WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) visited the Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Clarksburg, West Virginia to receive a series of briefings and demonstrations on how the recent changes made to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), following the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), are protecting Americans across the country.
“Following the horrific shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde last year, I joined my colleagues to negotiate the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act so we can improve mental health care, strengthen school safety, and save lives while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding North Carolinians,”said Senator Tillis. “An important pillar of the legislation was ensuring juvenile records were included in the background system so individuals under the age of 21 with a criminal or mental health record cannot potentially harm themselves or others. Today, we learned that is already occurring with 143 individuals under the age of 21 being denied a firearm to date, potentially saving countless lives, without affecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. I am proud to see this commonsense legislation already making a difference and I look forward to future implementation that will provide important funding to improve mental health and strengthen school safety.”
Background:
NICS is the FBI's national system that, as required by law, conducts a background check on people in over 40 states and territories who want to purchase or possess a firearm or explosive. NICS assists 13 additional states that conduct their own checks, which often rely on data held by CJIS.
BSCA expanded and strengthened NICS background checks, including by enhancing checks for young adults, aged 18 to 21, to now require contacting state agencies and local law enforcement for disqualifying juvenal criminal history and mental health records.
As of December 5, 2022, a total of 17,361 U21 transactions have been processed. Of those, 17,174 were proceeded, 143 were denied, with the remaining transactions being cancelled by the federal firearm licensee.
The legislation also closed the so-called “boyfriend loophole” by expanding the “misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence” prohibitor. Now, persons convicted on or after June 25, 2022, of a qualifying offense against a person with whom they are or were in a “dating relationship” will be denied their purchase of a firearm as a result of their background check.
Separately, CJIS Assistant Director Michael A. Christman and his executive staff provided the group with an overview of the National Threat Operations Center, which serves as the primary communication channel for the public to provide information pertaining to federal violations and threats to national security and operates out of CJIS.
Senator Tillis was joined by FBI Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
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