SJR 5 - DESTROY BRADY BILL RECORDS Number 0032 CHAIR McGUIRE announced that the first order of business would be CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5(STA), Urging the President of the United States and the Congress to act to ensure that federal agencies do not retain records relating to lawful purchase or ownership of firearms gathered through the Brady Handgun Bill instant check system. Number 0084 SENATOR TOM WAGONER, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor, said that the United States Congress passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act ("Brady Handgun Bill") in 1993 to "promote gun safety and reduce gun violence." To do this, he relayed, the Act established a "national instant criminal background check system" (NICBCS) to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals; at that time, it was clear that the NICBCS was not to be used by the government as a way to monitor legitimate firearm ownership by law-abiding citizens. If an individual is approved for purchasing a firearm, 18 U.S.C. 922(t)(2)(C) states: "destroy all records of the system with respect to the call (other than the identifying number and the date the number was assigned) and all records of the system relating to the person or the transfer." SENATOR WAGONER said that the administration interpreted this language such that it allows agencies to retain these records for 180 days for audit purposes only. He opined that this interpretation is in violation of both the spirit and letter of the original Brady Handgun Bill. He asked members to join him in sending a message to the nation's capitol. Number 0225 REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS moved to report CSSJR 5(STA) out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSJR 5(STA) was reported from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.