[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 62 (Monday, April 1, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12093-12095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06264]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

27 CFR Parts 478 and 479

[Docket No. ATF 2014R-42; AG Order No. 4419-2019]


Removal of Expired Regulations Concerning Commerce in Firearms 
and Ammunition and Machine Guns, Destructive Devices, and Certain Other 
Firearms

AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 
Department of Justice.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule makes technical amendments to the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regulations in the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). These technical changes are being 
made to remove expired, obsolete, or unnecessary regulations; correct 
specific headings; and to reflect changes to nomenclature resulting 
from the transfer of ATF to the Department of Justice from the 
Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 
2002. The changes are designed to update and provide clarity throughout 
these regulations.

DATES: This rule is effective April 1, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shermaine Kenner, Office of Regulatory 
Affairs, Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Department of Justice, 99 New York 
Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20226; telephone: (202) 648-7070 (this is not 
a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    ATF administers regulations published in 27 CFR part 478, 
concerning commerce in firearms and ammunition, and part 479, 
concerning machine guns, destructive devices, and certain other 
firearms. ATF identified several technical amendments that are needed 
to provide clarity and accuracy to these regulations.
    The technical changes made in this rule include the removal of 
expired regulations and regulations that are no longer applicable; the 
correction of section headings for accuracy; and a change in 
nomenclature resulting from the transfer of ATF to the Department of 
Justice from the Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002.
    Several sections are being removed or amended because the statute 
that formed the basis of those regulations is no longer in effect. The 
Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Act (the Act), enacted as part 
of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Public 
Law 103-322, Title XI (1994), established a 10-year prohibition on the 
manufacture, transfer, or possession of ``semiautomatic assault 
weapons,'' as defined in the Act, as well as large capacity feeding 
devices. The Act expired on September 13, 2004, and ATF is removing or 
amending the following regulatory provisions that had, in whole or in 
part, implemented that Act and are therefore no longer effective:
    Sections 478.40, 478.40a, 478.119, 478.132, and 478.153 are being 
removed and reserved as they are no longer effective.
    Section 478.57 is being amended to remove paragraphs (b) and (c) as 
they are no longer effective.
    Section 478.92 is being amended to remove the section heading and 
replace it with a heading that does not contain ``large capacity 
ammunition feeding devices'', and to remove paragraphs (a)(3) and (c), 
as they are no longer effective.
    Section 478.116 is being amended to remove all references to 
``ammunition feeding device'' as those references are no longer 
effective.
    Section 478.171 is being amended to remove the last sentence 
referencing exportation of semiautomatic assault weapons as it is no 
longer effective.
    The final rule makes two additional technical changes. First, Sec.  
478.95 is being amended to reflect the correct section number as a 
result of the transfer of ATF to the Department of Justice from the 
Department of Treasury pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002. 
Second, Sec.  479.32 is being amended to remove paragraphs (a) and (c) 
referencing special occupational tax rates prior to January 1988, as 
the information is obsolete.

II. Statutory Orders and Executive Review

A. Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 13771

    This rule has been drafted and reviewed in accordance with 
Executive Orders 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' section 
1(b), The Principles of Regulation; Executive Order 13563, ``Improving 
Regulation and Regulatory Review,'' section 1(b), General Principles of 
Regulation; and Executive Order 13771, ``Reducing Regulation and 
Controlling Regulatory Costs.''

[[Page 12094]]

    This rule makes technical corrections to eliminate outdated and 
incorrect terminology and improve the clarity of the regulations, and 
makes no substantive changes. The Department has determined that this 
final rule is not a ``significant regulatory action'' as defined in 
Executive Order 12866, section 3(f). Accordingly, this final rule has 
not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
    Finally, because this rule is not a significant regulatory action, 
it is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order 13771. There 
are no costs associated with this regulation; however, it benefits the 
industry in that it removes outdated regulations and provides clarity 
for the regulated industry. Because there are no costs associated with 
this final rule, there are no monetized benefits. This rule is 
considered a deregulatory action under Executive Order 13771.

B. Executive Order 13132

    This final rule will not have substantial direct effects on the 
States, on the relationship between the Federal Government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with section 6 
of Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism,'' the Attorney General has 
determined that this regulation does not have sufficient federalism 
implications to warrant the preparation of a federalism summary impact 
statement.

