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Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

    Solutions

    Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

    What does it solve?

    Since 2003, the Tiahrt Amendments have restricted law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute gun crimes. This data-blocking protects corrupt gun dealers and hinders law enforcement.

    The amendments prohibit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from releasing firearm trace data. They require the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to destroy all approved gun purchaser records within 24 hours. The Tiahrt Amendments also prohibit the ATF from requiring gun dealers to submit inventories to law enforcement. Repealing these amendments would help solve gun crimes.

      Which states give law enforcement tools designed to address crime guns?

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Arizona has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      California has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Colorado has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Delaware has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Florida has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Georgia has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Hawaii has not adopted this policy

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Indiana has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Iowa has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Kentucky has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      No

      Michigan has not adopted this policy

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Nebraska has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Nevada has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      New York has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      No

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Ohio has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Oregon has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      No

      Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Texas has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Utah has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Vermont has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      Yes
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Washington has not adopted this policy

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Wisconsin has adopted this policy

      Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
      No
      Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
      Yes

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      How it works

      Repealing the Tiahrt Amendments would aid the enforcement of gun laws.

      The Supply Side of Violence: How Gun Dealers Fuel Firearm Trafficking Report

      Crime gun tracing is a critical data source—it can help solve gun crimes, and it can also help identify where the guns used in crimes are originating from. But since 2003, NRA-drafted annual riders attached to U.S. Department of Justice appropriation bills—called the Tiahrt Amendments—have blocked the ATF from sharing this important data. This data-blocking serves to protect corrupt dealers and hinder law enforcement.

      The Tiahrt Amendments restrict information investigators can obtain on where a gun was purchased and to whom it was sold. The amendments require the FBI to destroy records of approved background checks within 24 hours. They also prevent local governments and police from accessing federal gun trace data from areas beyond their immediate geographic area. This prevents the investigation of gun trafficking. The Amendments prohibit cities from using gun trace data in civil enforcement actions, such as gun dealers license revocations, and prevents the ATF from requiring firearms dealers to keep and regularly submit firearm inventories. These inventories are an administrative practice that could reduce the number of firearms reported lost or stolen by dealers every year.

      By the numbers

      Learn More

      The Supply Side of Violence: How Gun Dealers Fuel Firearm Trafficking Resource
      Who is Manufacturing the Guns Used in Crimes? Resource
      Damming the Iron River Solutions to Stop the U.S. Gun Industry from Fueling Mexico's Violence Resource
      New Mexico Firearms Trafficking and Crime Gun Fact Sheet Resource
      Wisconsin Firearms Trafficking and Crime Gun Fact Sheet Resource
      Michigan Firearms Trafficking and Crime Gun Fact Sheet Resource
      Five Things to Know About Crime Guns, Gun Trafficking, and Background Checks Resource
      78k

      Did you know?

      There are nearly 78,000 licensed gun dealers in the US, more than the number of McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and Wendy’s locations combined.

      Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, “Inside the Gun Shop: Firearms Dealers and their Impact,” July 6, 2023.