by Since my last update, there have been three House bills dealing with firearms-related topics introduced and two in the Senate. The House bills probably aren’t going anywhere but the two Senate bills have the ability to gain some traction especially since they are the product of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.
House
HR 848 – Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)
Armed Prohibited Persons Act of 2013
To direct the Attorney General to make grants to States to develop systems to retrieve firearms from armed prohibited persons.
Co-Sponsors:
Rep. Speier, Jackie (D-CA)
Referred to the House Judiciary Committee
HR 955 – Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL)
Hadiya Pendleton and Nyasia Pryear-Yard Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013
To increase public safety by punishing and deterring firearms trafficking.
Co-Sponsors:
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy (D-OH)
Referred to the House Judiciary Committee
HR 965 – Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
To prohibit the possession or transfer of junk guns, also known as Saturday Night Specials.
Referred to the House Judiciary Committee
Senate
S. 443 – Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2013
To increase public safety by punishing and deterring firearms trafficking.
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Sen Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL]
Sen Franken, Al [D-MN]
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Sen King, Angus S. Jr. [I-ME]
Sen Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL]
Sen Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee
S. 480 – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
The NICS Reporting Improvement Act of 2013
A bill to improve the effectiveness of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System by clarifying reporting requirements related to adjudications of mental incompetency, and for other purposes.
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Sen Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Sen Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Sen Pryor, Mark L. [D-AR]
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee
(The text of this bill is not yet available. However, from the press release put out by Sen. Graham, it seeks to clarify when a person loses his or her right to firearms due to mental illness. They do stress it has to come from an adjudicative body.)
