Prohibited weapon; bump-fire device; accessory
HB 2159 amends Arizona’s weapons definitions statute, A.R.S. § 13-3101, to expand the list of items classified as a “prohibited weapon.” The bill specifically adds a trigger crank, a bump-fire device, and any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment, or accessory designed or functioning to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle, so long as it does not convert the rifle into a machine gun. The measure keeps the existing definitions of deadly weapon, firearm, explosive, prohibited possessor, and trafficking intact while updating the prohibited-weapon definition.
The practical effect is to make possession, transfer, or trafficking of bump-fire devices and similar rate-of-fire accessories subject to Arizona’s prohibited-weapon laws. It also preserves the bill’s existing carve-out for firearms or devices that are possessed, manufactured, or transferred in compliance with federal law, and it does not change the federal definition of machine gun or semiautomatic rifle that the statute references. In short, the bill would broaden state weapons restrictions without altering the broader structure of Arizona’s firearms code.
HB 2159 would amend A.R.S. § 13-3101, the definitions section for Arizona’s weapons chapter, by adding bump-fire devices and related rate-of-fire accessories to the statutory definition of “prohibited weapon.” This would affect enforcement of Arizona criminal laws governing possession, manufacture, transfer, and trafficking of prohibited weapons, and could expose owners, sellers, or distributors of these devices to criminal liability under existing weapons offenses. The bill leaves federal-law compliance language in place, so items lawfully possessed or transferred under federal law remain excluded where the statute already provides that exception.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be a targeted gun-regulation bill with a clear public-safety framing. The sponsor list suggests support from multiple House members, but there is no available voting history here to show whether the bill advanced or faced formal opposition. Overall, the bill’s tone is restrictive and regulatory rather than expansive, focusing on a specific firearm accessory category.
The main point of contention is likely to be whether bump-fire devices and similar accessories should be treated as prohibited weapons under state law even when they do not convert a firearm into a machine gun. Supporters would likely argue the devices increase firing speed and public danger, while opponents may argue the bill sweeps in accessories that remain distinct from machine guns and may overlap with federally lawful items. Another likely issue is the scope of the phrase “any part, combination of parts, component, device, attachment or accessory,” which could be viewed as broad and potentially ambiguous in application.