HB 5043 — AN ACT CONCERNING CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS, UNFINISHED FRAMES OR UNFINISHED LOWER RECEIVERS, VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION AND REFUNDABILITY OF PERMITS FOR SALE AT RETAIL OF FIREARMS AND FOR CARRYING OF PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS.

717 of prosecution unless the accused person has acknowledged that he or she understands the consequences of the suspension of prosecution.

Upon dismissal, allPublic recordsAct ofNo. such charges shall be erased pursuant to section 54-142a.

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5043 all records of such charges shall be erased pursuant to section 54-142a.

(h) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a class C felony for which two years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court, and five thousand dollars of the fine imposed may not be remitted or reduced by the court unless thecourt states ontherecorditsreasonsfor remitting or reducing such fine, except that any person who sells, delivers or otherwise transfers an unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver in violation of the provisions of this section knowing that such unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver is stolen or that themanufacturer's number or other mark of identification on such unfinished frame or unfinished sHB5043lower /receiver Filehas No.been altered, removed or obliterated, shall be guilty of a class B felony for which three years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court, and ten thousand dollars of the fine imposed may not be remitted or reduced by the court unless the court states on the record its reasons for remitting or reducing such fine, and any unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver found in the possession of any person in violation of any provision of this section shall be forfeited.

717(i) sHB5043For Filepurposes of this section, ["unfinished frame or lower receiver"] "unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver" means a blank, casting, [or machined body intended to be turned into the frame or lower receiver of a firearm, as defined in section 53a-3, with additional machining, and which has been formed or machined to the point where most major machining operations have been completed to turn the blank, casting or machined body into a frame or lower receiver of a firearm, even if the fire-control cavity area of such blank, casting or Public Act No.

71726-41 lower11 receiver has been altered, removed or obliterated, shall be guilty of a19 classSubstitute BHouse felonyBill forNo. which three years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court, and ten thousand dollars of the fine imposed may not be remitted or reduced by the court unless the court states on the record its reasons for remitting or reducing such fine, and any unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver found in the possession of any person in violation of any provision of this section shall be forfeited.

(i)5043 For purposes of this section, ["unfinished frame or lower receiver"] "unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver" means a blank, casting, [or machined body intended to be turned into the frame or lower receiver of a firearm, as defined in section 53a-3, with additional machining, and which has been formed or machined to the point where most major machining operations have been completed to turn the blank, casting or machined body into a frame or lower receiver of a firearm, even if the fire-control cavity area of such blank, casting or machined body is still completely solid and unmachined.

No individual or firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association or sHB5043other /similar Fileentity No.may within this state advertise, sell, deliver or offer or expose for sale or delivery, or have in such individual's or firm's, partnership's, corporation's, limited liability company's, association's or other similar entity'spossessionwiththeintent to sellatretailor deliver, any unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver, as defined in section 53-206j, as amended by this act, without having a permit therefor issued as provided in this subsection.

717 sHB5043 File No.

717 other similar entity may within this state advertise, sell, deliver or offer or expose for sale or delivery, or have in such individual's or firm's, partnership's, corporation's, limited liability company's, association's or other similar entity'spossessionwiththeintent to sellatretailor deliver, any unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver, as defined in section 53-206j, as amended by this act, without having a permit therefor issued as provided in this subsection.

No permit for the sale at retail of firearms shall be issued unless the applicant holds a valid eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver issuedpursuant to section29-36for avalidstate permitto carry aPublic pistolAct orNo. revolver issued pursuant to subsection (c) of this section;

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5043 a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to subsection (c) of this section;

sHB5043(2) /"Firearm Fileindustry No.product" means any of the following which are or were (A) sold, made or distributed in this state;

717 sHB5043 File No.

717 (2) "Firearm industry product" means any of the following which are or were (A) sold, made or distributed in this state;

or (iv)A rateof [firearm]fire enhancement asdefined insection53-206g, asPublic amendedAct byNo. this act.

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5043 as amended by this act.

(1) Posting the notification on the department's Internet web site, and (2) providing the sHB5043notification /electronically Fileto No.federally licensed firearm dealers.

