Bill > LD1126

This bill establishes new regulations for firearms in Maine, primarily focusing on serial numbers and the prohibition of "undetectable firearms," which are defined as firearms that can operate but are not detectable by standard security screening equipment and are made from a specific amount of stainless steel in a handgun shape. The bill makes it a crime to manufacture, import, sell, or possess these undetectable firearms, with penalties ranging from a Class D to a Class C crime depending on the offense. It also amends existing law to include "unfinished frames or receivers" within the definition of a firearm, which are parts that can be readily completed into a firearm frame or receiver. The bill then creates a new chapter detailing requirements for serial numbers on firearms and unfinished frames or receivers, mandating that these items must be imprinted with a serial number by a federal firearms licensee (a federally licensed dealer, importer, or manufacturer) unless specific exceptions apply, such as for law enforcement or antique firearms. Violations of these serial number requirements, including possession or transfer of items without a serial number, carry penalties that escalate from civil fines to Class C crimes for repeat offenses, with a starting date of January 1, 2027, for these specific penalties. The bill also outlines procedures for federal firearms licensees to imprint serial numbers, including record-keeping and background checks for transfers, and clarifies that imprinting a serial number does not automatically make a person a firearms manufacturer.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1126&snum=132