for legitimate purposes, or using for sporting, self-protection or other lawful purposes, any firearm neither prohibited by federal law nor subject to the National Firearms Act. Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms.

Declares that nothing in such prohibitions shall be construed to prohibit the District from regulating the carrying of firearms by a person, either concealed or openly, other than at the person's dwelling place, place of business, or on other land possessed by the person.

Amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 (FCRA) to repeal the definition of a machine gun as any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily converted or restored to shoot semiautomatically, more than 12 shots without manual reloading. (Thus repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.)

Redefines "machine gun" as any firearm which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot automatically, more than one shot without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger. Includes also the frame or receiver of any such firearm, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a firearm into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.

Repeals the District's: (1) registration requirement for possession of firearms; and (2) requirement that licensed firearms dealers keep records of ammunition received into inventory and ammunition sold or transferred.

Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle.

Permits a licensed firearms dealer to sell or transfer ammunition, excluding restricted pistol bullets, to persons not otherwise prohibited from possessing or receiving ammunition.

Declares that, in the case of a sale or transfer of a handgun to a District resident, a federally licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer of firearms in Maryland or Virginia shall be treated as a dealer licensed under this Act if: (1) the transferee meets in person with the transferor to accomplish the transfer; and (2) the sale, delivery, and receipt fully comply with the legal conditions of sale in both the District and the jurisdiction in which the transfer occurs.

Amends FCRA to allow an individual to possess ammunition in the District if the individual owns (currently, holds the valid registration certificate for) a firearm of the same gauge or caliber as such ammunition. (In effect, repeals the handgun ammunition ban.)

Repeals the requirement that firearms in the possession of individuals (other than law enforcement personnel) must be kept unloaded, disassembled, or with the trigger locked, unless the firearm is kept at an individual's place of business, or while being used for lawful recreational purposes within the District .

Continues current criminal penalties for allowing access of a minor (under age 16) to loaded firearms, except in specified circumstances. Repeals increased penalties for violations of the prohibition against allowing access of a minor to loaded firearms if injury or death results to the minor or another person. Requires the U.S. attorney, however, to consider both the extent of the minor's injuries and the effect of the minor's injury or death on both of the minor's parents when deciding whether to file charges. Prohibits any prosecution in such circumstances unless the person who committed the violation behaved in a grossly negligent manner, or unless similarly egregious circumstances exist.

Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm.

Amends the District of Columbia Code to: (1) allow private persons or entities owning property in the District to prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on their property (other than authorized law enforcement personnel or lessees occupying residential or business premises); (2) prohibit unauthorized carrying of rifles or shotguns in the District; (3) authorize certain individuals to carry firearms in certain places and for certain purposes; (4) prescribe requirements for lawful transportation of firearms; and (5) prohibit the use of toy and antique pistols to commit a violent or dangerous crime.

Authorizes the District of Columbia to prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms (except to lessees occupying residential or business premises) within any building or structure under its control, or in any area of it, which has implemented security measures to identify and exclude unauthorized or hazardous persons or articles.

Amends the Office of Administrative Hearings Establishment Act of 2001 to grant jurisdiction to the Office of Administrative Hearings to hear cases pertaining to denial or revocation of firearm dealer licenses.

Repeals the Firearms Registration Amendment Act of 2008 and the Inoperable Pistol Amendment Act of 2008. Restores and revives any provision of law amended or repealed by such Acts as if such Acts had not been enacted into law.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 112
LOBIONDO, FRANK
· May 30, 2012
MANZULLO, DONALD
· Mar 8, 2012
Murphy, Tim
· Jan 17, 2012
R
Amodei, Mark E.
Nevada · Nov 18, 2011
MCKEON, HOWARD
· Oct 25, 2011
SHIMKUS, JOHN
· Oct 14, 2011
R
Aderholt, Robert B.
Alabama · Oct 12, 2011
King, Steve
· Oct 12, 2011
R
Schweikert, David
Arizona · Oct 12, 2011
WALDEN, GREG
· Oct 12, 2011
R
McClintock, Tom
California · Oct 5, 2011
R
Scott, Tim
South Carolina · Sep 20, 2011
ROYCE, ED
· Sep 12, 2011
Rodgers, Cathy
· Aug 5, 2011
Rogers, Mike
· Aug 5, 2011
PENCE, MIKE
· Aug 1, 2011
Harper, Gregg
· Jul 25, 2011
BOSWELL, LEONARD
· Jul 21, 2011
UPTON, FRED
· Jul 21, 2011
Woodall, Rob
· Jul 14, 2011
GREEN, GENE
· Jul 13, 2011
Hunter, Duncan
· Jul 13, 2011
BARTON, JOE
· Jul 12, 2011
R
Cassidy, Bill
Louisiana · Jul 12, 2011
Mack, Connie
· Jul 7, 2011
Hensarling, Jeb
· Jul 6, 2011
R
Guthrie, Brett
Kentucky · Jun 23, 2011
COSTELLO, JERRY
· Jun 22, 2011
Hultgren, Randy
· Jun 22, 2011
Schmidt, Jean
· Jun 22, 2011
Tipton, Scott
· May 31, 2011
Austria, Steve
· May 25, 2011
McHenry, Patrick
· May 24, 2011
R
Walberg, Tim
Michigan · May 24, 2011
Shuster, Bill
· May 11, 2011
R
Thompson, Glenn
Pennsylvania · May 11, 2011
R
Webster, Daniel
Florida · May 11, 2011
R
Womack, Steve
Arkansas · May 11, 2011
R
Rogers, Harold
Kentucky · May 5, 2011
R
Scott, Austin
Georgia · May 5, 2011
Amash, Justin
· May 4, 2011
BACA, JOE
· May 4, 2011
BARTLETT, ROSCOE
· May 4, 2011
Davis, Geoff
· May 4, 2011
R
Foxx, Virginia
North Carolina · May 4, 2011
Graves, Tom
· May 4, 2011
R
Lankford, James
Oklahoma · May 4, 2011
BILBRAY, BRIAN
· Apr 15, 2011
R
Blackburn, Marsha
Tennessee · Apr 15, 2011
CULBERSON, JOHN
· Apr 15, 2011
Page 1 of 3 Next
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 645: Second Amendment Enforcement Act. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-645/
MLA
"H.R. 645: Second Amendment Enforcement Act." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-645/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 645, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-645/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 645: Second Amendment Enforcement Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-645/)
Report a problem