717 sHB5043 File No.

717 notification electronically to federally licensed firearm dealers.

(NEW) (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) Any individual may, at any time, deliver or surrender any firearm, as defined in section 53a-3 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, or ammunition in the possession of such individual to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public ProtectionAct forNo. a period of not less than fourteen days, provided a local police department may accept such firearm or ammunition on behalf of said commissioner.

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5043 Services and Public Protection for a period of not less than fourteen days, provided a local police department may accept such firearm or ammunition on behalf of said commissioner.

If such firearm or ammunition has not been collected by the individual at the end of the two-year period immediately following the date of delivery or surrender of such firearm sHB5043or /ammunition, Filethe No.commissioner or a local police department, as applicable, shall cause such firearm or ammunition to be destroyed.Not later than ninety days prior to such destruction, the commissioner or local police department, as applicable, shall notify, in writing, the individual who delivered or surrendered the firearm or ammunition of the date of such destruction.

717 sHB5043 File No.

717 or ammunition, the commissioner or a local police department, as applicable, shall cause such firearm or ammunition to be destroyed.Not later than ninety days prior to such destruction, the commissioner or local police department, as applicable, shall notify, in writing, the individual who delivered or surrendered the firearm or ammunition of the date of such destruction.

(NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section, the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public ProtectionAct shall,No. within available appropriations, provide written notification of the provisions of section 10 of this act by posting the notification on the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's Internet web site.

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5043 after the effective date of this section, the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, within available appropriations, provide written notification of the provisions of section 10 of this act by posting the notification on the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's Internet web site.

sHB5043(a) /The Filefee No.for each permit originally issued under the provisions of subsection (b) of section 29-28, as amended by this act, for the sale at retail of firearms shall be two hundred dollars and the fee for each renewal of such permit shall be two hundred dollars.

717The sHB5043fee Filefor each state permit originally issued under the provisions of subsection (c) of Public Act No.

71726-41 (a)16 The fee for each permit originally issued under the provisions of subsection19 (b)Substitute ofHouse sectionBill 29-28,No. as amended by this act, for the sale at retail of firearms shall be two hundred dollars and the fee for each renewal of such permit shall be two hundred dollars.

The5043 fee for each state permit originally issued under the provisions of subsection (c) of section 29-28, for the carrying of pistols and revolvers shall be one hundred forty dollarsplus sufficient funds as requiredto be transmitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to cover the cost of a national criminal history records check.

(b) A local permit originally issued before October 1, 2001, whether for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers or for the carrying of pistols and revolvers, shall expire five years after the date it becomes effective sHB5043and /each Filerenewal No.of such permit shall expire five years after the expiration date of the permit being renewed.

717On sHB5043and Fileafter October 1, 2001, no local permit for the carrying of pistols and revolvers shall be Public Act No.

71726-41 and17 each renewal of such19 permitSubstitute shallHouse expireBill fiveNo. years after the expiration date of the permit being renewed.

On5043 and after October 1, 2001, no local permit for the carrying of pistols and revolvers shall be renewed.

sHB5043Public /Act File No.

71726-41 sHB504318 Fileof 19 Substitute House Bill No.

7175043 ThisGovernor's actAction: shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

SectionApproved 1May October26, 1, 2026 53-202(a)Public Sec.Act No.

226-41 October19 1,of 202619 53-206g(c) Sec.

3 October 1, 2026 New section Sec.

4 October 1, 2026 53a-3 Sec.

5 October 1, 2026 53-206j Sec.

6 October 1, 2026 29-28(b) Sec.

7 October 1, 2026 52-571o(2) Sec.

8 October 1, 2026 29-36a(d) Sec.

9 October 1, 2026 29-36b October 1, 2026 Sec.

10 New section Sec.

11 from passage New section Sec.

12 October 1, 2026 29-30(a) to (e) sHB5043 / File No.

717 18 sHB5043 File No.

717 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $ Correction, Dept.;

Judicial Dept.

