This legislation is intended to amend current procurement policies for federal contracts involving firearms dealers. By implementing a system of accountability where firearms dealers who have been associated with a high rate of firearms tracing are penalized, the bill could significantly shift how federal agencies procure firearms. This could lead to fewer contracts with entities that have poor compliance or a record of guns being misused. Supporters argue that this legislation promotes responsible gun sales and enhances public safety by reducing the availability of firearms through less reputable dealers.
Summary
HB8764, titled the 'Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act', aims to enhance federal oversight of firearms dealers by requiring the Attorney General to publicly disclose a list of dealers who have a high number of firearms traced back to crime scenes, particularly in a short time-to-crime interval. The bill sets criteria for what constitutes a 'covered firearms dealer' based on their sales and crime traces over a three-year period. It mandates that federal agencies cannot contract with these dealers, thereby attempting to reduce federal spending with those deemed problematic due to their firearms sales practices.
Contention
However, the bill does raise notable points of contention. Opponents worry that it could unfairly target legitimate firearms dealers who may have simply been unlucky with a small number of traced firearms due to no fault of their own. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the subjective nature of the criteria used to classify dealers as 'covered'. Critics also argue that federal intervention in state matters could provoke legal challenges based on the interpretation of constitutional rights pertaining to gun ownership and sales.