WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce the Background Check Expansion Act, which would expand federal background checks to all gun sales, including those made online and at gun shows. Although more than 90 percent of Americans support comprehensive background checks, under current federal law, unlicensed sellers are not required to conduct a background check prior to transferring a firearm. Data has shown that 83 percent of Nevadans support policies to require criminal background checks for all gun purchases.
“Recent mass shootings have made it painfully clear that there’s more we need to do to end gun violence,” said Senator Rosen. “Far too many communities and families across our country have been impacted by this senseless violence, and there are commonsense actions we can take to address it. This is why I’m helping introduce legislation to close the loopholes in the existing background check system and require background checks on all commercial firearms sales.”
The Background Check Expansion Act would require background checks for the sale or transfer of all firearms. This requirement extends to all unlicensed sellers, whether they do business online, at gun shows, or out of their homes. Exceptions to the Background Check Expansion Act include transfers between law enforcement officers, temporarily loaning firearms for hunting and sporting events, providing firearms as gifts to immediate family members, transferring a firearm as part of an inheritance, or temporarily transferring a firearm for immediate self-defense.
###
