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118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 3247
To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor
by civilians, with exceptions.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 11, 2023
Ms. MENG (for herself, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. NORTON, Mr. JOHN-
SON of Georgia, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. MORELLE, and Mr. PAYNE) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary
A BILL
To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of
enhanced body armor by civilians, with exceptions.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Aaron Salter, Jr., Re-
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sponsible Body Armor Possession Act’’.
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SEC. 2. BAN ON PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, OR POSSESSION
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OF ENHANCED BODY ARMOR BY CIVILIANS;
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EXCEPTIONS.
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(a) BAN.—
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•HR 3247 IH
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18,
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United States Code, is amended by adding at the
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end the following:
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‘‘§ 932. Ban on purchase, ownership, or possession of
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enhanced body armor by civilians
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‘‘(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be
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unlawful for a person to purchase, own, or possess en-
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hanced body armor.
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‘‘(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to—
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‘‘(1) a purchase, ownership, or possession by or
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under the authority of—
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‘‘(A) the United States or any department
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or agency of the United States; or
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‘‘(B) a State, or a department, agency, or
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political subdivision of a State;
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‘‘(2) a covered law enforcement officer; or
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‘‘(3) enhanced body armor that was lawfully
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possessed by any person at any time before the date
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this section takes effect.
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‘‘(c) In this section, the term ‘covered law enforce-
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ment officer’—
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‘‘(1) has the meaning given the term ‘qualified
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law enforcement officer’ in section 926B and the
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term ‘qualified retired law enforcement officer’ in
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section 926C; and
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•HR 3247 IH
‘‘(2) includes corrections officers.’’.
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(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
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tions for chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code,
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is amended by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘932. Ban on purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by
civilians.’’.
(b) ENHANCED BODY ARMOR DEFINED.—Section
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921(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the
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following:
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‘‘(36) The term ‘enhanced body armor’ means
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body armor, including a helmet or shield, the bal-
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listic resistance of which meets or exceeds the bal-
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listic performance of Type III armor, determined
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using such standard as the National Institute of
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Justice has in effect at the time at which a person
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purchases, owns, or possesses such armor.’’.
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(c) PENALTIES.—Section 924(a) of such title is
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amended by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 932
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shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more
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than 10 years, or both.’’.
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Æ
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