SHORT Act Mandates Destruction of Federal Gun Records, Overrides State Firearm Taxes

The Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today Act, or the SHORT Act, is a major shake-up to federal firearms regulation, focusing heavily on short-barreled rifles (SBRs) and short-barreled shotguns (SBSs). This bill is less about minor tweaks and more about hitting the reset button on how these specific weapons are tracked and taxed, and it has massive implications for state and local governments.

The Fine Print: What Counts as a Gun Now?

First up, the bill changes the definition of a “firearm” under the tax code (Section 5845 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986). While machine guns and silencers are still in, the definition now excludes antique firearms and any device the Secretary determines is mainly a collector's item based on its age, value, and design. This means some rare or older pieces may no longer be subject to the same strict tax and transfer rules. They also simplify the rules for shotguns and shotgun shells, getting rid of the old “sporting purposes” test for classification as a destructive device. If it shoots a shotgun shell, it’s exempt. These changes start applying in the first full calendar quarter that begins 90 days after the bill becomes law.

Short-Barreled Weapons Get a Federal Pass

Sections 3 and 4 tackle the “disparate treatment” of SBRs and SBSs. Currently, these items are often subject to stricter rules than standard rifles. The SHORT Act removes specific federal prohibitions on their transfer and possession (under subsections (a)(4) and (b)(4) of 18 U.S.C. 922), essentially treating them the same as any other rifle or shotgun in those contexts. More importantly, Section 4 establishes a huge preemption rule: if you comply with federal law (Chapter 44 of Title 18) when buying or owning an SBR, SBS, or other National Firearms Act (NFA) item, you are automatically considered compliant with any similar state or local registration or licensing requirement. For the person looking to buy one of these items, this means federal compliance is a one-stop shop, overriding local paperwork.

Stripping Power from Local Governments

Section 5 is the real gut punch to local control. It explicitly preempts—meaning it overrides—any state or local law that tries to impose special taxes, registration, or record-keeping requirements specifically on short-barreled rifles or shotguns. If your city or state currently requires you to register your SBR or pay a special fee just because it's short-barreled, that requirement becomes null and void once this law takes effect. This provision significantly limits the ability of states and municipalities to regulate these specific types of weapons within their borders, regardless of local safety concerns or established tracking programs.

The Destruction of Records: A Law Enforcement Headache

Perhaps the most impactful provision is Section 6, which mandates the destruction of federal records. Within 365 days of enactment, the Attorney General must destroy all existing registration, transfer, and making applications for "applicable weapons" currently held in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. This applies to a wide range of previously regulated NFA items. For law enforcement, this is a massive change. The federal government will wipe out the historical paper trail for these weapons, severely limiting the ability of local and federal agencies to track previously registered items—a critical tool in investigations. If you’re a police officer or a detective, losing that central registry means losing a key piece of information for tracking weapons that might be used in a crime or diverted illegally.