HOUSE RESOLUTION 11

(By Delegates Phillips, Hollen, Arvon, Atkinson, Barrett, Blair, Butler, Byrd, Dean, Eldridge, Folk, Foster, N., Foster, G., Higginbotham, Hill, Kelly, Kessinger, Marcum, Maynard, McGeehan, Miley, Miller, R., Paynter, Robinson, Westfall, Wilson and Zatezalo )

[Introduced March 2, 2017]

Supporting and encouraging the enactment of the federal Hearing Protection Act of 2017.

Whereas, The Hearing Protection Act of 2017 would remove sound suppressors from regulation under the National Firearms Act and treat them as ordinary firearms under the Gun Control Act of 1968; and

Whereas, Commercial manufacturers, dealers, and importers would continue to be licensed and retail sales of sound suppressors would continue to be subject to background check and transfer form requirements; and

Whereas, Sound suppressors are currently subject to an application process and a $200 tax stamp; and

Whereas, Sound suppressors do not make firearms completely soundless but possibly make them safer and quieter to operate; therefore, be it

Resolved by the West Virginia House of Delegates:

That the House of Delegates hereby supports and encourages the enactment of the federal Hearing Protection Act of 2017 which would amend the federal criminal code to preempt state or local laws that tax or regulate firearm silencers; and, be it

Further Resolved: That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is hereby requested to send a copy of this resolution to each member of the West Virginia delegation in the Congress of the United States.