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S. 2135 115th Congress Senate

Fix NICS Act of 2017

Official title: A bill to enforce current law regarding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Introduced: March 12, 2018 Introduced by: John Cornyn Republican · Texas See on congress.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement Congressional oversightCriminal justice information and recordsCriminal procedure and sentencingDomestic violence and child abuse
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Drug trafficking and controlled substancesDrug, alcohol, tobacco useEmployee performanceFederal officialsFirearms and explosivesGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesIntergovernmental relationsMental healthState and local government operations
This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 14, 2018
Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
Dec 6, 2017
Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
Nov 15, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7163-7265)
Nov 15, 2017
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 14, 2018

Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fix NICS Act of 2017

This bill amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to require each federal agency and department, including a federal court, to:

  • certify whether it has provided to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) disqualifying records of persons prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm, and
  • establish and substantially comply with an implementation plan to maximize record submissions and verify their accuracy.

The bill amends the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to:

  • direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a state implementation plan, including benchmarks, to maximize the automation and submission of mental health and criminal history records to the NICS;
  • waive the grant match requirement under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) for a state that complies with its implementation plan;
  • reauthorize through FY2022 the NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP);
  • establish, as a priority area for NARIP grant funding, a domestic abuse and violence prevention initiative; and
  • create a funding preference under the NARIP program for states that establish an implementation plan and use grant funds to upload felony conviction and domestic violence records.

It amends the Crime Identification Technology Act of 1998 to reauthorize through FY2022 the NCHIP program. If a state complies with its implementation plan, then the federal share of an NCHIP grant may exceed 90% of program costs.

 Related & companion bills 3
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 51
R
Cassidy, Bill
Louisiana · Mar 20, 2018
D
Reed, Jack
Rhode Island · Mar 20, 2018
D
Booker, Cory A.
New Jersey · Mar 19, 2018
D
Schatz, Brian
Hawaii · Mar 15, 2018
R
Capito, Shelley Moore
West Virginia · Mar 12, 2018
D
Smith, Tina
Minnesota · Mar 12, 2018
D
Warren, Elizabeth
Massachusetts · Mar 12, 2018
R
Boozman, John
Arkansas · Mar 8, 2018
R
Fischer, Deb
Nebraska · Mar 8, 2018
D
Gillibrand, Kirsten E.
New York · Mar 8, 2018
D
Kaine, Tim
Virginia · Mar 8, 2018
D
Merkley, Jeff
Oregon · Mar 8, 2018
D
Cantwell, Maria
Washington · Mar 7, 2018
R
Grassley, Chuck
Iowa · Mar 7, 2018
Burr, Richard
· Mar 6, 2018
R
Graham, Lindsey
South Carolina · Feb 28, 2018
D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · Feb 28, 2018
D
Warner, Mark R.
Virginia · Feb 28, 2018
R
Young, Todd
Indiana · Feb 28, 2018
D
Duckworth, Tammy
Illinois · Feb 27, 2018
D
Peters, Gary C.
Michigan · Feb 27, 2018
R
Thune, John
South Dakota · Feb 27, 2018
Isakson, Johnny
· Feb 26, 2018
D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · Feb 26, 2018
I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Feb 26, 2018
D
Hassan, Margaret Wood
New Hampshire · Dec 21, 2017
R
Hoeven, John
North Dakota · Dec 21, 2017
D
Wyden, Ron
Oregon · Dec 21, 2017
R
Ernst, Joni
Iowa · Dec 19, 2017
R
Moran, Jerry
Kansas · Dec 19, 2017
D
Whitehouse, Sheldon
Rhode Island · Dec 19, 2017
D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · Dec 12, 2017
R
Lankford, James
Oklahoma · Dec 12, 2017
D
Klobuchar, Amy
Minnesota · Dec 5, 2017
D
Bennet, Michael F.
Colorado · Nov 29, 2017
R
Johnson, Ron
Wisconsin · Nov 29, 2017
R
Collins, Susan M.
Maine · Nov 28, 2017
D
Durbin, Richard J.
Illinois · Nov 28, 2017
I
King, Angus S., Jr.
Maine · Nov 28, 2017
R
McConnell, Mitch
Kentucky · Nov 28, 2017
D
Schumer, Charles E.
New York · Nov 28, 2017
R
Tillis, Thomas
North Carolina · Nov 28, 2017
D
Coons, Christopher A.
Delaware · Nov 16, 2017
D
Cortez Masto, Catherine
Nevada · Nov 16, 2017
D
Heinrich, Martin
New Mexico · Nov 16, 2017
R
Murkowski, Lisa
Alaska · Nov 16, 2017
Toomey, Patrick
· Nov 16, 2017
D
Blumenthal, Richard
Connecticut · Nov 15, 2017
D
Murphy, Christopher
Connecticut · Nov 15, 2017
R
Scott, Tim
South Carolina · Nov 15, 2017
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2135: Fix NICS Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2135/
MLA
"S. 2135: Fix NICS Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2135/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2135, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2135/.
Markdown link
[S. 2135: Fix NICS Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2135/)
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