# 119-s-123: Handgun Permit to Purchase Act

119-s-123, Handgun Permit to Purchase Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD); status introduced (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-123
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-123
- Congress: 119
- Title: Handgun Permit to Purchase Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Creates federal grants to help states, local governments, and Indian tribes implement and evaluate handgun purchaser licensing programs.** The bill would authorize competitive funding to develop, improve, and study licensing systems and sets baseline requirements for license applicants and eligible grant recipients. - Families and communities: Aims to reduce handgun homicides and suicides, citing research such as Connecticut's study that found a 27.8% drop in firearm homicides and a 32.8% drop in firearm suicides after licensing. - States, local governments, and tribes: Would be able to compete for grants to build or improve licensing programs and to evaluate their effects. Applicants must describe their current licensing law and how funds will be used. - Prospective handgun purchasers: License rules the bill requires include being at least 21, U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident status, applying through a law enforcement agency, submitting fingerprints and a photo, a background check, reapplying at least every 5 years, and barring those prohibited under 18 U.S.C. 922(g).

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-01-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants to support handgun licensing: benefit, medium. This bill would let the Attorney General award competitive grants to States, local governments, and Indian tribes. The grants would help develop, implement, and evaluate handgun purchaser licensing programs. To get a grant, a jurisdiction would need an existing handgun purchaser licensing law that…

## Related bills

- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1832: College for All Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-123 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/123)

## Related
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1832: College for All Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1832)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-123 (as of 2026-08-11).