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Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

Solutions

Repeal Restrictions on Gun Trace Data

What does it solve?

Since 2003, the Tiahrt Amendments have restricted law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute gun crimes. This data-blocking protects corrupt gun dealers and hinders law enforcement.

The amendments prohibit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from releasing firearm trace data. They require the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to destroy all approved gun purchaser records within 24 hours. The Tiahrt Amendments also prohibit the ATF from requiring gun dealers to submit inventories to law enforcement. Repealing these amendments would help solve gun crimes.

Crime Gun Tracing

Which states require crime guns to be traced?

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

Crime Gun Tracing

Alabama has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

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California has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Colorado has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Connecticut has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Delaware has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Florida has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Hawaii has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Illinois has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Iowa has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Kansas has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Maine has not adopted this policy

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Maryland has adopted this policy

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Massachusetts has adopted this policy

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Michigan has not adopted this policy

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Minnesota has not adopted this policy

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Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Missouri has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Montana has not adopted this policy

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Nebraska has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Nevada has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

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New Jersey has adopted this policy

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New Mexico has not adopted this policy

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New York has adopted this policy

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North Carolina has adopted this policy

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North Dakota has not adopted this policy

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Ohio has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

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Oregon has adopted this policy

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Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Rhode Island has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Tennessee has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Texas has not adopted this policy

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Utah has not adopted this policy

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Vermont has not adopted this policy

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Virginia has adopted this policy

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Washington has not adopted this policy

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West Virginia has not adopted this policy

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Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

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Wyoming has not adopted this policy

How it works

Repealing the Tiahrt Amendments would aid the enforcement of gun laws.

Crime gun tracing is a critical data source—it can help solve gun crimes, and it can also help identify where the guns used in crimes are originating from. But since 2003, NRA-drafted annual riders attached to U.S. Department of Justice appropriation bills—called the Tiahrt Amendments—have blocked the ATF from sharing this important data. This data-blocking serves to protect corrupt dealers and hinder law enforcement.

The Tiahrt Amendments restrict information investigators can obtain on where a gun was purchased and to whom it was sold. The amendments require the FBI to destroy records of approved background checks within 24 hours. They also prevent local governments and police from accessing federal gun trace data from areas beyond their immediate geographic area. This prevents the investigation of gun trafficking. The Amendments prohibit cities from using gun trace data in civil enforcement actions, such as gun dealers license revocations, and prevents the ATF from requiring firearms dealers to keep and regularly submit firearm inventories. These inventories are an administrative practice that could reduce the number of firearms reported lost or stolen by dealers every year.

By the numbers