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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.

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Which states require crime guns to be traced?

      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

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      California has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Colorado has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Delaware has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Florida has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Georgia has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Hawaii has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Indiana has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Iowa has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Michigan has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Minnesota has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Nebraska has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Nevada has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      New Mexico has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      New York has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Ohio has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Oregon has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Rhode Island has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Texas has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Utah has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Vermont has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Washington has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

      Crime Gun Tracing

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      How it works

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

      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

      14k

      Did you know?

      On average, approximately 13,966 firearms are reported lost or stolen to the ATF by firearms dealers every year.

      “Data & Statistics: Federal Firearms Licensee Statistics Theft / Loss Reports, 2018 to 2022”. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. (2022). https://bit.ly/2nigapL