Congress Passes Legislation Exempting Specific Less-Than-Lethal Launchers From Federal Firearms Regulations

10–11% federal excise tax applies to firearms and ammunition manufacturers — the levy these bills would remove for qualifying less-than-lethal devices

H.R. 2189 passed the House on Feb. 12, 2026; CBO projects its fiscal impact as insignificant over 10 years

93.5% of U.S. law enforcement agencies already authorize conducted energy devices — but Congress has never defined 'less-than-lethal weapon' in statute

NIJ-funded research found less-lethal weapons linked to a 48% drop in suspect injury odds; a separate BMJ Open review found 53 deaths and 300 permanent disabilities across 1,984 cases

The ATF's National Firearms Act registry holds 3+ million registered items — the framework these bills would carve qualifying devices out of