Handgun purchase eligibility records sought

Records of individuals who have been denied handgun purchases in Nebraska would be provided to the Legislature under a bill heard by the Judiciary Committee Feb. 26.

LB1035, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill, would require the Nebraska State Patrol and the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to provide the Legislature a record of citizens unable to purchase handguns due to disqualification or disability.

The report also would be published on the Nebraska State Patrol and DHHS websites.

McGill said she brought the bill in response to constituents’ concerns that Nebraska agencies are not thoroughly sharing records of handgun purchase denials. Her investigation found that while the list contains more than 7,000 names, several thousand more should be listed, McGill said.

Maintaining an accurate list is important, she said, because it helps prevent gun sales to individuals who suffer from mental instability, domestic violence offenders, fugitives from justice and people who have been served with a restraining order.

“Every day the records are missing, the public is at risk,” McGill said.

Matt Schaefer of the Nebraska Shooting School Foundation testified in support of the bill. He said numerous agencies contribute names to the handgun denial list, so it is difficult to access the most recent data. The bill would simplify the process for obtaining accurate information, he said.

“A background check is only as good as the records and database,” Schaefer said.

Rodney Moeller, president of the Nebraska Firearms Owners Association, testified in opposition to the bill. He said LB1035 would be unnecessary if DHHS did a better job of reporting names to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

“If we know DHHS is not reporting what they should, why are we proposing another bill?” Moeller asked. “To ask them to publish a report to tell us they are doing their job is just silliness.”

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.