Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, has led a multistate coalition of 21 attorneys general in support of a proposed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule that would ensure more gun sales are subject to background checks and reduce illegal gun trafficking. Following the passage of the landmark federal gun safety bill, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the ATF has proposed a new regulation to clarify what it means for a person to be “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms, and therefore required to obtain a license and run background checks when selling guns. The proposed rule would close loopholes that allowed the unlicensed sale of firearms, including online and at gun shows.
The coalition of attorneys general co-led by AG Campbell and AG James submitted a letter of support for the proposed rule and recommended areas of enforcement to limit gun trafficking.
“I am proud to co-lead this multistate coalition in support of ATF’s proposal to expand background check requirements for buyers of firearms, which will take us one meaningful step closer to ensuring that each one of us can live free from gun violence,” said AG Campbell. “The office’s Gun Violence Prevention Unit will continue to lead initiatives to prevent senseless acts of gun violence that continue to terrorize families and communities across Massachusetts and the country.”
Unlicensed gun sales make it easier for people who cannot legally purchase firearms to obtain them, endangering communities and fueling gun violence. Gun shows in states without universal background checks are a significant venue for unlicensed gun vendors and are a major source for guns trafficked into states like New York and Massachusetts. A recent ATF report revealed that the number of guns later used in crimes that originated from gun shows increased by 19 percent from 2017 to 2021. Roughly 75 percent of the guns trafficked across state lines that were used in crimes originated from states without background check laws. In New York City alone, over 90 percent of the guns recovered from crimes originated from out of state. Over 75 percent of guns recovered and traced by law enforcement in Massachusetts in 2022 came from out of state sources, according to the ATF.
The ATF’s proposed rule will crack down on unlicensed gun sellers and reduce the number of guns sold without a background check by ensuring more individuals who sell guns are subject to federal licensing and background check requirements. Vendors operating at gun shows and online would be subject to the regulation in more instances, reducing opportunities for gun sales without background checks. The new regulations will also help local and state law enforcement officials track gun sales and provide them with more tools to effectively inspect gun dealers, trace guns used in crimes, prosecute gun charges, and help keep the communities they serve safe.
The coalition of attorneys general also recommends specific areas of focus for ATF enforcement. Noting that online gun sellers and those liquidating the inventories of formerly licensed gun sellers are common sources of guns used in crimes, the coalition urges ATF to hold those illegally selling firearms accountable instead of encouraging them to become licensed gun dealers.
Joining AG Campbell and AG James in support of the ATF’s proposed rule are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
In Massachusetts, this matter was handled by Director Christine Doktor and Deputy Director Ryan Mingo of the AG’s newly established Gun Violence Prevention Unit (GVPU).
Original source can be found here.