{"id":171991,"date":"2022-12-12T17:58:58","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T22:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=171991"},"modified":"2022-12-12T17:58:58","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T13:12:08","slug":"house-committee-advances-self-reporting-gun-ban-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/house-committee-advances-self-reporting-gun-ban-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"House Committee Advances Self-Reporting Gun Ban Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today in @HouseJudiciary<\/a> we’re marking up my bipartisan Preventing Suicide Through Voluntary Firearm Purchase Delay Act.

In 2021, 26,000 Americans died by suicide with a gun. This bill, which I’m proud to lead with @RepJohnCurtis<\/a>, would help to address this crisis & save lives. pic.twitter.com\/AzTD6PDUgZ<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 7, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> \n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past Wednesday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee advanced<\/a> legislation to have the attorney general establish a federally-controlled database of people who freely agree to surrender their Second Amendment rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those on this voluntary “do not sell” list would be tracked via the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proponents of the bill, known as the Preventing Suicide Through Voluntary Firearm Purchase Delay Act (H.R. 8361<\/a>), argue it has the potential to save lives by blocking those at risk of self-harm from purchasing firearms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept isn’t new. Similar self-reporting laws exist in Washington, Utah, and Virginia. And, politicians at the federal level have been debating it since 2016. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Wednesday’s actions represent the furthest that the bill has made it through the legislative process on Capitol Hill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Act does allow individuals to both add and remove their names from the database. But the removal process comes with a 21-day delay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, any individual who wants his or her name removed must get a declaration from a mental health professional attesting that the individual is no longer a danger to himself or herself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) expressed doubt about the legislation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEE ALSO: Ruger Introduces the New Security-380 Lite Rack Pistol<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Do we really need a federal statute to permit a person to volunteer to give up their fundamental liberty? That\u2019s what this bill does,” he said, as reported by Fox News.<\/em><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Mental health is important, we all understand that, especially as it relates to suicide, but this \u2026 I mean, really? This is what we\u2019re going to do?” Jordan asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think this again is just another attack from the Democrats on the Second Amendment,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are clear legal questions that arise from someone signing away their rights (both 2A as well as HIPAA in this case), especially if they are emotionally or mentally compromised at the time they sign onto the “voluntary purchase delay database.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, the removal process has critics wondering if the ban might not end up being permanent. For example, it could be difficult to find a mental health professional willing to stake their livelihood to provide the required declaration to get an individual off the list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jordan continued, “We know that’s going to be tough. You can be assured that getting your name removed from the database will be as difficult as possible and will be a deterrent for anyone to put their name on the list to begin with.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox News<\/em> also reported:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Rep. Tom Massie, (R-KY), added that he is also worried that the bill might turn people into criminals if they give a firearm as a gift to someone who is on the list. During committee debate, Democrats said that is not the intent of the law and indicated an openness to fixing it later, but Republicans said the uncertainty on this issue is another reason not to support the bill.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n