ATF to Alabama Dealers: CCW Permit No Longer Bypasses Background Check
Alabama Carry Permit Will No Longer Act as a Brady Alternative
Cliff’s Notes: Alabama was handing out CCW permits to prohibited persons, who used it to purchase firearms without a background check. Somebody dropped the ball on screening AL CCW licenses and they now no longer bypass the check.
From the ATF:
Public Safety Advisory to all Alabama Federal Firearm Licensees
The purpose of this public safety advisory is to notify you of an important change to the procedure you may follow to comply with the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act (Brady Act), codified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(t), when transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person.
The permanent provisions of the Brady Act took effect on November 30, 1998. The Brady Act generally requires Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to initiate a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. However, the Brady Act contains exceptions to the NICS check requirement, including an exception for holders of certain state permits to possess, carry, or acquire firearms. The law and implementing regulations provide that permits issued within the past 5 years may qualify as alternatives to the NICS check if certain other requirements are satisfied. Most importantly, the authority issuing the permit must conduct a NICS background check and must deny a permit to anyone prohibited from possessing firearms under federal, state, or local law. Continue reading
