RIFLE Act Proposes Eliminating Federal Firearm Transfer Tax, Restricts CPSC Oversight

The "Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises Act," or RIFLE Act, aims to make two significant changes related to specific types of firearms. First, it completely repeals the federal tax currently imposed on the transfer of certain firearms under Section 5811 of the Internal Revenue Code. This change would take effect for any transfers made after the bill becomes law.

Unpacking the Tax Repeal

Section 2 of the bill gets straight to the point: it strikes the tax requirement outlined in Section 5811. Think of firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA), like short-barreled rifles or suppressors – transferring these currently involves a federal tax payment. If this bill passes, that specific tax disappears for future transfers. The bill also includes technical updates to other parts of the tax code (Sections 4182(a), 5846, 5852, 5853, and 5854) to ensure everything aligns with this repeal. For individuals legally purchasing or transferring these types of firearms, this could mean a reduction in the overall cost and paperwork involved.

Clarifying Regulatory Boundaries

Beyond the tax implications, Section 3 addresses regulatory authority. It explicitly states that this legislation doesn't grant the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) any power over firearms regulated under Chapter 53 of the Internal Revenue Code (which covers NFA firearms). Essentially, this provision draws a clear line, ensuring the CPSC, typically focused on consumer product safety standards, doesn't have jurisdiction over the safety regulations or recalls for these specific firearms. This reinforces that regulatory oversight for these items falls under different frameworks, primarily managed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the existing NFA structure.