News from Reeves & Dola, LLP 
*** R|D ALERT ***

***ATF NEWS***
Justice Announces Bump Stock Final Rule


On December 18, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced amendments to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regulations to clarify that bump stocks fall within the definition of "machinegun" under federal law. Because the final rule clarifies that bump stocks are classified as machineguns, they fall within the controls of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and are subject to the restrictions of Section 922(o) of the Gun Control Act. 
 
The DOJ announcement further instructs: "persons in possession of bump-stock-type devices must divest themselves of the devices before the effective date of the final rule. A current possessor may destroy the device or abandon it at the nearest ATF office, but no compensation will be provided for the device. Any method of destruction must render the device incapable of being readily restored to its intended function." [Emphasis added] 

According to DOJ, ATF will be posting information and instructions for destruction of the devices on its website later today, but as of the time of this Alert, no information had been made available.
 
A copy of the final rule is available now, but we note that although this is a copy of the signed final rule, the rule is not official until it appears in the Federal Register. The final rule is scheduled to be published in an upcoming Federal Register and will become effective 90-days from its publication date. 
 
We are in the process of reviewing the final rule and will publish in the next few days a follow-up Alert providing further analysis.  Stay tuned.

The above alert is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as legal advice. Receipt of this alert does not establish an attorney-client relationship.     

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About Reeves & Dola

Reeves & Dola is a Washington, DC law firm that specializes in helping clients navigate the highly regulated and complex world of manufacturing, sales and international trade of defense and commercial products. We have a deep understanding of the Federal regulatory process, and use our expertise in working with a variety of Federal agencies to assist our clients with their transactional and regulatory needs.

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