BELLEVUE, Wash. — May 5, 2026 — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) released for review 21 final and proposed rules to the Federal Register today, and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) will review each final and proposed regulatory change and update its membership in the coming days.
Announced last week in a joint press conference with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and ATF Director Robert Cekada, the final and proposed rules include updates to the “engaged in the business” definition, firearm record retention periods, clarifications to interstate transportation of firearms under the Gun Control Act, and recordkeeping requirements for Federal Firearms Licensees, to name a few. The proposed rules were posted to the Federal Register today, and formal publication on the Federal Register is expected tomorrow.
“For far too long the ATF has waged war against gun owners, firearms manufacturers and retailers alike,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “It’s refreshing to see this administration take a different approach and work with gun owners instead of treating them like second-class citizens. There’s still a long way to go to eliminate the burdens facing peaceable, gun-owning Americans, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. We will continue reviewing the proposed rules and participate in the rulemaking process to ensure appropriate feedback is provided.”
By law, federal agencies such as the ATF must consult the public when creating, modifying, or rescinding rules. Once the ATF decides a regulation needs to be added, changed or rescinded, it publishes a proposed rule in the Federal Register to ask for public comments. After feedback is considered and changes are made when appropriate, the final rule is published in the Federal Register with a specific date for when the rule will become effective and enforceable.
“During the signing ceremony last week, ATF announced a ‘new era of reform,’” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “As the proposed regulatory changes go from prospective to published, we can begin the process of digging through them and informing our members as to what we see as good, bad or indifferent. We are encouraged with what we have seen thus far and look forward to being active participants in the notice and comment process.”
For more information visit SAF.org.
The Second Amendment Foundation (saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the fundamental rights of individuals enshrined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. SAF engages in aggressive legal action to ensure the principles of armed self-defense, personal liberty, and the ownership of arms are defended, secured, and restored. Through public education initiatives, SAF teaches the importance of the Second Amendment to promote a society that values and exercises the right to keep and bear arms.
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