Posted on 06/21/2022 9:05:52 PM PDT by RandFan
Senate negotiators unveiled an 80-page bill Tuesday evening responding to the mass shootings at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., and the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, capping weeks of intense negotiations.
Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.), the lead Democratic negotiator, is hailing the bill as the biggest breakthrough on the issue of gun violence in 30 years and predicted Tuesday it would save lives.
Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), the head Republican in the talks, says the legislation will take guns out of the hands of people who are dangerous or break the law but won’t affect the gun rights of law-abiding citizens.
Here’s what’s inside the package:
Enhanced background checks for people 18 to 21
The legislation would enhance background check requirements for buyers younger than 21 who have juvenile criminal records.
It would keep in place current law requiring the completion of a background check investigation for people between the ages of 18 and 21 within three days but would also require the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to check state records to identify individuals with juvenile records that would disqualify them from purchasing firearms.
But the enhanced background check requirements for buyers between 18 and 21 years old would expire on Sept. 30, 2032, requiring a future Congress to pass new legislation to extend it.
Both the Uvalde and Buffalo shooters were teenagers.
Money for red flag laws and other intervention programs
The bill would expand the Byrne JAG law enforcement grant program to allow states to use federal funding to implement crisis intervention court programs to reduce gun violence. States would have the flexibility to use the money to administer red flag laws to take guns away from people deemed dangerous to themselves or others.
The money could also be used for mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts and assisted outpatient treatment courts.
It would set up due process protections for intervention programs.
Cornyn explained on the floor Tuesday that if a state red flag law doesn’t include due process protections, it will not be eligible for grants.
Closing the ‘boyfriend loophole‘
The legislation would suspend a person’s right to buy or possess a firearm for a period of at least five years if he or she is convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence against a person with whom they have or have had a romantic relationship.
A current or former romantic partner would automatically regain the right to buy or own a firearm after a period of five years has elapsed from the end of their criminal sentence. Romantic or intimate partners who are convicted of a violent crime during that five-year waiting period would not automatically regain the right to buy or own a gun.
Under current law, individuals who are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a spouse, a person with a child in common or a cohabiting partner lose their rights to purchase or possess firearms, but advocates have long lamented the so-called “boyfriend loophole” when none of those conditions apply
Children and family mental health services
The bill grows the community mental health services pilot program, expanding Medicaid funding for certified community behavioral health clinics, allowing up to 10 new states to opt into the program every 10 years.
It requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide guidance to states on how to increase access to health care and mental health services through telehealth programs to Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program enrollees.
It also seeks to improve access to mental health service in schools by requiring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide states with resources to expand health programs at schools.
Clarifying the definition of gun dealers
The bill clarifies that people who regularly buy and sell firearms to earn profits must be registered as Federal Firearm Licensee, which would require them to run background checks for transactions.
The language is intended to crack down on people who buy and sell large numbers of guns but intentionally avoid dealer licensing requirements.
Cracking down on straw purchasers and illegal trafficking of firearms
The bill would establish a new and specific criminal offense for straw purchasers and gun traffickers and establish tougher penalties, up to 15 years in prison, for people who break the law.
The language is intended to make it easier for prosecutors to charge gun runners. Under current law, prosecutors often have to rely on charging people who illegally traffic firearms with paperwork violations.
It would give law enforcement tools to charge people who act as middlemen for criminals and drug traffickers.
It would direct the U.S. Sentencing Commission to adopt tougher guidelines for straw purchasers and gun traffickers.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) both praised the bill Tuesday evening.
“This bipartisan gun-safety legislation is progress and will save lives. While it is not everything we want, this legislation is urgently needed,” Schumer said in a statement, promising to bring the bill to the floor immediately.
McConnell announced he would vote for the bill, likely giving it at least 61 votes and enough to overcome a filibuster.
Don’t forget Veterans. We’re all crazy, even if you’re a non combat Veteran.
Oh, and white people. We’re born crazy and racist…
How ‘bout unconstiturional and everybody knows it
Rats get credit and Pubs get it cancelled
So, calling people who chose to open carry “dumbasses” is how you interact with people who you are supposed to on the same team with in defending Second Amendment rights?
You are part of the problem.
Red flag laws give the anti gun nuts legal reasons to take guns away from anyone. All it will take is an accusation.
The accused will be guilty until proven innocent.
Sooner or later, there will be a reckoning.
What if my Muslim neighbor is buying guns and screaming for Jihad?
If I turn him in, am I still racist?
Spending money on taking our rights away and sending us into deeper inflation. This bill will not reduce crime one iota. Crime will continue to skyrocket.
Better be blowing up these Senators phones, I just called mine and fixing to call McConnell’s office..
Good job!
Useless as many juvenile convictions are sealed or expunged automatically.
Money for red flag laws and other intervention programs
Paying for unconstitutional seizure of firearms without probable cause.
Closing the ‘boyfriend loophole‘
Because we all know no jilted girlfriend is ever a vindictive liar.
Children and family mental health services
Pushes more Obamacare Medicare expansion on the road to Bernie's nationalized healthcare system while masquerading as gun control.
Clarifying the definition of gun dealers
Uselessly recodifies existing law, probably will encourage BATFE to charge me if I sell a pistol to my Uncle John.
Cracking down on straw purchasers and illegal trafficking of firearms
Useless extension of existing Federal crimes that go largely unprosecuted.
Just vote for more Republicans!
A couple of years from now, when this ‘bill’ is shown to be ineffective, they will have to make another, more ‘restrictive’ bill.
Then, in a few years when...
No; just a bigot.
If passed they can immediately seize Hunter Biden’s firearms for multiple violations. But we all know that won’t happed.
But if it were Don Jr. they would. In todays America, especially at the federal level, it’s all about your political affiliation, not about the crime at hand.
Which is a good reason itself to not open carry.
That way you’re not a target of anonymous red flagging.
That reads as unconstitutional to me.
I might be confused but I dont think your interpretation is accurate.
Um, none of this will stop the next Uvalde. People who want to kill people do not even pay attention to goofy laws imposed by a bunch of fat cat politicians who exempt themselves from laws they impose on the people.
The next Uvalde style killer will manage to get his gun black market and kill people. That person will never even know about these gun laws. I imagine guns pour over that open Southern border run by the cartels by the gross loads.
Epic fail McConnell.
No surprises here...
Just another normal GOP sellout...
Every spineless, fellow-traveling GOPer who voted for this legislation needs to primaried out of existence...
Yes you’re confused.
Do you really think that once the liberal bastards get the chance to search juvenile records for 18-20 yr olds that they won’t search the records of everyone?
Republicans that sign on to this BS are stump stupid.
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