February 15, 2019
Carson City, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford issued the following statement after the signing of Senate Bill (SB) 143. The bill will expand Nevada’s background checks to include private party sales.
“Since 2016, Nevadans awaited the implementation of common-sense gun background checks, and today, I’m proud to say that their wait is over,” said AG Ford. “This is dedicated to the many Nevadans who have lost a friend, family member or coworker to preventable acts of violence. The senseless tragedy in Parkland almost a year ago to the day is just one of many acts of violence that spurred this meaningful public safety bill. It is my hope that today will be remembered as a day of action, when Nevada chose to be a part of the solution to gun violence.”
On Tuesday, legislators heard more than eight hours worth of testimony on SB 143 during a Joint Meeting of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary. This included testimony from AG Ford, who discussed his desire to carry out the will of the people by implementing this critical public safety measure.
Prior to implementation of this bill, State background checks were conducted through Nevada’s background check system on all firearm purchases involving licensed dealers. Between 2012 and 2014, background checks from licensed gun dealers prevented over 5,000 gun sales in Nevada to prohibited people, including fugitives, felons and domestic abusers. Research shows that in states with these private party sales checks, 46 percent fewer women are killed with guns by intimate partners, 48 percent fewer people commit suicide with guns, and 48 percent fewer police officers are murdered with guns.
For more information on SB 143, visit leg.state.nv.us.
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