Everytown, Moms Demand Action Applaud Sens. Pat Toomey and Chris Coons for Introducing Legislation That Would Notify Law Enforcement When Criminals Try to Purchase Guns

NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown, released the following statement today applauding Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Chris Coons (D-DE) for introducing the NICS Denial Notification Act, legislation that will make sure state law enforcement officials are notified each time a person who is not allowed to have guns tries to buy a firearm and fails the background check – providing law enforcement with the information they need to identify unlawful purchasers before they can get a gun another way. The legislation is also co-sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bill Nelson (D-FL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

Similar legislation will be signed into law today in Oregon. Bills also passed in state houses last year in Washington State and Hawaii. And in 2016, Tennessee – a state with a legislature that was ranked the country’s most conservative for two years in a row – passed similar bipartisan domestic violence legislation that was signed into law by its Republican governor.

STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:

“When a domestic abuser or convicted felon tries to buy a gun and fails a background check, it’s a crime and a warning sign for law enforcement. Under this bill, state law enforcement would be notified when a criminal tries to buy a gun, and given the information they need to help prevent the next crime from happening. We applaud Senators Toomey and Coons for introducing this bipartisan bill.”