Two Democratic Representatives, David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), have introduced a sweeping bill called the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2018.” The bill, if passed in its current version, would make it illegal to “import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semiautomatic assault weapon,” and would ban devices such as bump stocks and trigger cranks that “accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle.” The bill would also direct the Attorney General to create a public record (which could be accessible on the Internet) of semiautomatic “assault weapons” that have been used in crimes.

Here is the signature Renzulli “Run Down” of what you need to know:

  • The bill contains a broad definition of “assault weapon,” with the obvious intent to sweep up as many firearms as possible:
    • A semiautomatic rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
      • A pistol grip;
      • A forward grip;
      • A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock;
      • A grenade launcher or rocket launcher;
      • A barrel shroud;
      • A threaded barrel.
    • A semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds, except for an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
      • Any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment, or accessory that is designed or functions to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun.
    • A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
      • A threaded barrel;
      • A second pistol grip;
      • A barrel shroud;
      • The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.
    • A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.
    • A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
    • A semiautomatic shotgun that has any one of the following:
      • A folding, telescoping, or detachable stock;
      • A pistol grip;
      • A fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 5 rounds;
      • The ability to accept a detachable magazine;
      • A forward grip;
      • A grenade launcher or rocket launcher.
    • Any shotgun with a revolving cylinder.

The definition of “assault weapon” would result in a ban on numerous commercially popular rifles, including AR and AK type rifles.

Importantly, in addition to the sweeping definition, the bill also specifically targets and bans many popular firearms by name, including numerous makes and models of AR and AK type rifles, which would result in them being banned even if they did not have one of the “prohibited features.”

The bill is similar in concept to the 1994 federal assault weapons ban, but with critical differences.  For example, the new proposed ban sets forth a different list of prohibited features, takes an additional step by purporting to ban firearms that have any one of the prohibited features (the 1994 ban only applied to firearms with two or more prohibited features), and includes a substantially larger list of firearms that are banned by name than the 1994 ban.