The Department of Justice is proposing to amend the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regarding administrative hearings held as part of firearms license proceedings. This proposed rule clarifies that such hearings are held in an informal setting and that persons requesting a hearing will be afforded the opportunity to submit facts, arguments, offers of settlement, or proposals of adjustment for review and consideration. The proposed regulations are intended to ensure that federal firearms licensees and persons applying for a federal firearms license are familiar with the hearing process relative to the denial, suspension, or revocation of a firearms license, or imposition of a civil fine.

The Department of Justice is proposing to amend the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) by eliminating the Firearms Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473 (Low Volume (LV)), Parts I and II. These forms may be used by federally licensed firearms dealers as an alternate record for the receipt and disposition of firearms. Because licensees rarely use Forms 4473 (LV), ATF has determined that continued use of these forms is unwarranted and they should be eliminated. The standard Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record, is being retained. If the proposed rule is adopted, licensees will be required to use the standard Form 4473 for all dispositions and maintain a record of the acquisition and disposition of firearms in accordance with the regulations.

The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (‘‘ATF’’) to delegate to the Director of ATF the authority to serve as the deciding official regarding the denial, suspension, or revocation of federal firearms licenses, or the imposition of a civil fine. The Director will have the flexibility to delegate to another ATF official the authority to decide a revocation or denial matter, or may exercise that authority himself.

This final rule conforms the regulations in 27 CFR Part 447 to the revised International Traffic in Arms Regulations by amending the list of countries from which the importation of defense articles into the United States is proscribed by adding Afghanistan and removing South Africa and some of the states composing the former Soviet Union (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan). The rule also removes the arms embargo against the countries of Serbia and Montenegro. It also clarifies an outdated reference in the regulations to Zaire, currently known as the "Democratic Republic of the Congo," and makes a miscellaneous technical amendment to the regulations.

The purpose of this delegation order is to grant supervisors authority to designate acting supervisory officials of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regarding administrative hearings held as part of firearms license proceedings. This rule clarifies that persons requesting a hearing will be afforded the opportunity to submit facts and arguments for review and consideration during the hearing, and may make offers of settlement before and after the hearing. The regulations are intended to ensure that federal firearms licensees and persons applying for a federal firearms license are familiar with the hearing process relative to the denial, suspension, or revocation of a firearms license, or imposition of a civil fine.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently examined devices commonly known as “forced reset triggers” (FRTs) and has determined that some of them are “firearms” and “machineguns” as defined in the National Firearms Act (NFA), and “machineguns” as defined in the Gun Control Act (GCA).