The "End Gun Violence Act of 2025" prohibits the sale or transfer of firearms and ammunition to individuals convicted of a violent misdemeanor in the last 5 years, while clarifying the definition of "violent misdemeanor" and making conforming amendments to existing legislation.
Joe Neguse
Representative
CO-2
The "End Gun Violence Act of 2025" prohibits the sale or transfer of firearms and ammunition to individuals convicted of a violent misdemeanor in the last 5 years, defining a violent misdemeanor as one involving the use or threat of physical force or a deadly weapon, or the intent or act of causing physical injury. The bill updates existing legislation to reflect this prohibition and clarifies that it does not impact convictions occurring before the law's enactment or alter existing federal, state, tribal, or local laws regarding firearms.
Proposed Bill Blocks Gun Sales to Violent Misdemeanor Convicts for 5 Years
This proposed legislation, the End Gun Violence Act of 2025, aims to broaden federal firearm restrictions by prohibiting the sale or transfer of guns and ammunition to anyone convicted of a 'violent misdemeanor' within the previous five years. The changes wouldn't apply to convictions finalized before six months after the bill's potential enactment date.
What's a 'Violent Misdemeanor' Under This Bill?
The act introduces a specific federal definition for 'violent misdemeanor' (Section 3). It covers state, federal, tribal, or local misdemeanor offenses that involve:
- The use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force or a deadly weapon.
- Actions taken with the intent to cause physical injury.
- Knowingly causing physical injury.
Importantly, the bill includes due process safeguards. A conviction only counts if the person had legal representation (or knowingly waived it) and, if entitled to a jury trial, either had one or knowingly waived that right. Furthermore, if a conviction is later expunged, set aside, or pardoned (and gun rights are restored without specific firearm restrictions), it won't trigger this prohibition.
The Five-Year Restriction and Practical Changes
If someone is convicted of what qualifies as a violent misdemeanor under this definition, Section 2 of the bill prohibits any person from knowingly selling or otherwise disposing of a firearm or ammunition to them for five years following the conviction. This applies across the board, impacting licensed dealers and private sellers alike.
The bill also makes several 'conforming amendments' (Section 4). Think of this as housekeeping – it updates wording in related federal laws (like the Brady Act and NICS Improvement Amendments Act) to ensure consistency with this new prohibition, focusing on the act of 'knowing sale or disposition' rather than just 'receipt' of a firearm.
How This Might Play Out
The most direct impact is on individuals convicted of misdemeanors involving violence, like assault or battery, who would face a temporary, five-year ban on acquiring firearms or ammunition. For example, someone convicted of misdemeanor assault after a bar fight could be barred from buying a hunting rifle for the next five years.
Firearm dealers would need to adapt their background check processes to screen for these specific misdemeanor convictions within the five-year window. The bill clarifies it doesn't alter existing federal domestic violence prohibitions (Section 6), but adds this new layer focused on recent violent misdemeanor convictions.