The Hearing Protection Act removes firearm silencers from the federal firearms regulations covered under the National Firearms Act, treating them instead as regular taxable articles. Currently, silencers are classified as regulated firearms that require federal registration, licensing, and a $200 tax stamp; this bill eliminates those requirements and instead imposes a standard 10 percent federal excise tax on their sale, similar to other firearm accessories. The legislation requires the Attorney General to destroy all existing federal silencer registration records within one year of the law's enactment and prevents states from imposing their own special taxes or registration requirements on silencers. The changes take effect 90 days after the bill becomes law. The bill is supported by 29 Republican senators and affects manufacturers, importers, dealers, and consumers of firearm silencers by significantly reducing the regulatory burden and cost associated with their purchase and ownership.
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