Tillis Introduces Legislation to Increase Penalties for Felons Illegally Possessing Firearms | Eastern North Carolina Now

b>Press Release:

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Kennedy (R-LA), John Thune (R-SD), and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Stop Gun Criminals Act, legislation to increase penalties for felons who illegally possess or use firearms.

    "Finding commonsense solutions to reduce gun violence starts with preventing dangerous, violent felons from illegally possessing a firearm," said Senator Tillis. "This is a necessary measure that could save countless lives, without treading on the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. It is a first step in reducing gun violence and I am proud to work with my colleagues to tighten up current law for felons and repeat offenders."

    The Stop Gun Criminals Act would:

• Set a minimum sentence of five years for illegally possessing a gun.
• Increase the mandatory minimum sentence for serious repeat felons (defined as criminals with at least three prior convictions for crimes that are punishable by 10 years or longer) if they use a gun in the commission of more crimes, increasing the minimum from five years to seven years.
• For such criminals who brandish the gun during the crime, the minimum would increase from seven years to 10 years.
• For such criminals who actually fire their weapon during the crime, the minimum would increase from 10 years to 15 years.
• Make a technical correction to remove the "residual clause" from the Armed Career Criminal Act, which was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015 for being unconstitutionally vague.

    Contact: Adam Webb
      Email: adam_webb@tillis.senate.gov

    Contact: Lauren Scott
       Email: Lauren_Scott@tillis.senate.gov