S. 3945Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Tribal Police Department Parity Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated March 17, 2026 at 4:21 AM UTC

The Tribal Police Department Parity Act makes sure that tribal law‑enforcement agencies have the same federal authority to obtain, transport, and possess firearms as federal, state, and local agencies. It does this by adding Indian tribes to the relevant sections of the firearms statutes and the tax code that provide exemptions and permissions. The bill affects tribal police departments and any federal, state, or local agencies that work with them.

Key Provisions

Amends the federal firearms law (18 U.S.C. §922(o)(2)(A)) to add Indian tribes and their agencies as entities that can transfer and possess post‑1986 machine guns, just like federal, state, and local agencies.
Amends the firearms transport law (18 U.S.C. §925(a)(1)) to include Indian tribes and their agencies as parties that may transport, ship, receive, possess, and import firearms and ammunition.
Updates the Internal Revenue Code (§5853(a) and §5853(b)) to extend the firearm transfer tax exemption to Indian tribes and their agencies, matching the exemption already available to states.
Specifies that these changes apply to any firearm transferred or made after the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 26, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 26, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 26, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued February 26, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3945

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 26, 2026

Mr. Mullin (for himself, Mr. Daines, Mr. Hoeven, and Mr. Grassley) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To ensure that Federal laws that enable Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to access firearms apply equally to Tribal law enforcement agencies.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Tribal Police Department Parity Act.

Tribal law enforcement access to firearms

(a)

Amendments to title 18, United States Code

(1)

Transfer and possession of post-1986 machineguns

Section 922(o)(2)(A) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(A)

by striking or a State, or and inserting , a State or; and

(B)

by inserting before ; or the following: , or an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) or any department or agency thereof.

(2)

Transportation, shipment, receipt, possession, and importation of firearms and ammunition

Section 925(a)(1) of such title is amended—

(A)

by striking or any State and inserting , any State; and

(B)

by inserting before the period at the end the following: , or any Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) or any department or agency thereof.

(b)

Amendments to Internal Revenue Code of 1986

(1)

Transfer tax exemption

Section 5853(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting , Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) after any State.

(2)

Making tax exemption

Section 5853(b) of such Code is amended by inserting , Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) after any State.

(3)

Effective date

The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to any firearm transferred or made after the date of enactment of this Act.