[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 1973 Introduced in Senate (IS)] 103d CONGRESS 2d Session S. 1973 To authorize funds to pay a portion of the startup costs of local handgun exchange programs. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 24 (legislative day, February 22), 1994 Mr. Bingaman introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To authorize funds to pay a portion of the startup costs of local handgun exchange programs. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. STARTUP OR ``SEED MONEY'' FOR LOCAL HANDGUN EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. (a) Federal Contribution.--The Attorney General shall establish a program under which the Attorney General will enter into agreements to contribute, and will contribute, up to 50 percent of the funds needed to pay startup costs of handgun exchange programs operated by local governments or private entities in which merchandise or services (including entertainment), tickets or certificates that may be used to acquire merchandise or services, or other non-cash incentives are given in exchange for handguns. (b) Qualifications, Terms, and Conditions.--In an agreement under subsection (a), the Attorney General-- (1) may agree to contribute to the startup costs of a handgun exchange program an amount that is not greater than the amount of State and local public funds and private funds committed to the program at the time of the agreement; (2) shall require that the place at which exchanges are to be made allows anonymity for a person who exchanges a handgun; (3) shall require that all firearms that are turned in to the program will be destroyed; (4) shall require that the program agree to provide only merchandise or services (including entertainment), tickets or certificates that may be used to acquire merchandise, or other incentives other than cash to persons who turn in firearms and that such incentives be provided by donations from private entities; (5) shall require that startup costs must pertain to-- (A) informing the community of the program; (B) getting businesses involved in the program; or (C) securing a safe handgun exchange location; and (6)(A) may set such other qualifications, terms, and conditions as may be appropriate to ensure that the program is operated in an efficient and bona fide manner consistent with the interests of law enforcement; but (B) may not prescribe the terms under which the program will accept firearms in exchange for any offered incentive. (c) Termination.--The program under subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 1995. (d) Allocation.-- (1) Maximum amount.--Not more than 2 percent of the total amount appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year may be allocated to the making of contributions in any 1 State. (2) Priority.--Within each State-- (A) the Attorney General shall give to priority to creating handgun exchange programs in areas that are experiencing high rates of crime in which handguns are used; but (B) urban and rural areas shall each receive an appropriate amount of assistance. (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, out of the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund to be established under section 1115 of title 31, United States Code, as proposed to be added by section 1353 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1993, $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1994 and 1995. (f) Report.--Not later than December 31, 1995, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report assessing the effect that operation of the handgun exchange programs funded under this Act has had in reducing the incidence of crime in the jurisdictions in which the programs were operated. <all>