The proposed bill aims to establish the Protection of Firearm Owner Privacy and Prohibition of Registries Act in West Virginia. It includes legislative findings that emphasize the importance of the Second Amendment and the prohibition of centralized firearm registries as outlined in the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. The bill explicitly prohibits any person, agency, or entity from creating or maintaining a database or registry of firearms or firearm owners within the state, covering both physical and electronic records.

Additionally, the bill introduces civil penalties for violations, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per occurrence, with each record created or maintained in violation constituting a separate offense. The Attorney General is granted the authority to investigate and enforce compliance, and citizens whose rights are violated can bring civil actions for damages. The bill also includes a severability clause to ensure that if any provision is deemed invalid, the remaining provisions remain effective. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 61-17-1, 61-17-2, 61-17-3, 61-17-4, 61-17-5, 61-17-6