The Restricted Firearms License: A Proposal to Preserve Second Amendment Rights and Reduce Gun Violence in the United States

Abstract:     
In response to the growing national conversation about gun violence and gun control, we propose the establishment of a “Restricted Firearms License” (RFL) program, utilizing a background check similar to that instituted by the National Firearms Act, to license the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons.

Our proposal examines the logistics of such a licensing program, as well as the efficacy of both the RFL and other alternative policy proposals, such as a renewal of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. We conclude that a licensing program is the only constitutional method for ensuring the effective regulation of all of the handguns and semi-automatics primarily responsible for gun violence in the U.S.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 14

Keywords: Restricted Firearms License, RFL, Assault Weapons Ban, Assault Weapons, AWB, Firearms, Guns, Gun Control, Gun Violence, Gun Policy

JEL Classification: K23, K42, H56

Accepted Paper Series