119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 8297

District of Columbia Firearm Freedom Act

Introduced

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

The District of Columbia Firearm Freedom Act aims to restore and protect the Second Amendment rights of residents and visitors to Washington, D.C., by modernizing the District’s firearm laws. It prohibits prior authorization requirements for firearm acquisition, repeals the District’s firearm registration system, bans feature-based firearm bans, establishes concealed constitutional carry, and allows District residents to purchase firearms from licensed dealers in neighboring states. The bill seeks to align D.C. law with federal regulations regarding firearms.

Key provisions

Prohibits prior authorization requirements for firearm acquisition, possession, or importation.
Repeals the District’s firearm registration system and related regulations.
Bans firearm bans based on features like pistol grips or adjustable stocks.
Establishes concealed constitutional carry for eligible residents.
Allows District residents to purchase firearms from licensed dealers in Virginia and Maryland.
Prohibits the District from imposing restrictions on firearm transfers based on the location of the seller.
Creates a civil cause of action for individuals harmed by violations of the Act or its enforcement.
Provides for attorneys’ fees in successful lawsuits.

Who is affected

Residents of the District of Columbia
Visitors to the District of Columbia
Federal firearms licensees
Gun Owners
District of Columbia government officials

Notable changes

Positions across the country

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Arguments in favor

Reasons to support this legislation.

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Arguments opposed

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Legislative history

2026-04-15House

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.

2026-04-15House

2026-04-15

Introduced in House

2026-04-15

Introduced in House

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Apr 15, 2026XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 2d Session

H. R. 8297

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

District of Columbia Firearm Freedom Act

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.

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 personThe 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.

IEnd Prior Approval and Registration System

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.

102.Repeal of district firearm registration system; conforming provisions

(a)Repeal of registration systemThe 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 premptionAny 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 schemesThe 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 collectionBeginning 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 recordsNot 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 enforcementNo 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 constructionNothing 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.

IICommon Firearms Protection; Ban Feature-Based Prohibitions; Repeal of prohibition on large capacity ammunition feeding device

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.

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.

IIIConcealed Constitutional Carry

301.Concealed constitutional carry

(a)In generalAny 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 propertyNothing 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.

IVModernize Commerce: District Residents as In-State Buyers for Virginia and Maryland Federal Firearm License Purchases

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.

VPreemption, Enforcement, and Effective Date

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.

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.

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.

HR 8297

Bill overview

Key provisions

Who is affected

Notable changes

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