Hi
It seems that there are two SB-2099's. I gave you the incorrect URL to the correct website. The SB-2099 that I am referring to is at.
http://ron.dotson.net/guns/sb2099.htm
Try that and see what I am referring to. Sorry about the mix up.
Yankee1
It's somewhat similar to the email, but not quite the same. This is a standard senate bill, so it would not be passable by any Committee. It can do to the committee for approval, but that just means it gets to be voted on - it would still have to pass the house and senate (and get a presidential signature) to become law. It, like all other legislation, is also freely published rather than the public being notified 30 days after passage. It also doesn't make you declare anything on your 1040 (which implies an annual tax), bur rather imposes a $50 tax on the manufacture of handguns (long guns are not included), and taxes the transfer of handguns (though doesn't set an amount for that). Vaguely similar to the incredulous email, but really a different beast.
Bottom line though is that this is a bill that died in committee back in 2000. If it doesn't pass during the Congress that it's introduced in then the bill is dead. It can't be acted on unless it's reintroduced, but a senator can introduce any legislation they want - most stupid bills like these die in committee. As an example, a SC state senator introduced a bill that attempted to outlaw profanity - written, spoken, recorded, whatever. Disseminating profanity would have been punishable by 5 years in jail. That's got first amendment violations all over it, but the same guy tries stuff like that every year. He's an elected official - it's his right to introduce it, but he in turn gets rightfully ignored.
This is nothing we need to worry about or get into a tizzy about unless it's reintroduced.
