Background Check Expansion Act
This bill requires background checks for most private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals by mandating that such transfers occur through a licensed dealer. It directly affects unlicensed buyers and sellers of firearms who would otherwise transfer guns without checks, except for specific exceptions like family gifts, law enforcement transfers, temporary safety-related transfers, or transfers for hunting/shooting at designated locations. Key provisions include requiring licensed dealers to conduct background checks as if they were transferring the firearm themselves and adding a new requirement for written certification from the unlicensed transferee. The bill does not create a national gun registry and leaves state laws intact.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Feb 16, 2023
Last action Feb 16, 2023
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Feb 16, 2023
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 48 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Christopher Murphy
DDemocratic
Co
Alex Padilla
DDemocratic
Co
Amy Klobuchar
DDemocratic
Co
Angus S. King, Jr.
IIndependent
Co
Ben Ray Luján
DDemocratic
Co
Benjamin L. Cardin
DDemocratic
Co
Bernard Sanders
IIndependent
Co
Brian Schatz
DDemocratic
Co
Catherine Cortez Masto
DDemocratic
Co
Charles E. Schumer
DDemocratic
Co
Chris Van Hollen
DDemocratic
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