article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Police Gun Buyback Assistance Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) Buford Furrow, a white supremacist, used a Glock pistol decommissioned and sold by a law enforcement agency in the State of Washington, to shoot children at a Jewish community center in Los Angeles and kill a postal worker. (2) Twelve firearms were recently stolen during shipment from the Miami-Dade Police Department to Chicago, Illinois. Four of these firearms have been traced to crimes in Chicago, Illinois, including a shooting near a playground. (3) In the past 9 years, decommissioned firearms once used by law enforcement agencies have been involved in more than 3,000 crimes, including 293 homicides, 301 assaults, and 279 drug-related crimes. (4) Many State and local law enforcement departments also engage in the practice of reselling firearms that were involved in the commission of a crime and confiscated. Often these firearms are assault weapons that were in circulation prior to the restrictions imposed by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. (5) Law enforcement departments in the States of New York and Georgia, the City of Chicago, and other localities have adopted the practice of destroying decommissioned firearms. (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to reduce the number of firearms on the streets by assisting State and local law enforcement agencies in eliminating the practice of transferring decommissioned firearms to any person. SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. (a) Grants.--The Attorney General may make grants to States or units of local government-- (1) to assist States and units of local government in purchasing new firearms without transferring decommissioned firearms to any person; and (2) to destroy decommissioned firearms. (b) Eligibility.-- (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), to be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, a State or unit of local government shall certify that it has in effect a law or official policy that-- (A) eliminates the practice of transferring any decommissioned firearm to any person; and (B) provides for the destruction of a decommissioned firearm. (2) Exception.--A State or unit of local government may transfer a decommissioned firearm to a law enforcement agency. (c) Use of Funds.--A State or unit of local government that receives a grant under this Act shall only use that grant to purchase new firearms. SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS. (a) State Applications.--To request a grant under this Act, the chief executive of a State shall submit an application, signed by the Attorney General of the State requesting the grant, to the Attorney General in such form and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require. (b) Local Applications.--To request a grant under this Act, the chief executive of a unit of local government shall submit an application, signed by the chief law enforcement officer in the unit of local government requesting the grant, to the Attorney General in such form and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require. SEC. 5. REGULATIONS. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall promulgate regulations to implement this Act, which shall specify the information that must be included and the requirements that the States and units of local government must meet in submitting applications for grants under this Act. SEC. 6. REPORTING. (a) In General.--A State or unit of local government shall report to the Attorney General not later than 2 years after funds are received under this Act, regarding the implementation of this Act. (b) Budget Assurances.--The report required under subsection (a) shall include budget assurances that any future purchase of a firearm by a law enforcement agency will be possible without transferring a decommissioned firearm. SEC. 7. DEFINITION. In this Act: (1) Decommissioned firearm.--The term ``decommissioned firearm'' means a firearm-- (A) that is no longer in service or use by a law enforcement agency; or (B) that was involved in the commission of a crime and was confiscated and is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes. (2) Firearm.--The term ``firearm'' has the same meaning given that term in section 921(a)(3) of title 18, United States Code. (3) Person.--The term ``person'' has the same meaning given that term in section 1 of title 1, United States Code. SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
summary: Police Gun Buyback Assistance Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to assist eligible States or units of local government in: (1) purchasing new firearms without transferring decommissioned firearms to any person; and (2) destroying decommissioned firearms.