H.R. 8297

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8297 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8297

To restore and protect the Second Amendment rights of residents and 
United States citizens who visit the District of Columbia by 
modernizing the District's firearm laws, eliminating prior restraints 
on acquisition and possession, establishing concealed constitutional 
carry, prohibiting feature-based firearm bans, and facilitating lawful 
purchases through Federally licensed dealers in neighboring States, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 15, 2026

Mr. Crenshaw introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To restore and protect the Second Amendment rights of residents and 
United States citizens who visit the District of Columbia by 
modernizing the District's firearm laws, eliminating prior restraints 
on acquisition and possession, establishing concealed constitutional 
carry, prohibiting feature-based firearm bans, and facilitating lawful 
purchases through Federally licensed dealers in neighboring States, and 
for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``District of Columbia Firearm Freedom 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Article I, section 8, clause 17 of the Constitution 
grants Congress plenary legislative authority over the District 
of Columbia.
(2) The Second Amendment protects an individual's right to 
keep and bear arms, and the District must maintain laws 
consistent with that constitutional guarantee.
(3) United States citizens visiting the National Capital 
and those who reside or work in the District should not have 
their constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights 
infringed.
(4) The District's regulatory structure has imposed undue 
burdens on legal gun owners and residents wishing to be legal 
gun owners, prior restraints on purchasing and concealed 
carrying firearms, and feature-based restrictions that unduly 
burden lawful acquisition, possession, and carrying of firearms 
by responsible residents and visitors.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) District.--The term ``District'' means the District of 
Columbia.
(2) Firearm.--The term ``firearm'' has the meaning given 
that term in section 921(a)(3) of title 18, United States Code.
(3) Licensee.--The term ``licensee'' means a person 
licensed under section 923 of title 18, United States Code (a 
Federal firearms licensee).
(4) Prohibited person.--The term ``prohibited person'' 
means any person prohibited from receiving or possessing 
firearms under Federal law, including section 922(g) of title 
18, United States Code.

TITLE I--END PRIOR APPROVAL AND REGISTRATION SYSTEM

SEC. 101. PROHIBITION ON PRIOR RESTRAINTS FOR ACQUISITION OR 
POSSESSION.

(a) In General.--No law, regulation, rule, or policy of the 
District may require any person to obtain, before acquiring, receiving, 
possessing, or bringing into the District a firearm otherwise lawful 
under Federal law, any license, certificate, registration, approval, 
permit, or other authorization as a condition precedent to such 
acquisition, receipt, possession, or importation.
(b) No Criminal Liability for Mere Lack of Prior Approval.--No 
person may be arrested, prosecuted, or subjected to criminal penalties 
under District law solely because the person acquired, received, 
possessed, or brought into the District a firearm without first 
obtaining District authorization described in subsection (a), if the 
person is not a prohibited person under Federal law.

SEC. 102. REPEAL OF DISTRICT FIREARM REGISTRATION SYSTEM; CONFORMING 
PROVISIONS.

(a) Repeal of Registration System.--The District may not require 
the registration of any privately owned firearm. Any provision of 
District law, regulation, rule, or policy requiring registration of a 
firearm, conditioning lawful possession on registration, or imposing 
any penalty for failure to register a firearm is hereby repealed and 
shall have no force or effect.
(b) Conforming Repeal and Premption.--Any District provision that--
(1) establishes or authorizes a registry of firearms;
(2) requires a registration certificate, registration card, 
or proof of registration;
(3) makes lawful possession, transport, storage, use, 
purchase, sale, transfer, carrying, or receipt of a firearm 
contingent upon registration; or
(4) authorizes seizure, forfeiture, or arrest solely for a 
registration-related violation, is preempted and may not be 
enforced.
(c) Prohibition on Alternative Registration Schemes.--The District 
may not establish or maintain any system that, in purpose or effect, 
functions as a firearm registration requirement, including any 
requirement to report or record firearm identifying information as a 
precondition to lawful possession, purchase, transfer, transport, or 
carrying, except to the extent such information is collected by a 
Federal firearms licensee as required under Federal law.
(d) Records and Data.--
(1) Cessation of collection.--Beginning on the effective 
date of this Act, the District may not accept, process, or 
require any registration application, registration renewal, or 
registration amendment for any firearm.
(2) Disposition of existing records.--Not later than 180 
days after the effective date of this Act, the District shall 
destroy each firearm registration record in the possession of 
the District, including database entries, paper records, and 
electronic files, except records that are evidence in a pending 
criminal prosecution or are required to be retained by Federal 
law.
(3) No use for enforcement.--No firearm registration record 
possessed by the District on or after the effective date of 
this Act may be used as a basis for probable cause, reasonable 
suspicion, or any adverse action against any person.
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to alter Federal background check requirements under section 
922(t) of title 18, United States Code, or Federal prohibitions on 
possession by prohibited persons under section 922(g) of title 18, 
United States Code.

