AGREEMENT BETWEEN SMITH & WESSON AND
THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE TREASURY AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT,
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND STATES
SUMMARY OF TERMS
Preamble:
The city, state, county and federal parties agree to dismiss the parties from
the pending suits and refrain from filing suits against the manufacturer parties
based on an equivalent cause of action.
SAFETY AND DESIGN
All handguns must
meet the following safety and design standards:
All pistols must
meet the following additional requirements:
Law enforcement and
military exception. If
law enforcement agencies or the military certify the need, exceptions to these
requirements may be made. Manufacturers will ask that these guns not be resold
to the civilian market.
Warnings about safe
storage and handling included
with all firearms within six months.
Illegal firearms.
Manufacturers will not sell firearms that can readily be converted into fully
automatic weapons or that are resistant to fingerprints.
SALES AND DISTRIBUTION
Code of Conduct. The
manufacturers will sell only to authorized dealers and distributors and allow
their authorized distributors to sell only to authorized dealers. Authorized
dealers and distributors will agree to a code of conduct. If manufacturers
receive notice of a violation by an authorized dealer or distributor, they will
take action against the dealer or distributor, including termination of sales to
the dealer or distributor. The Oversight Commission will review such actions and
have authority to require termination or suspension if warranted.
The code of conduct will
require authorized dealers and distributors to:
Manufacturer commitments.
Manufacturers will:
Corporate responsibility
for crime gun traces.
If an authorized dealer or distributor has a disproportionate number of crime
guns traced to it within three years of sale, the manufacturers will take
action, including possible termination or suspension, against the dealer or
distributor. The Oversight Commission will review such actions and have
authority to require termination or suspension if warranted.
Oversight Commission will
be established and empowered to oversee implementation of the Agreement. The
Commission will have five members selected as follows: one by manufacturers; two
by city and county parties; one by state parties; one by ATF. The Commission’s
powers will include the authority to review compliance with the design and
safety requirements, review the safety and training program for dealer and
distributor employees, review manufacturer actions against dealers or
distributors that violate the Agreement or have a disproportionate number of
crime gun traces, and require suspension or termination if warranted.
Role of ATF.
To the extent consistent with law, ATF will work with manufacturers and the
Oversight Commission to assist them in meeting obligations under the Agreement.
ATF will notify the Oversight Commission of certain violations of the Agreement
by distributors and dealers if it uncovers such violations.
Ballistics Imaging.
Within six months, if technologically available, manufacturers will fire all
firearms before sale and will enter the digital image of the casings in a system
compatible with the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network and
accessible to ATF. This will enable law enforcement to trace crime guns when
only the bullets or casings are recovered.
Access 2000.
Manufacturers shall participate in ATF’s Access 2000 program, which
establishes electronic links with ATF and enables high-speed tracing of crime
guns.
Legislation.
The parties will work together to support legislative efforts to reduce firearm
misuse and the development of authorized user technology.
Education trust fund.
Upon resolution of all current city, state, and county lawsuits, manufacturers
will dedicate 1% of overall firearms revenues to an education trust fund.
Most favored entity.
If other manufacturers enter agreements with more expansive design and
distribution reforms, and those manufacturers, along with the manufacturer
parties to this Agreement, account for fifty percent or more of United States
handgun sales, the manufacturer parties to this Agreement will agree to abide by
the same reforms.
Enforcement.
The Agreement will be entered into and enforceable as a court order and as a
contract.