On Thursday, May 10, the Domestic Policy Subcommittee evaluated incompleteness in the federal database used for checking the criminal and mental health records of gun purchasers, as well as the inconsistencies in state compliance with federal gun purchase laws. The hearing addressed inconsistencies among the states in their supplemental gun prohibition laws.
The hearing examined state compliance with the Gun Control Act of 1968, including states’ obligations under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 to report “prohibited persons” to the National Instant Check System (NICS). It will also address various state-law firearm restrictions beyond those required by federal law, including purchase and possession prohibitions for certain individuals in the following categories: individuals under mental health care or evaluation, individuals restrained by protective or restraining orders, and former juvenile offenders.
The following witnesses appeared:
Panel I:
- Robyn Thomas, Executive Director, Legal Community Against Violence
- Paul Helmke, President, Brady Campaign Against Handgun Violence
- John Feinblatt, Criminal Justice Coordinator for New York City
Panel II:
- Rachel L. Brand, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Policy, US. Department of Justice
- Stephen R. Rubenstein, Chief Counsel, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosive
Panel III:
- Professor Daniel Webster, Johns Hopkins University
- Professor Susan Sorenson, University of Pennsylvania
- Ron Honberg, Director of Policy and Legal Affairs, National Alliance on Mental Illness
