11 Senate Dems file new gun show measure
by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive Editor
Eleven Senate Democrats have filed new legislation that threatens private sales of firearms at gun shows and other events by requiring registration of all gun show organizers and background checks by federal firearms licensees (FFLs) for all private transactions.
The bill, S-2577, was filed on Jan. 30 with Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Jack Reed (D-RI) as the lead sponsors. Co-sponsors include: Robert Menendez (D-NJ); Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); Edward Kennedy and John Kerry (both D-MA); Charles Schumer (D-NY); Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); Daniel Inouye (D-HI); Carl Levin (D-MI), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA).
The measure, dubbed by sponsors as the “gun show loophole bill,” defines gun shows as any event at which 50 or more firearms are offered for sale; and a least 20% of the exhibitors display firearms, or there are not fewer than 10 firearm exhibitors; or 50 or more firearms are offered for sale, transfer or exchange. While this certainly includes shows of 100 to 1,000 tables sponsored by non-profit collector organizations and for-profit gun show promoting companies and individuals, it could also includes some club meetings and even state association meetings.
The bill defines a “gun show promoter” as anyone who organizes, plans, promotes or operates a gun show, which could mean the board members of an association of gun collectors, and requires “promoters” to register with the Attorney General.
Gun show promoters would be required to verify the identity of every vendor (anyone who has a firearm, essentially) and maintain a record of all vendors. The promoter would also be charged with notifying all attendees at the show or event of the regulations.
S-2577 defines “gun show vendor” as any person who exhibits, sells, offers for sale, transfers or exchanges one or more firearms at a gun show, whether or not the person operates from a fixed location at the show, thus classifying anyone who brings one or more guns to a show or other event with the intent to sell or trade as a vendor.
The Lautenberg-Reed bill requires all firearm transfers at the gun show to be processed by an FFL, who would be required to maintain a separate bound record of all firearms transferred at the request of a non-licensee (non-FFL). The FFL also would be required to complete a separate form as prescribed by the Attorney General and submit a report of sales to the AG within 10 days.
The measure is only slightly different from the so-called gun show loophole bill co-sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), the current front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) in 2001, which failed at passage.
S-2577 has been referred to the Judiciary Committee but whether the bill would move in an election year is open to conjecture.
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