A Democratic senator wants to ensure that handguns sold in the United States can be operated only by “authorized” users.
Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts plans to introduce a bill that would require new handguns be outfitted with personalization technology within two years and that older guns be retrofitted within three years so that the firearms won’t work for unauthorized users. The bill includes exemptions for antique guns as well as military arms.
“No one wants children to get access to a handgun and hurt themselves or others,” Markey said in unveiling his effort. “This is the type of gun safety legislation that everyone — regardless of political party or affiliation — should be able to support.”
Specifically, the legislation seeks to combat the use of stolen guns, prevent accidental gun deaths among children and also protect law enforcement officers from having their service weapons turned on them. Markey’s bill would allocate grants for further development of the so-called “smart gun” technology, which has already begun hitting the shelves of gun stores in California.
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The Armatix iP1 smart gun uses a separate, waterproof watch to activate the gun; the firearm is rendered inoperable to users who aren’t wearing the watch. The watch/gun combo costs nearly $ 2,000, according to The Washington Post.
Separately, Markey and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) are asking President Barack Obama to insert $ 10 million of funding into his forthcoming budget for research on gun violence. The two lawmakers sent the president a letter last week calling on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “conduct scientific research on the causes and prevention of gun violence.”
Though Markey’s bill is unlikely to advance in a Senate where background checks legislation stalled just last year, the legislation is noteworthy for opening a new front in the chamber’s gun debate, which has remained relatively muted since the high-profile gun debate in 2013. The House and Senate did agree to reauthorize the Undetectable Firearms Act for 10 years in December, though the two chambers could not coalesce around any revisions to the law.
Senate Majority Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is frequently questioned following high-profile shootings on when he will again try to tackle gun legislation in the Senate. His answer is always the same: When the Senate has 60 votes to move a gun bill through the chamber.
Markey to introduce "smart gun" bill
