F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 279 2024
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to assault weapons and large-capacity
3 magazines; creating s. 790.301, F.S.; providing
4 definitions; prohibiting the sale or transfer of an
5 assault weapon or a large-capacity magazine; providing
6 criminal penalties; providing exceptions; prohibiting
7 possession of an assault weapon or a large-capacity
8 magazine; providing criminal penalties; providing
9 exceptions; requiring certificates of possession for
10 assault weapons or large-capacity magazines lawfully
11 possessed before a specified date; providing
12 requirements for the certificates; requiring the
13 Department of Law Enforcement to conduct a background
14 investigation; requiring the department to adopt
15 rules; specifying the form of the certificates;
16 limiting sales or transfers of assault weapons or
17 large-capacity magazines documented by the
18 certificates; providing exceptions; providing
19 conditions for continued possession of such weapons or
20 large-capacity magazines; providing requirements for
21 an applicant who fails to qualify for a certificate of
22 possession; requiring certificates of transfer for
23 transfers of certain assault weapons or large-capacity
24 magazines; providing requirements for certificates of
25 transfer; requiring the department to maintain a file
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HB 279 2024
26 of such certificates; providing for relinquishment of
27 assault weapons or large-capacity magazines; providing
28 requirements for transportation of assault weapons or
29 large-capacity magazines under certain circumstances;
30 providing criminal penalties; specifying circumstances
31 in which the manufacture or transportation of assault
32 weapons or large-capacity magazines is not prohibited;
33 exempting permanently inoperable firearms from certain
34 provisions; amending s. 775.087, F.S.; providing
35 enhanced criminal penalties for certain offenses when
36 committed with an assault weapon or a large-capacity
37 magazine; providing for severability; providing an
38 effective date.
39
40 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
41
42 Section 1. Section 790.301, Florida Statutes, is created
43 to read:
44 790.301 Assault weapons.—
45 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
46 (a)1. "Assault weapon" means a selective-fire firearm
47 capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic, or burst fire at the
48 option of the user or any of the following specified
49 semiautomatic firearms:
50 a. All AK series, including, but not limited to, the
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51 following: AK, AKM, AKS, AK-47, AK-74, ARM, MAK90, MISR, NHM90,
52 NHM91, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR, WASR-10, WUM, Rock River Arms LAR-47,
53 and Vector Arms AK-47.
54 b. All AR series, including, but not limited to, the
55 following: AR-10, AR-15, Bushmaster XM15, Armalite AR-180 and
56 M15, Olympic Arms, AR70, DPMS Tactical Rifles, Smith & Wesson
57 M&P15 Rifles, Colt AR-15, Rock River Arms LAR-15, and DoubleStar
58 AR rifles.
59 c. Algimec AGM1.
60 d. Barrett 82A1 and REC7.
61 e. Beretta AR-70 and Beretta Storm.
62 f. Bushmaster Auto Rifle.
63 g. Calico Liberty series.
64 h. Chartered Industries of Singapore SR-88.
65 i. Colt Sporter.
66 j. Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max-1, and Max-2.
67 k. FAMAS MAS 223.
68 l. Federal XC-900 and SC-450.
69 m. Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC.
70 n. FNH PS90, SCAR, and FS2000.
71 o. Goncz High Tech Carbine.
72 p. Hi-Point Carbine.
73 q. HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, SP-89, and HK-PSG-1.
74 r. Kel-Tec Sub-2000, SU series, and RFB.
75 s. M1 Carbine.
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76 t. SAR-8, SAR-4800, and SR9.
77 u. SIG 57 AMT and 500 Series.
78 v. SIG Sauer MCX Rifle.
79 w. SKS capable of accepting a detachable magazine.
80 x. SLG 95.
81 y. SLR 95 or 96.
82 z. Spectre Auto Carbine.
83 aa. Springfield Armory BM59, SAR-48, and G-3.
84 bb. Sterling MK-6 and MK-7.
85 cc. Steyr AUG.
86 dd. Sturm Ruger Mini-14 with folding stock.
87 ee. TNW M230 and M2HB.
88 ff. Thompson types, including Thompson T5.
89 gg. UZI, Galil and UZI Sporter, Galil Sporter, Galil
90 Sniper Rifle (Galatz), and Vector Arms UZI.
91 hh. Weaver Arms Nighthawk.
92 2. All of the following handguns, copies, duplicates, or
93 altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon:
94 a. AK-47 pistol and Mini AK-47 pistol.
95 b. AR-15 pistol.
96 c. Australian Automatic Arms SAP pistol.
97 d. Bushmaster Auto Pistol.
98 e. Calico Liberty series pistols.
99 f. Encom MK-IV, MP-9, and MP-45.
100 g. Feather AT-9 and Mini-AT.
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101 h. Goncz High-Tech Long pistol.
102 i. Holmes MP-83.
103 j. Iver Johnson Enforcer.
104 k. MAC-10, MAC-11, Masterpiece Arms MPA pistol series, and
105 Velocity Arms VMA series.
106 l. Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22 Scorpion, or AB-10.
107 m. UZI pistol and Micro-UZI pistol.
108 n. Colefire Magnum.
