HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 9

TO

SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 2

AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 2 by inserting the following after line 9 and before line 10 and redesignating accordingly:

(6) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 2 by inserting the following after line10 and before line 11 and redesignating accordingly:

(b) The Secretary shall:

(1) Establish a dedicated secure internet website-based system which will effectively allow qualified persons to apply for and receive a permit to purchase a handgun online quickly and efficiently at no cost to the applicant on a fulltime, 24-hours per day, seven- days per week, 365 days per year basis.

(2) Develop and deploy within said dedicated secure internet website a free online training course which will allow qualified persons to successfully complete all the training requirements for obtaining a permit to purchase a handgun required by this section.

(3) Develop and execute a comprehensive 30-day state-wide public information program using print, radio, television and internet resources which is designed to effectively inform the general public of the following:

(i) the requirement for obtaining a permit prior to purchasing a handgun and the date when that requirement will go into effect;

(ii) the existence of the secure internet website and the public’s ability to apply for said permit using that website with directions describing how to access the website; and

(iii) the existence and availability of the online training course required for obtaining a permit to purchase a handgun and how to access that online training course.

(4) Provide at least one dedicated internet terminal (with printer) accessible by the general public within each State Police Troop and each office building over which the Secretary has jurisdiction from which members of the general public may make application, complete the required training course and obtain the permit.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 2 by deleting lines 54 and 55 in their entirety and redesignating accordingly.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 2 by deleting lines 65 through 80 in their entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following and redesignating accordingly:

(g) Upon receipt of an applicant’s application for a handgun qualified purchaser permit, the SBI shall investigate the application and, unless substantial grounds exist for the denial thereof, grant the handgun qualified purchaser permit within 48 hours from the date and time of receipt of the application.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 2 by inserting the following after line 135 and before line 136 and redesignating accordingly:

(p) The requirement for a State-issued permit to purchase a handgun under this section shall become effective and enforceable at law thirty (30) days after the Secretary has successfully completed the required comprehensive 30-day state-wide public information program required by this section.

SYNOPSIS

This amendment creates a system by which an applicant can apply to the State for a permit to purchase a handgun online, complete the mandatory training requirements on line, and quickly obtain the required permit, thus significantly reducing the cost to the applicant, removing many of the perceived constitutional infirmities found in the original bill, and reducing the overall manpower costs and requirements for the State, thereby significantly reducing the overall fiscal impact of the permitting process on a long-term basis.

The system created by this amendment is similar in concept to and inspired by systems found in other states.