Drizzt
Member
Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury Asks State to Regulate Secondary Gun Sales
2/13/2003
Press Release
Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury
c/o Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence
4403 1st Ave. SE, Suite 113
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Contact:
John Johnson
Phone: 319-743-7823
Group Wants to Extend Brady Background Checks to Firearm Sales by Unlicensed Sellers in Addition to Sales in Gun Stores
Des Moines, IA - The secondary sale of firearms by unlicensed sellers allows felons, domestic abusers, the mentally ill, and other persons prohibited by law from possessing firearms to buy guns without a background check or record of sale according to the Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury. During a Feb. 11 press conference at the State Capitol Building, the Coalition announced its support for legislation to be introduced in the Iowa legislature that would regulate the secondary sale of firearms by requiring all firearm sales by unlicensed sellers to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer.
Under the Brady law (enacted by Congress in 1993), federally licensed firearms dealers are required to conduct criminal background checks on all buyers and to keep records. However, the Brady law only applies to firearms sold through licensed firearms dealers. But dealer sales only account for about 60 percent of all firearm sales. The remaining 40 percent of firearm sales, an estimated 5.45 million transactions each year, are not subject to background checks. In the firearm business, firearm sales by unlicensed sellers are referred to as "secondary sales."
Sources of secondary sales include gun shows, flea markets, estate sales, firearm sales over the Internet, firearm sales through classified ads in newspapers, and other person-to-person sales.
Studies show that most criminals do not buy their guns from federally licensed firearms dealers. A 1999 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) study found that of guns used in crimes, only 11 percent could be traced to the original gun purchaser from a licensed firearms dealer with a background check. The other 89 percent of crime guns had changed hands at least once after the original purchase. That is, the person who committed the crime obtained the gun from secondary markets.
"For too long, lawmakers have neglected their duty to protect Americans from gun violence," said John Johnson, executive director of Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence. "We call on the Governor and the Iowa Legislature to take reasonable steps to reduce gun violence in Iowa and set an example for other states. The question is, do Iowa's lawmakers have the political will to do what they know needs to be done?"
Peg Bouska, a member of the Iowa Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, compared current law with an airport security system that only required 60 percent of the passengers boarding an airplane to go through metal detectors. The other 40 percent would not be required to go through metal detectors. And furthermore, the passengers would be allowed to decide which gate they would go through. "Do you think such an airport security system would be effective," asked Bouska?
The proposed legislation is supported by the League of Women Voters of Iowa. Jan McNelly, president, said, "The Brady Law introduced an important law enforcement tool to help keep guns out of the hands of criminals - background checks. Brady background checks help prevent the sale of guns to persons who are prohibited by law from owning them - felons, domestic abusers, the mentally ill, etc. Extending Brady background checks to all gun sales would allow law-abiding Americans to purchase guns, while providing law enforcement officials with an essential tool to prevent illegal gun sales."
Under the proposed legislation, all private firearm sales between unlicensed individuals would have to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer. Ownership of the gun would pass from the seller to the dealer and then to the buyer. The dealer would be required to conduct a background check on the buyer as if he were selling from his own inventory. Dealers could charge a fee of up to $10 to offset the cost of conducting the background checks and keeping the required records. Exceptions are granted for collectables and antique firearms (as defined in the Iowa Code) and for firearm transfers between family members.
The proposed legislation would not require any new state or federal resources since it makes use of the existing network of federally licensed firearms dealers and the Instant Criminal Background Check System maintained by the federal government.
The Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury supports both legislative and non-legislative initiatives to reduce firearm death and injury in Iowa.
http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/alerts/reader/0,2061,556636,00.html
2/13/2003
Press Release
Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury
c/o Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence
4403 1st Ave. SE, Suite 113
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Contact:
John Johnson
Phone: 319-743-7823
Group Wants to Extend Brady Background Checks to Firearm Sales by Unlicensed Sellers in Addition to Sales in Gun Stores
Des Moines, IA - The secondary sale of firearms by unlicensed sellers allows felons, domestic abusers, the mentally ill, and other persons prohibited by law from possessing firearms to buy guns without a background check or record of sale according to the Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury. During a Feb. 11 press conference at the State Capitol Building, the Coalition announced its support for legislation to be introduced in the Iowa legislature that would regulate the secondary sale of firearms by requiring all firearm sales by unlicensed sellers to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer.
Under the Brady law (enacted by Congress in 1993), federally licensed firearms dealers are required to conduct criminal background checks on all buyers and to keep records. However, the Brady law only applies to firearms sold through licensed firearms dealers. But dealer sales only account for about 60 percent of all firearm sales. The remaining 40 percent of firearm sales, an estimated 5.45 million transactions each year, are not subject to background checks. In the firearm business, firearm sales by unlicensed sellers are referred to as "secondary sales."
Sources of secondary sales include gun shows, flea markets, estate sales, firearm sales over the Internet, firearm sales through classified ads in newspapers, and other person-to-person sales.
Studies show that most criminals do not buy their guns from federally licensed firearms dealers. A 1999 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) study found that of guns used in crimes, only 11 percent could be traced to the original gun purchaser from a licensed firearms dealer with a background check. The other 89 percent of crime guns had changed hands at least once after the original purchase. That is, the person who committed the crime obtained the gun from secondary markets.
"For too long, lawmakers have neglected their duty to protect Americans from gun violence," said John Johnson, executive director of Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence. "We call on the Governor and the Iowa Legislature to take reasonable steps to reduce gun violence in Iowa and set an example for other states. The question is, do Iowa's lawmakers have the political will to do what they know needs to be done?"
Peg Bouska, a member of the Iowa Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, compared current law with an airport security system that only required 60 percent of the passengers boarding an airplane to go through metal detectors. The other 40 percent would not be required to go through metal detectors. And furthermore, the passengers would be allowed to decide which gate they would go through. "Do you think such an airport security system would be effective," asked Bouska?
The proposed legislation is supported by the League of Women Voters of Iowa. Jan McNelly, president, said, "The Brady Law introduced an important law enforcement tool to help keep guns out of the hands of criminals - background checks. Brady background checks help prevent the sale of guns to persons who are prohibited by law from owning them - felons, domestic abusers, the mentally ill, etc. Extending Brady background checks to all gun sales would allow law-abiding Americans to purchase guns, while providing law enforcement officials with an essential tool to prevent illegal gun sales."
Under the proposed legislation, all private firearm sales between unlicensed individuals would have to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer. Ownership of the gun would pass from the seller to the dealer and then to the buyer. The dealer would be required to conduct a background check on the buyer as if he were selling from his own inventory. Dealers could charge a fee of up to $10 to offset the cost of conducting the background checks and keeping the required records. Exceptions are granted for collectables and antique firearms (as defined in the Iowa Code) and for firearm transfers between family members.
The proposed legislation would not require any new state or federal resources since it makes use of the existing network of federally licensed firearms dealers and the Instant Criminal Background Check System maintained by the federal government.
The Iowa Coalition to Prevent Firearm Injury supports both legislative and non-legislative initiatives to reduce firearm death and injury in Iowa.
http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/alerts/reader/0,2061,556636,00.html