GF - Potential Minimal Minimal (Probation) Cost Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential Minimal Minimal Revenue Gain Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

Municipalities Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $ Various Municipalities Potential Minimal Minimal Revenue Loss Explanation The bill makes several changes to firearms statutes and results in the following impacts.

Section3 createsanewclassDfelonyfor anyonetoimport,advertise, sell, offer, or expose for sale a convertible pistol and expands other firearms-related definitions, resulting in a potential cost to the Department of Correction and the Judicial Department for incarceration or probation and a potential revenue gain to the General Fund from fines.

On average, the marginal cost to the state for incarcerating an offender for the year is $3,300 while the average marginal cost for 1Inmate marginal cost is based on increased consumables (e.g., food, clothing, water, sewage, living supplies, etc.) This does not include a change in staffing costs or utility expenses because these expenses would only be realized if a unit or facility opened.

sHB5043 / File No.

717 sHB5043 File No.

717 supervision in the community is less than $600 each year for adults and $450 each year for juveniles.

Section503 resultsinpotentialminimalrevenue lossto localfirearms permitting authorities to the extent they fail to complete their duties within existing statutorily established timeframes and must issue refunds.

Local permitting authorities are either a chief of police or the chief executive officer of the town.

The remaining sections make clarifying and procedural changes, which are not expected to result in a fiscal impact because the affected agencies have the capacity and expertise to meet the bill's requirements.

House "A" adds section 503, which results in the fiscal impact described above, and adds sections 501 and 502, which do not result in a fiscal impact.

The amendment also makes clarifying changes that do not result in a fiscal impact.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to the number of offenses and fines collected and the number of refunds issued by local permitting authorities.

Probation marginal cost is based on services provided by private providers and only includes costs that increase with each additional participant.

This does not include a cost for additional supervision by a probation officer unless a new offense is anticipated to result in enough additional offenders to require additional probation officers.

sHB5043 / File No.

717 20 sHB5043 File No.

717 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5043 (as amended by House “A”)* AN ACT CONCERNING CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS AND UNFINISHED FRAMES OR UNFINISHED LOWER RECEIVERS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

SUMMARY §§ 1–4 — CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS AND RATE OF FIRE ENHANCEMENTS Generally makes it a class D felony to knowingly import into Connecticut or knowingly advertise, sell, offer, or expose for sale any convertible pistol manufactured on or after October 1, 2026;

defines terms associated with the bill’s convertible pistols-related provisions;

expands “rate of fire enhancement” to include a pistol converter or certain other devices, parts, or accessories that generally increase the pistol’s rate of fire, and subjects them to existing law’s penalty for rate of fire enhancement-related violations;

specifies that under some circumstances, convertible pistols are considered to be machine guns §§ 5–9 — UNFINISHED FRAME OR UNFINISHED LOWER RECEIVER Clarifies that “unfinished frame or lower receiver” refers to “unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver,” redefines the term, and makes corresponding changes throughout;

prohibits anyone without a local dealer permit from (1) advertising, selling, or delivering them, (2) offering or exposing them for sale or delivery, or (3) possessing them with the intent to deliver them or sell them at retail §§ 10 & 11 — VOLUNTARY DELIVERY OR SURRENDER OF FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION TO POLICE Explicitly allows anyone to deliver or surrender any firearm or ammunition they possess to DESPP or a local police department, which must then hold them for at least 14 days, up to a maximum of two years;

establishes a process for returning these items to transferors and destroying those that are not returned sHB5043 / File No.

717 21 sHB5043 File No.

717 § 12 — PISTOL PERMIT FEE REQUIRED REFUND Requires local handgun permitting authorities to refund $70 to applicants if the authority does not act within statutorily established timeframes SUMMARY This bill makes various changes to firearms-related laws, including those related to convertible pistols, rate of fire enhancements, unfinished frames or unfinished lower receivers, the voluntary delivery or surrender of firearms or ammunition to police, and pistol permit fee refunds.

It also makes conforming changes.

A section-by-section analysis appears below.

