A. Unlawful possession of a handgun by a person consists of a person knowingly having a handgun in the person's possession or knowingly transporting a handgun, except when the person is: (1) in attendance at a hunter's safety course or handgun safety course or participating in a lawful shooting activity; (2) engaging in the use of a handgun for target shooting at an established range authorized by the governing body of the jurisdiction in which the range is located or in an area where the discharge of a handgun without legal justification is not prohibited by law; (3) engaging in an organized competition involving the use of a handgun; (4) participating in or practicing for a performance by an organization that has been granted exemption from federal income tax by the United States commissioner of internal revenue as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended or renumbered; (5) engaging in legal hunting or trapping activities; (6) traveling, with an unloaded handgun in the person's possession, to or from an activity described in Paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5) of this subsection; or (7) on real property under the control of the person's parent, grandparent or legal guardian and the person is being supervised by a parent, grandparent or legal guardian. B. A person who commits unlawful possession of a handgun by a person is guilty of a misdemeanor. C. As used in this section: (1) "person" means an individual who is less than nineteen years old; and (2) "handgun" means a loaded or unloaded pistol, revolver or firearm that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosion and the barrel length of which, not including a revolving, detachable or magazine breech, does not exceed twelve inches. History: Laws 1994, ch. 22, § 2; 2022, ch. 56, § 25. Cross references. — For Section 501 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, see 26 U.S.C. § 501. The 2022 amendment, effective May 18, 2022, clarified exceptions for unlawful possession of a handgun by a person; and in Subsection A, Paragraph A(1), after "handgun safety course", added "or participating in a lawful shooting activity", and in Paragraph A(5), added "engaging in". Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — What constitutes "constructive possession" of unregistered or otherwise prohibited weapon under state law, 88 A.L.R.5th 121. What constitutes actual or constructive possession of unregistered or otherwise prohibited firearm in violation of 26 USCS § 5861, 133 A.L.R. Fed. 347.
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