Hyde-Smith, Gosar introduce legislation to block state gun registries

Lawmakers Offer ‘GRIP Act’ in Continued Effort to Protect Gun Owners’ Privacy Rights

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-Ariz.) today introduced the Gun-owner Registration Information Protection Act (GRIP Act) to prohibit states, localities, or any other organization from using federal funding to maintain gun registries.

The GRIP Act would clarify existing law that prohibits the use of any federal funding by states or local entities to store or list sensitive, personal information related to the legal ownership or possession of firearms.  The legislation is in response to states that in recent years enacted statutes requiring gun owners to register their handguns.

“The fight to protect Second Amendment rights is unending,” said Hyde-Smith, a lifetime NRA member.  “The GRIP Act would protect the rights and personal information of law-abiding citizens who own or purchase firearms legally.  It would require adherence to the law that specifically says federal monies cannot be used to track or hassle gun owners.”

“Another year, another swipe at the American people’s second amendment right.  This week, Speaker Pelosi plans on ramming through Congress two overreaching gun control bills.  Egregiously, these bills would create a firearm registry database that could be made available to the public creating the likelihood for discrimination against gun owners.  In contrast, this week I was proud to work with Senator Hyde-Smith to introduce the Gun-owner Registration Information Protection (GRIP) Act.  Supported by the National Rifle Association, the GRIP Act prohibits the use of federal funding of firearm registry databases that list gunowners who lawfully own or possess firearms,” said Gosar.

Current law prevents the federal government from storing information acquired during the firearms background process.  The GRIP Act would ensure the federal government does not support, either intentionally or otherwise, state or local efforts to collect and store personally identifiable information related to legal firearm purchases and ownership.

This legislation further clarifies that states and local entities cannot use federal grant funds from programs, such as the National Criminal Histories Improvement Program, NICS Amendment Records Improvement Program, or the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, to create or maintain full or partial gun registries.

The measure does not include any limitations related to state recordkeeping for permitting, law enforcement-issued firearms, or lost or stolen firearms.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed the bill.

“On behalf of our more than 5 million members, the National Rifle Association thanks Senator Hyde-Smith and Congressman Gosar for introducing this important piece of legislation to prevent the use of federal funds to create a national gun owner registry.  Biden-Pelosi-Schumer and their gun control cohorts have longed for the disarming of America, and a national gun registry is a dangerous step towards reaching that goal,” said Jason Ouimet, executive director, NRA Institute for Legislative Action.

Original cosponsors of the Senate measure include Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

Original cosponsors of the House measure include Representatives Brian Babin (R-Texas), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jerry Carl (R-Ala.), Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.) Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Fred Keller (R-Pa.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Tracy Mann (R-Kan.), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Alex Mooney (R-W.Va), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), and Randy Weber (R-Texas).

A one-page summary of the GRIP Act is available here.

A copy of the legislation is available here.

Press Release

3/11/2021