Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act of 2017

Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act of 2017

This bill provides a 90-day amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record any firearm acquired before October 31, 1968, by a veteran while a member of the Armed Forces stationed outside the continental United States.

The bill: (1) grants such an individual limited immunity under the federal criminal code and the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the acquisition, possession, transportation, or alteration of such firearm before or concurrent with such registration; and (2) extends such immunity to a veteran who attempts to register a qualifying firearm outside of the amnesty period if the veteran surrenders the firearm within 30 days after being notified of potential criminal liability for continued possession.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) shall provide clear notice of, and the Department of Veterans Affairs shall carry out an outreach program and develop a communications strategy to provide veterans information regarding, the amnesty and registration period.

DOJ shall: (1) transfer each firearm qualifying as a curio or relic that has been forfeited to the United States to the first qualified museum that requests it, and (2) publish information identifying each such firearm that is available to be transferred to a museum. The bill: (1) prohibits DOJ from destroying any such firearm that has been forfeited until five years after the forfeiture, and (2) requires that any firearm transferred to a qualified museum be registered to the transferee.

The prohibition against transfer or possession of a machine-gun shall not apply to a transfer to or by, or to possession by, a museum that is open to the public and incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation under applicable state law.