In the United States, the area of crime and punishment has traditionally been left to state and local governments. Many criminal matters such as robbery, theft and drunk driving are almost exclusively handled by state and local governments. However, lawmakers in Washington, D.C. have also exerted the power of the federal government in criminal matters related to a variety of areas, including illegal drugs and the regulation of firearms.

In fact, there are a myriad of complex state, local and federal laws and regulations that govern the sale, use, possession and transportation of firearms. Matters can be made more complicated in the federal government because laws and regulations can come from a variety of sources. At the federal level, Congress passes laws, while regulatory agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), enact regulations. With so many laws and regulations in play, many people in the Maryland and across the country can easily and inadvertently violate gun laws and face serious weapons charges as a result.

For example, the ATF released a demand letter that contained a new regulation applicable to retailers who sell firearms last year. The new regulation, known as "Demand Letter 3," required thousands of gun dealers located in border states to track multiple sales of semi-automatic rifles and report this information to the ATF if one person bought two or more rifles larger than .22 caliber.

A firearms trade association sued the ATF over the new regulation, but a federal judge rejected the challenge. Now, members of Congress are getting involved. Rep. Justin Amash has introduced legislation that would prevent the U.S. Department of Justice, which is the parent organization of the ATF, from tracking sales of multiple shotguns or rifles to a single purchaser. According to recent news stories, 14 other members of the House of Representatives have joined the bill as co-sponsors. A similar proposal in the Senate has 33 co-sponsors.

As this story illustrates, the law governing firearms is constantly changing. With so many firearms laws on the books, and so many of them in a constant state of change, it can be all too easy to violate one of these laws. For people charged with a crime, experienced defense attorneys are available to assist people who are facing accusations of a weapons crime in asserting their rights in the criminal justice system.

Source: MLive.com, "U.S. Rep. Justin Amash introduces bill to stop federal gun sale reporting requirement," Jim Harger, Jan. 26, 2012