Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act of 2025
Description
This bill would exempt certain less-than-lethal projectile devices, such as TASERs, from regulation under the Gun Control Act.
Summary
What it does
This bill would remove certain less-than-lethal projectile devices, such as specific TASER models, from regulation under the Gun Control Act. To qualify, a device must be designed to prevent death or serious injury, cannot use standard ammunition or high-velocity projectiles, and must be incapable of accepting an ammunition feeding device. Additionally, the bill would require the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine if a specific device meets these criteria within 90 days of a request.
Who is affected
This bill affects the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which would be required to evaluate and determine if specific devices meet the new criteria for less-than-lethal projectile devices within 90 days of a request. It also impacts manufacturers, distributors, and users of certain less-than-lethal projectile devices, such as TASERs, by removing these items from regulation under the Gun Control Act. Additionally, the legislation applies to entities seeking official determinations on whether their devices satisfy the bill's specific technical definitions regarding velocity, intent of use, and ammunition feeding capabilities.
Key provisions
- Exemption from Gun Control Act regulations. The bill removes less-than-lethal projectile devices, such as certain TASERs, from the regulatory requirements established under the Gun Control Act.
- Definition of less-than-lethal projectile devices. Qualifying devices must be designed to avoid causing death or serious injury, cannot accept ammunition feeding devices, and must not be capable of discharging projectiles at speeds exceeding 500 feet per second.
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determination process. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is required to determine if a specific device meets the criteria for a less-than-lethal projectile device within 90 days of receiving a request.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 2189, Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act· As reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on January 30, 2026
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
This bill modifies the application of the Gun Control Act by exempting specific less-than-lethal projectile devices from its regulatory requirements. It also establishes a new mandate for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to evaluate and classify these devices based on the bill's defined criteria.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to exempt less-than-lethal projectile devices, such as certain TASERs, from regulation under the Gun Control Act. It establishes specific criteria for these devices based on their design, intended use, and velocity to ensure they are not classified as firearms.