*House Amendment “A” (1) makes the underlying bill’s prohibition on convertible pistol sales and related actions a class D felony only if the person or entity knowingly violates it (§ 3);

(2) specifically excludes certain semiautomatic pistols with a cruciform trigger bar from the underlying bill’s definition of “convertible pistols” (§ 1);

(3) specifies that “common household tools” as defined in the underlying bill includes knives (§ 1);

(4) considers any device, component, part, combination of parts, attachment, or accessory that forcibly resets the firearm’s trigger a rate of fire enhancement (§ 2);

and (5) adds the provisions on (a) the voluntary delivery or surrender of firearms or ammunition to police and (b) pistol permit fee refunds (§§ 10-12).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2026, unless stated otherwise below.

§§ 1–4 — CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS AND RATE OF FIRE ENHANCEMENTS Generally makes it a class D felony to knowingly import into Connecticut or knowingly advertise, sell, offer, or expose for sale any convertible pistol manufactured on or after October 1, 2026;

defines terms associated with the bill’s convertible pistols-related provisions;

expands “rate of fire enhancement” to include a pistol converter or certain other devices, parts, or accessories that generally increase the pistol’s rate of fire, and subjects them to existing law’s penalty for rate of fire enhancement-related violations;

specifies that under some circumstances, convertible pistols are considered to be machine guns Prohibition Related to Certain Convertible Pistols (§ 3) sHB5043 / File No.

717 22 sHB5043 File No.

717 This bill generally makes it a class D felony for anyone or any legal entity (firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, or other similar entity) to knowingly import into Connecticut or knowingly advertise, sell, offer, or expose for sale any convertible pistol manufactured on or after October 1, 2026.

A class D felony is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both.

The bill does not apply this provision to retail sale or other lawful transfer of a convertible pistol by someone who is not a licensed gun dealer to another person who is not a licensed gun dealer.

Under the bill, a “convertible pistol” is any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar (see below) that can be readily altered by hand or with a common household tool (such as a knife, screwdriver, wrench, hacksaw, crowbar, electric drill, rotary tool, hammer, chisel, file, or pliers) so that the pistol can be readily converted into a machine gun by installing or attaching a pistol converter.

It also specifies certain things that are not considered convertible pistols under the bill (see below).

Convertible Pistols-Related Definitions (§ 1) The bill defines terms associated with its convertible pistols-related provisions, including adding certain convertible pistols to the definition of “machine guns” for the purpose of laws specific to offenses against public peace and safety.

Machine Gun.

The bill expressly states that any convertible pistol thatisequippedwitha pistolconverterisamachinegun.Underexisting law, a “machine gun” is (1) any weapon, loaded or unloaded, that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot automatically more than one projectile, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger, and (2) any part or combination of parts designed to convert a weapon into a machine gun and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if a person possessed or controlled these parts.

Pistol Converter.

Under the bill, a “pistol converter” is any device or instrument that, when installed in or attached to the rear of the slide sHB5043 / File No.

717 23 sHB5043 File No.

717 of a semiautomatic pistol, interferes with the trigger mechanism, and in so doing enables the pistol to discharge a number of shots or bullets rapidly or automatically with one continuous pull of the trigger.

Convertible Pistol.

The bill specifies that “convertible pistol” does not include any (1) hammer-fired semiautomatic pistol or (2) semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that has a tab or other piece of material molded to the pistol’s frame that shields that bar from interferencebyapistolconverterunlessthetaborotherpieceofmaterial can be readily removed from the pistol’s frame.

Cruciform Trigger Bar.

Under the bill, a “cruciform trigger bar” is a component in a semiautomatic pistol that serves as a linkage between the trigger and firing pin and has its sear incorporated in a cross-shaped surface.

Rate of Fire Enhancement (§ 2) The law generally makes it a class D felony for anyone, except a federally licensed firearms manufacturer fulfilling a military contract, to sell, offer to sell, otherwise transfer or offer to transfer, purchase, possess, use, or manufacture a “rate of fire enhancement” (such as a bump stock).

Under current law, “rate of fire enhancement” means any device, component, part, combination of parts, attachment, or accessory that:

1.

uses energy from a firearm’s recoil to generate a reciprocating action that causes repeated function of the trigger, such as a bump stock;

2.

repeatedly pulls the trigger of a firearm through the use of a crank, lever, or other part, such as a trigger crank;

or 3.

causes a semiautomatic firearm to fire more than one round per operation of the trigger, where the trigger pull and reset constitute a single operation of the trigger, such as a binary trigger system.

sHB5043 / File No.

