Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019
Latest action · Mar 5, 2019 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 30.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedFeb 8, 2019
- Passed HouseFeb 28, 2019
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019
This bill revises background check requirements applicable to proposed firearm transfers from a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a licensed gun dealer) to an unlicensed person.
(Sec. 2) First, it increases the amount of time, from 3 business days to a minimum of 10 business days, that a federal firearms licensee must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. (This type of transaction is often referred to as a default proceed transaction.)
If a submitted background check remains incomplete after 10 business days, then the prospective purchaser may submit a petition for a final firearms eligibility determination. If an additional 10 days elapse without a final determination, then the federal firearms licensee may transfer the firearm to the prospective purchaser.
(Sec. 3) It requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the extent to which the changes have prevented firearms transfers to prohibited persons.
(Sec. 4) The Federal Bureau of Investigation must report on the number of petitions it receives for final federal firearms determinations.
(Sec. 5) Additionally, the bill modifies statutory references with respect to a particular category of prohibited persons (i.e., persons barred from receiving or possessing a firearm). Specifically, it replaces references to persons adjudicated as a mental defective with persons adjudicated with mental illness, severe developmental disability, or severe emotional instability.
(Sec. 6) The Department of Justice, in consultation with the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, must report on further amendments to the background check process that would likely reduce the risk of death or great bodily harm to victims of domestic violence, domestic abuse, dating partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Recorded votes 4
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 103 | On Passage | Passed228–198 | Feb 28, 2019 |
| House 102 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed194–232 | Feb 28, 2019 |
| House 101 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to234–193 | Feb 28, 2019 |
| House 100 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to282–144 | Feb 28, 2019 |
Cosponsors 15
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 8, 2019 to Feb 22, 2019, with 2 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-SC | Joe Cunningham | Original | Feb 8, 2019 |
| R-NY | Peter T. King | Original | Feb 8, 2019 |
| D-NY | Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-MI | Andy Levin | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-CA | Brad Sherman | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-IL | Bradley Scott Schneider | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-IL | Danny K. Davis | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-RI | David N. Cicilline | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-CA | Harley Rouda | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-MN | Ilhan Omar | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-MD | Jamie Raskin | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-CA | Ro Khanna | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-NY | Thomas R. Suozzi | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-NJ | Tom Malinowski | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| D-FL | Val Butler Demings | Feb 22, 2019 |
Actions 31
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Mar 5, 2019Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 30.
- Mar 4, 2019Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
- Feb 28, 2019Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 145. (consideration: CR H2277-2293)
- Feb 28, 2019DEABTE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 145, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Van Drew amendment No. 5.
- Feb 28, 2019DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 145, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Levin (MI) amendment No. 3.
Amendments 5
Amendments offered to this bill.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HRES 145 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8) to require a background check for every firearm sale, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1112) to amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to strengthen the background check procedur | Procedurally related | Feb 26, 2019 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Congressional oversight
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Crime victims
- Criminal justice information and records
- Domestic violence and child abuse
- Firearms and explosives
- Government studies and investigations
- Licensing and registrations
- Mental health
- Retail and wholesale trades
- Sex offenses
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 5, 2019Placed on Calendar Senate
- Feb 28, 2019Engrossed in House
- Feb 22, 2019Reported in House
- Feb 8, 2019Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.