S 494 United States Senate · 118th Congress

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

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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
Photo of Christopher Murphy
Christopher Murphy
DDemocratic
CT
n/a
Co
Photo of Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla
DDemocratic
CA
n/a
Co
Photo of Amy Klobuchar
Amy Klobuchar
DDemocratic
MN
n/a
Co
Photo of Angus S. King, Jr.
Angus S. King, Jr.
IIndependent
ME
n/a
Co
Photo of Ben Ray Luján
Ben Ray Luján
DDemocratic
NM
n/a
Co
Photo of Benjamin L. Cardin
Benjamin L. Cardin
DDemocratic
MD
n/a
Co
Photo of Bernard Sanders
Bernard Sanders
IIndependent
VT
n/a
Co
Photo of Brian Schatz
Brian Schatz
DDemocratic
HI
n/a
Co
Photo of Catherine Cortez Masto
Catherine Cortez Masto
DDemocratic
NV
n/a
Co
Photo of Charles E. Schumer
Charles E. Schumer
DDemocratic
NY
n/a
Co
Photo of Chris Van Hollen
Chris Van Hollen
DDemocratic
MD
n/a