HB0182 Firearm purchase protections. | Wyoming Bill

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Firearm Purchase Protections

The bill aims to prevent payment processors from treating firearm and ammunition sellers differently than general merchandise or sporting goods retailers.

What This Bill Does

It stops payment processing companies from giving special codes just for gun and ammo stores, instead putting them in the same category as other retail shops.

It says that financial institutions and card networks cannot force merchants to use specific codes if those codes single out firearm or ammunition sellers.

It allows firearm and ammunition retailers to be classified under general merchandise or sporting goods categories.

It sets a penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation where a special code is used against the rules.

Who It Names or Affects

Payment processing companies

Financial institutions

Gun and ammunition retailers

Terms To Know

Merchant category code (MCC)

A number assigned by payment processors to classify the type of business a merchant runs.

Payment settlement entity

An organization that handles transactions between buyers and sellers, ensuring payments are settled correctly.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in its session.

It would have taken effect on July 1, 2024, but since it didn not pass, this date is no longer relevant.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

24LSO-0449
2024
STATE OF WYOMING
24LSO-0449
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0182

Firearm purchase protections.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Allemand, Allred, Andrew, Banks, Bear, Berger, Conrad, Eklund, Haroldson, Harshman, Heiner, Jennings, Knapp, Larson, JT, Locke, Neiman, Niemiec, Northrup, O'Hearn, Ottman, Pendergraft, Penn, Slagle, Smith, Strock, Styvar, Tarver, Trujillo, Ward and Winter and Senator(s) Biteman, Bouchard, French, Hutchings, Ide, Laursen, D, McKeown, Salazar and Steinmetz

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to trade and commerce; prohibiting the categorization of firearms and ammunition merchants separately from general merchandise or sporting goods retailers as specified; creating a penalty; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 40
‑
32
‑
101 is created to read:

CHAPTER 32
MERCHANT CODES

40
‑
32
‑
101.

Purchase of firearms and ammunition protections; merchant code limitations; enforcement.

(a)

A payment settlement entity, merchant acquiring entity, or third party settlement organization as those terms are defined in section 6050W of the Internal Revenue Code shall not assign a merchant category code to or otherwise classify a merchant that is a seller of firearms or ammunition separately from general merchandise retailers or sporting goods retailers.

(b)

An entity involved in facilitating or processing a payment card transaction, including, but not limited to, a financial institution, an acquirer, a payment card network or a payment card issuer, shall not assign to or require a merchant to use a merchant category code that classifies the merchant as a firearms or ammunition retailer or places the merchant in a similar classification. A merchant of firearms or ammunition may be assigned or may use a merchant category code for general merchandise retailers or sporting goods retailers.

(c)

Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for every one (1) merchant category code assigned to a merchant in violation of this section or for each instance that a person is classified as a firearms retailer in violation of this section.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2024
.

(END)

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HB0182