Arizona Laws 13-3121. Firearm transfers; chief law enforcement officer certification; notification; definitions
A. If a chief law enforcement officer’s certification is required by federal law or regulation for the transfer of a firearm, the chief law enforcement officer, within sixty days after receipt of a request for certification by an applicant, shall provide the certification if the applicant is not prohibited by law from receiving the firearm or is not the subject of a proceeding that could result in the applicant being prohibited by law from receiving the firearm. If the chief law enforcement officer is unable to provide a certification as required by this section, the chief law enforcement officer shall notify the applicant, in writing, of the denial and the reason for this determination.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 13-3121
- Firearm: means any loaded or unloaded handgun, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun or other weapon that will expel, is designed to expel or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. See Arizona Laws 13-3101
- Peace officers: means sheriffs of counties, constables, marshals, policemen of cities and towns, commissioned personnel of the department of public safety, personnel who are employed by the state department of corrections and the department of juvenile corrections and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, peace officers who are appointed by a multicounty water conservation district and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, police officers who are appointed by community college district governing boards and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, police officers who are appointed by the Arizona board of regents and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, police officers who are appointed by the governing body of a public airport pursuant to section 28-8426 and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, peace officers who are appointed by a private postsecondary institution pursuant to section 15-1897 and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board and special agents from the office of the attorney general, or of a county attorney, and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Possession: means a voluntary act if the defendant knowingly exercised dominion or control over property. See Arizona Laws 13-105
- United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Writing: includes printing. See Arizona Laws 1-215
B. The chief law enforcement officer of a law enforcement agency that has fifteen peace officers or fewer may refer an applicant who is requesting a certification pursuant to this section to the county sheriff. A county sheriff who receives a request for certification from a referred applicant shall provide the certification required by this section.
C. Section 12-820.02 applies to a chief law enforcement officer who provides a certification pursuant to this section.
D. This section does not apply to a county attorney or a tribal agency. This subsection does not prohibit a county attorney or a tribal agency from providing an applicant with a certification.
E. A chief law enforcement officer is not required to provide a certification pursuant to this section that the officer knows is untrue but may not refuse to provide a certification that is based on a generalized objection to private persons or entities making, possessing or receiving firearms or any certain type of firearm the possession of which is not prohibited by law.
F. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Certification" means the participation and assent that is required by federal law for the approval of an application to transfer or make a firearm.
2. "Chief law enforcement officer" means any official that the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, or any successor agency, identifies by regulation or otherwise as eligible to provide any required certification to make or transfer a firearm.
3. "Firearm" has the same meaning prescribed in 26 United States Code § 5845(a).
4. "Proceeding" includes an ongoing criminal investigation that could result in the applicant being prohibited by law from receiving a firearm.