109 o. Scarab Skorpion.
110 p. Spectre Auto pistol.
111 q. German Sport 522 PK.
112 r. Chiappa Firearms Mfour-22.
113 s. DSA SA58 PKP FAL.
114 t. I.O. Inc. PPS-43C.
115 u. Kel-Tec PLR-16 pistol.
116 v. SIG Sauer P556 pistol.
117 w. Thompson TA5 series pistols.
118 x. Wilkinson "Linda" pistol.
119 3. All of the following shotguns, copies, duplicates, or
120 altered facsimiles with the capability of any such weapon:
121 a. Armscor 30 BG.
122 b. Franchi SPAS-12 and Law-12.
123 c. Remington TAC-2 or TACB3 FS.
124 d. SPAS 12 and LAW 12.
125 e. Striker 12.
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126 f. Streetsweeper.
127 g. Saiga.
128 h. USAS-12.
129 i. Kel-Tec KSG.
130 4. A part or combination of parts that converts a firearm
131 into an assault weapon or a combination of parts from which an
132 assault weapon may be assembled if those parts are in the
133 possession or under the control of the same person.
134 5. A semiautomatic firearm not listed in subparagraphs 1. -
135 4. which meets any of the following criteria:
136 a. A semiautomatic rifle that has the ability to accept a
137 detachable magazine and has one or more of the following:
138 (I) A folding or telescoping stock;
139 (II) A pistol grip, thumbhole stock, Thordsen-type grip or
140 stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip;
141 (III) A bayonet mount;
142 (IV) A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to
143 accommodate a flash suppressor;
144 (V) A grenade launcher; or
145 (VI) A shroud attached to the barrel, or that partially or
146 completely encircles the barrel, allowing the bearer to hold the
147 firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned but that
148 excludes a slide that encloses the barrel.
149 b. A semiautomatic pistol that has the ability to accept a
150 detachable magazine and has one or more of the following:
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151 (I) The capacity to accept a large-capacity magazine that
152 attaches to the pistol at a location outside of the pistol grip;
153 (II) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel
154 extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer;
155 (III) A slide that encloses the barrel and that permits
156 the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without
157 being burned;
158 (IV) A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the
159 pistol is unloaded;
160 (V) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm;
161 (VI) A feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip
162 that can be held by the nontrigger hand; or
163 (VII) A folding, telescoping, or thumbhole stock.
164 c. A semiautomatic shotgun that has one or more of the
165 following:
166 (I) A folding or telescoping stock;
167 (II) A pistol grip, thumbhole stock, Thordsen-type grip or
168 stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip;
169 (III) A fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; or
170 (IV) An ability to accept a detachable magazine.
171 d. A semiautomatic pistol or semiautomatic, centerfire, or
172 rimfire rifle with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to
173 accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
174 e. A part or combination of parts designed or intended to
175 convert a firearm into an assault weapon or a combination of
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176 parts from which an assault weapon may be assembled if those
177 parts are in the possession or under the control of the same
178 person.
179 (b) "Detachable magazine" means an ammunition feeding
180 device that can be removed from a firearm without disassembly of
181 the firearm action.
182 (c) "Fixed magazine" means an ammunition feeding device
183 contained in, or permanently attached to, a firearm in such a
184 manner that the device cannot be removed without disassemb ly of
185 the firearm action.
186 (d) "Large-capacity magazine" means an ammunition feeding
187 device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds or a
188 conversion kit, part, or combination of parts from which such a
189 device can be assembled if those parts are in the possession or
190 under the control of the same person but does not include any of
191 the following:
192 1. A feeding device that has been permanently altered so
193 that it cannot accommodate more than 10 rounds;
194 2. A .22 caliber tube ammunition feeding device; or
195 3. A tubular magazine that is contained in a lever -action
196 firearm.
197 (e) "Licensed dealer" means a person who has a federal
198 firearms license.
199 (2) SALE OR TRANSFER.—
200 (a) A person who, within the state, distributes,
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201 transports, or imports into the state; sells, keeps for sale, or
202 offers or exposes for sale; or transfers an assault weapon or a
203 large-capacity magazine, in violation of this section, to
204 another person, except as provided in paragraph (c), commits a
205 felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
206 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, with a mandatory minimum
207 term of imprisonment of 2 years.
208 (b) A person who transfers or sells an assault weapon or a
209 large-capacity magazine to a person under 18 years of age in
210 violation of this section commits a felony of the second degree,
211 punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084,
212 with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 6 years.
213 (c) Paragraph (a) does not apply to:
214 1. The sale of assault weapons or large-capacity magazines
215 to the Department of Law Enforcement, a law enforcement agency
216 as defined in s. 934.02(10), the Department of Corrections, or
217 the military or naval forces of the state or of the United
218 States for use in the discharge of their official duties.
219 2. A person who is the executor or administrator of an
220 estate that includes an assault weapon or a large-capacity
221 magazine for which a certificate of possession has been issued
222 under subsection (4) and which is disposed of as authorized by
223 the probate court, if the disposition is otherwise permitted
224 under this section.
225 3. The transfer by bequest or intestate succession of an
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