Illegal Gun Owners Would Be Reported To NICS Under La. Bill

Louisiana legislators approved a bill requiring information about residents banned from possessing a firearm be reported to the federal system accessed for background checks.

SB 135 has been endorsed by the National Shooting Sports Federation, a firearms trade association that sponsors the annual SHOT Show. The bill now moves to Gov. Bobby Jindal for approval.

Under the legislation, a state resident who loses the right to own a firearm would be reported to the state Supreme Court, which would forward the information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

Such individuals could include a person who pleads guilty to a crime by reason of insanity, lacks the mental capacity to stand trial for a crime, is involuntarily committed to an in-patient mental health treatment facility, is convicted of a violent crime, is convicted of a felony violation of drug laws or is convicted of a sexual offense.

"Louisiana legislators clearly understood that the background check system is only as good as the records in the database," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel in a press release. "That is why the firearms industry supports improving the current NICS system by increasing the number of prohibiting records states submit to the NICS system."

The Brady Act of 1993 created the background check system and NICS became operational in 1998.