House · HR 2189 · 119th Congress
Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act
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Summary
This bill removes less-than-lethal devices, like certain TASERs, from federal gun laws and taxes. Devices that cannot fire standard ammunition or shoot faster than 500 feet per second qualify. Makers can ask the government to confirm their device qualifies within 90 days.
In Favor
Right now, less-than-lethal tools face the same federal rules as deadly guns. That makes them harder to make, buy, and carry for police and civilians alike. This bill clears those hurdles so people have safer options to stop a threat without using deadly force.
Against
The bill allows any device shooting under 500 feet per second to escape firearm rules, but that speed can still cause serious injury or death. Removing federal oversight and taxes cuts safeguards without proof that 500 fps is a safe medical limit. Less tracking means the government loses tools to catch misuse of these devices.
Additional Considerations
Purpose & Problem
Is the problem real and worth federal action?
The bill removes less-than-lethal projectile devices, such as certain TASERs, from federal gun rules that currently treat them as firearms. It targets a gap where older laws written before these devices existed now cover them.
Scope & Related Provisions
Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?
The bill stays focused on less-than-lethal projectile devices across three areas: federal gun rules, federal firearms taxes, and the National Firearms Act. All three sections address the same category of devices.
Who Is Affected
Who benefits, and who bears the cost?
Makers, sellers, and importers of less-than-lethal devices lose a tax they currently pay on each unit sold. Law enforcement agencies and civilians who buy these devices may face fewer purchase rules. The ATF and Treasury gain new review and listing duties.
Cost & Funding
Is it affordable and responsibly funded?
The bill removes an existing federal excise tax on qualifying less-than-lethal devices and their shells. No dollar amount or cost estimate appears in the sources. The cost structure is a reduction in tax collected, plus agency staff time to review devices and update public lists each year.
Risks & Implementation
What could go wrong in practice?
The ATF and Treasury must each build a 90-day review process and maintain annual public lists of qualifying devices. The bill does not name staff or resources to carry out those duties, so delays in reviews or list updates are a practical hurdle the bill's own requirements create.
For the actual bill text, see congress.gov.
AI-generated · Published 6/5/2026