717 24 sHB5043 File No.

717 Under the bill, this also includes any device, component, part, combination of parts, attachment, or accessory that forcibly resets the firearm’strigger using a crank, lever,or other part,suchasa forcedreset trigger.

The bill further expands “rate of fire enhancement” to include (1) a pistol converter or (2) any other device, part, combination of parts, kit, tool, or accessory that is not necessary for the function of the pistol and that, when built into, installed in, or attached to the pistol, increases the rate of fire above the rate at which a person can otherwise fire the firearm.

In doing so it subjects anyone who sells, offers to sell, otherwise transfers or offers to transfer, purchases, possesses, uses, or manufactures the bill’s additional rate of fire enhancements to existing law’s penalties described above (generally a class D felony).

Machine Gun Definition Under the Penal Code (§ 4) The bill also explicitly states that for purposes of the penal code in general,“machinegun” includesany convertiblepistolthat ispossessed by an individual who also possesses a pistol converter.

§§ 5–9 — UNFINISHED FRAME OR UNFINISHED LOWER RECEIVER Clarifies that “unfinished frame or lower receiver” refers to “unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver,” redefines the term, and makes corresponding changes throughout;

prohibits anyone without a local dealer permit from (1) advertising, selling, or delivering them, (2) offering or exposing them for sale or delivery, or (3) possessing them with the intent to deliver them or sell them at retail Under current law, “unfinished frame or lower receiver” means a blank, casting, or machined body intended to be turned into the frame or lower receiver of a firearm, with additional machining, and which has been formed or machined to the point where most major machining operations have been completed to turn the blank, casting, or machined body into a frame or lower receiver of a firearm, even if the fire-control cavity area of the blank, casting, or machined body is still completely solid and unmachined.

Current law also specifies that an “unfinished frame or lower receiver” is not a firearm as defined under federal law.

The bill clarifies that “unfinished frame or lower receiver” refers to an “unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver” and makes sHB5043 / File No.

717 25 sHB5043 File No.

717 corresponding changes throughout.

It also redefines the term to mean a blank, casting, forging, printing, extrusion, machined body, or similar item that (1) has reached a stage in manufacture where it may readily be completed into the frame or receiver of a functional firearm;

or (2) is marketed or sold to the public as the frame or receiver of a functional firearm once completed.

The bill maintains existing law’s general prohibition on purchasing, receiving, selling, delivering, or otherwise transferring them;

procedural requirements for doing so if allowed;

requirements for unique serial numbers or other identification marks;

and penalties for violations.

The bill prohibits individuals or legal entities from advertising, selling, delivering, or offering or exposing for sale or delivery, or possessing with the intent to sell at retail or deliver, any unfinished frame or unfinished lower receiver in Connecticut without a local dealer permit.

§§ 10 & 11 — VOLUNTARY DELIVERY OR SURRENDER OF FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION TO POLICE Explicitly allows anyone to deliver or surrender any firearm or ammunition they possess to DESPP or a local police department, which must then hold them for at least 14 days, up to a maximum of two years;

establishes a process for returning these items to transferors and destroying those that are not returned The bill explicitly allows anyone to deliver or surrender any firearm or ammunition they possess to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) or a local police department who must then hold them for at least 14 days, up to a maximum of two years.

(In practice, DESPP currently has a form (DPS-293-C) and process by which lawful owners may surrender their firearms or ammunition to the State Police for immediate destruction or for appropriate use within the department.) The bill requires the departments to exercise due care in receiving and holding delivered or surrendered firearms and ammunition and establishes a process under which (1) the items may be returned to transferors after 14 days and (2) unreturned items must be destroyed after two years.

sHB5043 / File No.

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717 (The bill’s process is in addition to other processes under existing law on the (1) disposition of firearms and ammunition that are delivered or surrendered by people who become ineligible to possess them (CGS § 29-36k) and (2) relinquishment of assault weapons (CGS § 53-202e).) EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2026, except the provisions on DESPP giving notice about the bill and creating a return request form are effective upon passage.

