The NICS system is up for reauthorization this year. It’s still under debate in the Senate, but here’s what’s going on.
Under Section 103:
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.–The NICS
Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (18 U.S.C. 922 note) is
amended–
(1) by striking “as a mental defective” each place that
term appears and inserting “mentally incompetent”;
(2) by striking “mental institution” each place that term
appears and inserting “psychiatric hospital”; and
(3) in section 102(c)(3)–
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking “as a mental
defective or committed to a mental institution” and
inserting “mentally incompetent or committed to a
psychiatric hospital”; and
(B) by striking “mental institutions” and inserting
“psychiatric hospitals”.
Section 106 contains the “Nationwide Project Exile Expansion,” which contains provisions to actually, you know, prosecute people who violate existing laws.
Section 108 has a post Fast & Furious tidbit:
The Department of Justice, and any of its law enforcement coordinate agencies, shall not conduct any operation where a Federal firearms licensee is directed, instructed, enticed, or otherwise encouraged by the Department of Justice to sell a firearm to an individual if the Department of Justice, or a coordinate agency, knows or has reasonable cause to believe that such an individual is purchasing on behalf of another for an illegal purpose
Sections 109 and 110 tighten up the rules a bit on straw purchasing. Continued...