WASHINGTON, D.C. – On September 25th, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Modern Firearms Safety Act, a bill aimed at prohibiting states from enforcing handgun rosters. These rosters, which include lists of pre-approved handguns, often require manufacturers to incorporate features such as microstamping, loaded chamber indicators, and magazine disconnect mechanisms. According to Senator Risch, these requirements hinder the ability of law-abiding citizens to purchase firearms of their choice and pose unnecessary burdens on manufacturers.
In a statement, Senator Risch argued that these regulations are unconstitutional and undermine the Second Amendment. “Unconstitutional handgun rosters create unnecessary, burdensome requirements for firearm manufacturers while undermining the Second Amendment,” Risch said. “The Modern Firearms Safety Act stops Democrats’ arbitrary handgun catalogs and protects law-abiding gun owners’ right to bear arms.”
The bill is co-sponsored by several Republican senators, including Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), among others. Each of the co-sponsors echoed concerns about the impact of state-level handgun regulations on Second Amendment rights.
Senator Mike Crapo emphasized the need to halt what he described as left-leaning efforts to stifle gun ownership: “Those on the Left continue to use every creative avenue possible to stifle Second Amendment rights and restrict gun ownership for law-abiding citizens.”
The proposed legislation follows a 2024 federal district court ruling that found California’s handgun roster requirements unconstitutional. Other states with similar regulations include New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
The Modern Firearms Safety Act has garnered support from several prominent organizations, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and the National Rifle Association (NRA).