Justice Department drops enforcement of key National Firearms Act provisions after Texas court ruling
The Justice Department announced it will stop enforcing several sections of the 1934 National Firearms Act after a Texas judge ruled most of the law unconstitutional.
A federal judge in Texas, James Wesley Hendrix, declared most restrictions of the 1934 National Firearms Act unconstitutional after Congress eliminated the associated $200 tax. In response, the Justice Department decided not to appeal and issued ATF guidance that ends federal licensing and registration requirements for short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers and similar firearms. While the federal government will no longer enforce these provisions, it emphasized that state and local laws that still require registration will continue to be honored.
The decision aligns with President Donald Trump's instruction to forgo an appeal. Legal challenges had been brought by fifteen red states and gun-rights groups including Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners Foundation. Internal DOJ lawyers had argued for an appeal, citing concerns for ongoing criminal cases, but the department opted for the new policy.
Why it matters
It changes how federal authorities regulate certain firearms, affecting gun owners and law-enforcement across the United States.
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