Overview

Title

To require the Attorney General to submit to the Congress a report that includes the demographic data of persons determined to be ineligible to purchase a firearm based on a background check performed by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

ELI5 AI

H.R. 2267 wants the Attorney General to tell Congress every year about the kinds of people who aren't allowed to buy guns because of background checks, like their age, gender, and where they come from. This helps understand who gets stopped from buying guns.

Summary AI

H.R. 2267 requires the Attorney General to create a report for Congress that provides demographic information about people who are not allowed to buy firearms due to background checks. The report, which must be submitted every year, will include details about race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, disability, income, and language skills, as available. This information aims to offer insights into who is being denied firearm purchases based on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Published

2025-03-21
Congress: 119
Session: 1
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Introduced in House
Date: 2025-03-21
Package ID: BILLS-119hr2267ih

Keywords AI

nics data reporting act background checks firearm purchase ineligibility demographic data attorney general privacy concerns data protection legislative reporting requirements 119th congress h.r. 2267

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
306
Pages:
2
Sentences:
7

Language

Nouns: 108
Verbs: 26
Adjectives: 14
Adverbs: 3
Numbers: 5
Entities: 26

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.48
Average Sentence Length:
43.71
Token Entropy:
4.42
Readability (ARI):
25.22

AnalysisAI

Editorial Commentary

General Summary

The proposed bill, titled the NICS Data Reporting Act, mandates that the Attorney General submit an annual report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. This report is to include demographic data for individuals found ineligible to purchase firearms. The data is derived from background checks conducted by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill seeks comprehensive demographic information, such as race, ethnicity, nationalism, gender, age, disability status, average annual income, and English language proficiency, provided these details are available.

Summary of Significant Issues

Several critical issues arise from this bill:

  1. Privacy Concerns: The bill requires the collection of sensitive personal information, which raises significant privacy concerns. The need for detailed demographic data, including race and ethnicity, needs clear justification to avoid potential misuse.

  2. Clarity and Compliance: The bill does not specify consequences if the Attorney General fails to meet the reporting deadline, potentially weakening accountability.

  3. Data Protection: There is a lack of clarity about the use, storage, and protection of the collected data, posing risks of data breaches or misuse.

  4. Feasibility of Data Collection: The requirement for detailed demographic data might present collection challenges. Some information, like English language proficiency, is not typically gathered during background checks, leading to potential inconsistencies.

  5. Resource Strain: Additional reporting requirements could burden the NICS and the Attorney General’s office, possibly impacting their efficiency and effectiveness.

Impact on the Public Broadly

The bill could impact the public by increasing transparency around firearm purchase ineligibility, potentially informing more tailored policy solutions to prevent gun violence. However, the detailed demographic data collection could also raise privacy concerns among the general public, who may be wary of how their information is used and protected.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

  • Law Enforcement and Judiciary: These entities may benefit from enhanced data, allowing them to identify trends and implement informed policy decisions. However, they may also face increased workload and resource allocation challenges due to the detailed reporting requirements.

  • Privacy Advocates: Individuals and groups focused on privacy could see this bill as overreaching due to the extensive demographic information collection, advocating for more stringent data protection measures.

  • Gun-Right Activists: These stakeholders may view this bill skeptically, fearing that demographic data collection could lead to discriminatory practices against certain populations or be used to further restrict gun ownership rights.

In summary, while the NICS Data Reporting Act aims to enhance transparency and data-driven policy formation, it is critical to balance these goals with privacy protections and resource considerations to optimize its impact without overburdening the systems it seeks to serve.

Issues

  • The requirement for comprehensive demographic data, including race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, age, disability, average annual income, and English language proficiency, raises significant privacy concerns (Section 2). There is a need to justify why this data is necessary, and there is potential for misuse or discrimination based on such sensitive data.

  • The section lacks clarity on the consequences if the Attorney General fails to meet the reporting deadline (Section 2). Specifying penalties or alternate actions is crucial to ensure compliance and accountability.

  • There are concerns regarding data use and protection (Section 2). The bill does not specify how the collected demographic information will be used, stored, or protected, which is crucial to prevent data breaches or misuse.

  • The complexity of collecting detailed demographic data may pose challenges (Section 2). Some of the requested information may not always be easily available, and the methods for assessing data points like English language proficiency are unclear.

  • The potential overburdening of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) or the Attorney General’s office (Section 2) is raised. The additional data collection and reporting requirements could strain resources and potentially impact the efficiency of the NICS.

  • The term 'English language proficiency, if available,' is ambiguous (Section 2). It is unclear how availability is determined and how language proficiency is assessed, leading to potential inconsistencies in data reporting.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of the NICS Data Reporting Act allows the Act to be officially titled and referred to as the "NICS Data Reporting Act".

2. NICS report Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The Attorney General must submit a yearly report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees about people who couldn't buy firearms because of background checks. The report will include details like race, gender, and age, among other demographics, if available.