What's New at OCAGV
One small step by Congress
H.R.2640, the NICS improvement bill has passed and been signed by the President. It was a first step that was long overdue to address the problems in the National Instant Check System. A person can buy a gun even if they are in a prohibited category when their records are not in the system. HR 2640 will improve the records in the NICS database system that is used to check a buyer's background when they purchase a gun.
This bill will mandate state record keeping and reporting but the bill was also compromised. It will give those in the data base who have been adjudicated mentally ill or hospitalized involuntarily, a process to appeal their prohibition of gun ownership to get their gun 'rights' back. This compromise may give guns back to some prohibited persons who might be a serious threat to society or more likely themselves.
Millions of Americans are being treated for mental illness. A mental illness diagnosis or the severity of that diagnosis does not put someone in this data base. It is only when a court has ordered treatment or hospitalization that someone is prohibited person. The numbers are small in the mental illness data base because the norm is voluntary treatment.
Legislation is by definition a compromise to make change. In this case States will improve their data base for criminal offenses, the mentally ill and domestic violence convictions but will also have to develop a system to allow for appeal. It will all need to be monitored and watched for abuse.
Nothing in this bill has addressed the trafficking and private sales of guns that do not require a background check. That should be the next small step.
Gun Lobby Hijacks Bill Intended to Improve Gun Buyer Background Checks
NRA's influence in D.C. will continue
Tiahrt Amendments : Congress also passed their appropriations bill keeping the restrictions for sharing of crime trace data information to and between law enforcement. It is difficult to understand limiting law enforcement abilities to reduce crime. The compromise here was for the better as they at least removed the penalty to law enforcement if they share data.
