Responsible Body Armor Possession Act

Responsible Body Armor Possession Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor, except: (1) by or under the authority of the United States or any state or political subdivision, or (2) enhanced body armor that was lawfully possessed before the effective date of this Act.

Defines "enhanced body armor" to mean body armor, including a helmet or shield, the ballistic resistance of which meets or exceeds the ballistic performance of Type III armor, determined using National Institute of Justice Standard-0101.06.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5344 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5344

  To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body 
                  armor by civilians, with exceptions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2014

Mr. Honda (for himself, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Hastings of Florida, 
and Mr. Pascrell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body 
                  armor by civilians, with exceptions.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Responsible Body Armor Possession 
Act''.

SEC. 2. BAN ON PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, OR POSSESSION OF ENHANCED BODY 
              ARMOR BY CIVILIANS; EXCEPTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 932. Ban on purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body 
              armor by civilians
    ``(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful 
for a person to purchase, own, or possess enhanced body armor.
    ``(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to--
            ``(1) a purchase, ownership, or possession by or under the 
        authority of--
                    ``(A) the United States or any department or agency 
                of the United States; or
                    ``(B) a State, or a department, agency, or 
                political subdivision of a State; or
            ``(2) enhanced body armor that was lawfully possessed by 
        any person at any time before the date this section takes 
        effect.''.
    (b) Enhanced Body Armor Defined.--Section 921(a) of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(36) The term `enhanced body armor' means body armor, including a 
helmet or shield, the ballistic resistance of which meets or exceeds 
the ballistic performance of Type III armor, determined using National 
Institute of Justice Standard-0101.06.''.
    (c) Penalties.--Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 932 shall be fined under 
this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.''.
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