C. Executive Order 12988

    This regulation meets the applicable standards set forth in 
sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, ``Civil Justice 
Reform.''

D. Administrative Procedure Act

    Under the Administrative Procedure Act (``APA''), 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(3)(B), an agency may, for good cause, find the usual 
requirements of prior notice and comment are impracticable, 
unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. Currently, 27 CFR 
parts 478 and 479 contain references to expired regulations and have 
obsolete, outdated, and incorrect terminology that may be confusing to 
the public. The rule makes technical corrections to improve the clarity 
and accuracy of the regulations and makes no substantive changes. For 
these reasons, the agency has determined that publishing a notice of 
proposed rulemaking and providing opportunity for public comment is 
unnecessary.
    Further, the APA permits an agency to make this rule effective upon 
the date of publication because it is not a substantive rule. See 5 
U.S.C. 553(d). Furthermore, the Department finds that there is good 
cause for the final rule to take effect upon publication, since the 
revisions made by this rule are minor, non-substantive, and technical, 
and there is no reason to delay these changes. Id.

E. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    In accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 603, 
604, and 605(b), a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required for 
this final rule because the Department was not required to publish a 
general notice of proposed rulemaking for this matter.

F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local, and 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year, and it will not significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed 
necessary under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
1995, 2 U.S.C. 1531-1535.

G. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This final rule does not impose any new reporting or recordkeeping 
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521.

H. Congressional Review Act

    This rule is not a major rule as defined by the Congressional 
Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 804.

List of Subjects

27 CFR Part 478

    Administrative practice and procedure, Arms and munitions, Customs 
duties and inspection, Exports, Imports, Intergovernmental relations, 
Law enforcement officers, Military personnel, Penalties, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Research, Seizures and forfeitures, 
Transportation.

27 CFR Part 479

    Administrative practice and procedure, Arms and munitions, Excise 
taxes, Exports, Imports, Military personnel, Penalties, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Seizures and forfeitures, Transportation.

Authority and Issuance

    Accordingly, for the reasons discussed in the preamble, 27 CFR 
parts 478 and 479 are amended as follows:

PART 478--COMMERCE IN FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION

0
1. The authority citation for 27 CFR part 478 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 18 U.S.C. 921-931; 44 U.S.C. 
3504(h).


Sec.  478.40  [Removed and Reserved]

0
2. Remove and reserve Sec.  478.40.


Sec.  478.40a  [Removed]

0
3. Remove Sec.  478.40a.


Sec.  478.57  [Amended]

0
4. Amend Sec.  478.57 by removing paragraphs (b) and (c) and 
redesignating paragraph (a) as an undesignated paragraph.

0
5. Amend Sec.  478.92 by revising the section heading, removing and 
reserving paragraph (a)(3), and removing paragraph (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  478.92   Identification of firearms and armor piercing ammunition 
by licensed manufacturers and licensed importers.

* * * * *


Sec.  478.95  [Amended]

0
6. Amend Sec.  478.95 by removing ``178.94'' and adding in its place 
``478.94'' and removing ``(a)'' and ``(b)''.


Sec.  478.116  [Amended]

0
7. Amend Sec.  478.116 by removing ``ammunition, or ammunition feeding 
device as defined in Sec.  478.119(b)'' and ``ammunition, or ammunition 
feeding device'' everywhere they appear and adding in their place ``or 
ammunition''.


Sec.  478.119, 478.132, and 478.153  [Removed and Reserved]

0
8. Remove and reserve Sec. Sec.  478.119, 478.132, and 478.153.


Sec.  478.171   [Amended]

0
9. Amend Sec.  478.171 by removing ``semiautomatic assault weapons'' in 
the last sentence of the paragraph.

PART 479--MACHINE GUNS, DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, AND CERTAIN OTHER 
FIREARMS

0
10. The authority citation for 27 CFR part 479 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 26 U.S.C. 5812; 26 U.S.C. 5822; 26 U.S.C. 7801; 26 
U.S.C 7805.


Sec.  479.32  [Amended]

0
11. Amend Sec.  479.32 by removing paragraphs (a) and (c) and 
redesignating paragraph (b) as an undesignated paragraph.


[[Page 12095]]


    Dated: March 25, 2019.
William P. Barr,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. 2019-06264 Filed 3-29-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-FY-P