TITLE II--COMMON FIREARMS PROTECTION; BAN FEATURE-BASED PROHIBITIONS; 
REPEAL OF PROHIBITION ON LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE

SEC. 201. PREEMPTION OF FEATURE-BASED AND ASSAULT WEAPON BANS.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of District of 
Columbia law, no law, regulation, rule, or policy of the District may 
prohibit the possession, acquisition, sale, transfer, transport, or use 
of any firearm on the basis of--
(1) the firearm being semiautomatic;
(2) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine; or
(3) any feature, characteristic, component, or 
configuration that is based on appearance, ergonomics, or other 
nonfunctional or commonly possessed attributes, including a 
pistol grip, adjustable stock, barrel shroud or handguard, 
muzzle device, threaded barrel, forward grip, or accessory 
rail.
(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to permit possession of firearms prohibited under Federal 
law, including items regulated under the National Firearms Act (26 
U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), except to the extent Federal law otherwise 
permits such possession.
(c) Conforming Preemption.--Any District of Columbia provision 
defining or prohibiting assault weapons (or substantially similar term) 
in a manner inconsistent with this section is hereby preempted and 
shall have no force or effect.

SEC. 202. REPEAL OF PROHIBITION ON LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING 
DEVICE.

Sections 601(b) and 601(c) of the Firearms Control Regulations Act 
of 1975 are hereby repealed.

TITLE III--CONCEALED CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY

SEC. 301. CONCEALED CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY.

(a) In General.--Any person 21 years of age or older who is not a 
prohibited person and can otherwise legally own a firearm under Federal 
law may carry a concealed handgun in the District without any District-
issued license or permit.
(b) No Prior Restraint.--The District may not require any license, 
permit, training, fingerprinting, good cause, suitability 
determination, or other discretionary or nondiscretionary prerequisite 
as a condition to carrying a firearm concealed.
(c) Sensitive Places.--The District may prohibit concealed carry 
only in locations where prohibitions are consistent with the 
Constitution and Federal law, including--
(1) secure areas of law enforcement facilities;
(2) courthouses and courtrooms;
(3) detention facilities;
(4) polling places on election day (as narrowly tailored);
(5) a school zone, consistent with the terms of 18 U.S.C. 
921(a) and 922(q); and
(6) any place where possession is prohibited by Federal 
statute.
(d) Private Property.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
limit the right of a private property owner to restrict or prohibit 
firearms on the owner's property, provided that such owner shall give 
notice of any such prohibition or restriction by posting a sign at any 
publicly accessible entrance to the property or by express notice to 
individuals entering the property.
(e) Optional Licensing.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
prohibit the District from issuing a carry credential on an optional 
basis for residents seeking reciprocity in other jurisdictions, 
provided that such a credential is not required for any person to carry 
concealed within the District under this Act.
(f) Open Carry.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require 
the District to permit open carry. The District's laws restricting or 
prohibiting the open carrying of firearms, to the extent otherwise 
consistent with the Constitution, shall not be preempted by this Act.

TITLE IV--MODERNIZE COMMERCE: DISTRICT RESIDENTS AS ``IN-STATE'' BUYERS 
FOR VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND FEDERAL FIREARM LICENSE PURCHASES

SEC. 401. AUTHORITY FOR LICENSEES IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND TO TRANSFER 
FIREARMS TO DISTRICT RESIDENTS.

(a) In General.--Section 922(b)(3) of title 18, United States code 
is amended by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting ``, and 
(c) shall not apply to the sale or delivery of a firearm by a licensee 
whose licensed premises are located in the Commonwealth of Virginia or 
the State of Maryland to a resident of the District of Columbia if (i) 
the transferee appears in person at the licensee's premises; (ii) the 
transfer is completed in compliance with section 922(t) (including a 
NICS background check or a lawful alternative under Federal law); (iii) 
the transferee is not a prohibited person; and (iv) the sale, delivery, 
and receipt would be lawful if the transferee were a resident of the 
State in which the licensee's premises are located, except that the 
District of Columbia shall not be treated as a `State' for purposes of 
imposing any additional restriction;''.
(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to--
(1) alter Federal prohibitions on possession or receipt of 
firearms by prohibited persons; or
(2) alter Federal requirements applicable to licensees, 
including recordkeeping.
(c) Conforming Guidance.--The Attorney General shall, not later 
than 60 days after enactment, update any implementing guidance 
necessary to ensure NICS and licensee compliance for transfers 
authorized by this section.

TITLE V--PREEMPTION, ENFORCEMENT, AND EFFECTIVE DATE

SEC. 501. PREEMPTION OF INCONSISTENT DISTRICT LAWS.

(a) In General.--This Act supersedes and preempts any law, 
regulation, rule, or policy of the District that is inconsistent with 
this Act, and such inconsistent provisions shall have no force or 
effect.
(b) Anti-Circumvention.--The District may not enforce any portion 
of a preempted provision by reissuing it under a different name, 
authority, or rulemaking vehicle.

SEC. 502. ENFORCEMENT; CAUSE OF ACTION; ATTORNEYS' FEES.

(a) Cause of Action.--Any person adversely affected by a violation 
of this Act, or by the enforcement or threatened enforcement of a 
District law preempted by this Act, may bring a civil action in the 
United States District Court for the District of Columbia for 
declaratory and injunctive relief.
(b) Remedies.--In an action under subsection (a), the court may 
award appropriate relief, including--
(1) declaratory relief;
(2) temporary, preliminary, and permanent injunctive 
relief;
(3) compensatory damages (where otherwise available); and
(4) reasonable attorneys' fees and costs to a prevailing 
plaintiff.

SEC. 503. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take effect on 
the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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