Return and Destruction of Delivered or Surrendered Firearms Under the bill, anyone who delivers or surrenders a firearm or ammunition they possess to DESPP or a local police department may request its return starting 15 days after and for up to two years.

A request must include a completed and signed form the bill requires the DESPP commissioner to create.

When DESPP or a local police department receives a return request, the department must review the request and make the firearm or ammunition available for retrieval within five days if it confirms the requestor (1) submitted the signed DESPP form, (2) was legally entitled to possess the firearm or ammunition at the time the item was delivered or surrendered, and (3) is not otherwise disqualified from possessing the item.

If a firearm or ammunition has not been collected within two years after it was delivered or surrendered, the bill requires the department holding the item to cause it to be destroyed after giving written notice to the person who delivered or surrendered it.

The notice must be made at least 90 days before the date the item will be destroyed.

DESPP Notice and Return Request Form Within 30 days after the bill’s passage, the DESPP commissioner must, within available appropriations, post a written notice on the department’s website about the above provisions on voluntarily delivered or surrendered firearms and ammunition.

The notice must include (1) directions on how to request the return of those items and sHB5043 / File No.

717 27 sHB5043 File No.

717 the requirements that requestors must satisfy and (2) that items not collected within two years will be destroyed.

The bill also requires the commissioner, by October 1, 2027, to promulgate and make available on the department’s website a form for requesting the return of firearms and ammunition delivered or surrendered under the bill.

Background — Related Bill HB 5459 (File 254), favorably reported by the Public Safety and Security Committee, explicitly allows anyone to relinquish any firearms they own,other thanassault weapons, to apolice department or DESPP.

§ 12 — PISTOL PERMIT FEE REQUIRED REFUND Requires local handgun permitting authorities to refund $70 to applicants if the authority does not act within statutorily established timeframes The bill requires local handgun permitting authorities to partially refund the applicant’s fees if the authorities do not complete their duties (suchasbyfailingtoactonanapplication)withinstatutorilyestablished timeframes.

By law, handgun permits are issued under a two-part process, requiring approvalfromboththelocalpermitting authority andDESPP.

The local official investigates an applicant, including through a background check, and issues a temporary state permit;

the State Police conduct state and national criminal history record checks on the applicant and issue a five-year state permit.

By law, as part of the handgun permitting process, applicants must pay a $140 fee and the local permitting authority retains $70.

The bill instead requires the local authority to refund that $70 to the applicant if it does not complete its duties within certain timeframes.

Under the bill, issuing a refund in this way does not discharge the local permitting authority’s obligation to complete its duties after the timeframe expires.

Unchanged by the bill, applicants must also pay to cover the cost of an FBI national criminal history records check.

As under existing law, sHB5043 / File No.

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717 once a temporary state permit is approved, the local permitting authority forwards the other $70 to the DESPP commissioner.

Background — Local Permitting Authority Duties By law, the local permitting authority must inform the applicant whether the permit has been approved or denied within eight weeks after receiving an application.

The local permitting authority must also take the applicant’s fingerprints or use any other method of positive identification and forward the fingerprints and positive identifying information to the State Police Bureau of Identification within five business days.

Existing law allows the local permitting authority to issue a temporary statepermitbefore anationalcriminalhistory check hasbeen received.

Once the national criminal history check has been received by the local permitting authority, the local permitting authority has one week to decideonthe permit andnotify theapplicant.

Ifthe results have not been received within eight weeks, the permitting authority must inform the applicant of the delay in writing.

A “local permitting authority” is the chief of police or, where there is no police chief, the municipality’s chief executive officer (CEO) (or the resident state trooper or relevant state police officer designated by the municipality’s CEO).

Background — Related Bill HB 5454 (File 272), favorably reported by the Public Safety and Security Committee, has similar provisions on pistol permit fee partial refunds.

COMMITTEE ACTION Judiciary Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 24 Nay 12 (03/24/2026) sHB5043 / File No.

717 29