Here’s what I take away from this . . .
- Requires those who want to use black or smokeless powder to obtain a “limited” explosives license. ANY AMOUNT OF LOOSE BLACK OR SMOKELESS POWDER WOULD REQUIRE SUCH A PERMIT. Commercial small arms ammunition (finished cartridges) is exempt. For now.
- The bill redefines “manufacturer” in terms of explosives to mean anyone who makes something that goes boom, even if it isn’t for sale or profit. Previously, you needed to be “in the business” of manufacturing to qualify as a manufacturer, which means making a profit from your endeavors. As the current law makes the manufacture of an explosive without a license illegal, this is pretty clearly a stab at making tannerite and other binary explosives that people assemble themselves illegal.
- It expands the factors that would exclude someone from purchasing “explosive materials” to include those who have a restraining order against them.
- Restricts those who are suspected of being terrorists or on one of the many secret terrorist watch lists from obtaining a license for explosive materials, turning the “shall issue” explosives permit process into a “may issue” permit at the Attorney General’s discretion. And they don’t have to tell you why you were denied, or provide a means of redress.
In short, it looks like this bill is specifically designed to restrict the ability of those who load their own ammunition or use black powder firearms from buying the components that fuel their activities.
