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Bill would bar financial institutions from tracking firearm merchant codes; sponsor cites privacy concerns
Summary
Representative Ted Hill introduced RS 32273 to expand prior second-amendment protections by prohibiting financial institutions from tracking merchant category codes tied to firearm retailers; the draft imposes a $10,000 injunction per violation and prompted committee questions about card types covered.
Representative Ted Hill, R-District 14 (Eagle and Emmett), told the House State Affairs Committee that RS 32273 would prohibit financial institutions from using merchant or transaction codes to identify purchases at firearm and ammunition retailers.
Hill framed the measure as an extension of previous legislation that targeted credit card companies’ tracking of merchant codes. “The intent of tracking these codes was unprecedented surveillance of second amendment activity,” Hill said, arguing that tracking merchant codes could be used as “backdoor surveillance” of lawful purchasers.
Key provisions and committee discussion - Scope: Hill said the earlier legislation targeted credit card companies; the new draft would extend prohibitions to financial institutions generally and the payment ecosystem that can include debit processing. - Penalty: Hill said the draft creates a civil remedy of a $10,000 injunction for each time a financial institution uses the data in a prohibited way. - Questions: Representative Barbieri asked whether the language was limited to credit cards; Hill confirmed that debit cards and payment processors would be covered because they operate in the financial-institution payment system.
Why it matters: The bill would restrict data practices by banks and payment processors related to firearms purchases, a point of legal and regulatory interest given debates over privacy, surveillance and consumer payments.
Committee action A motion to introduce RS 32273 was made and the committee voted to introduce the draft for a future hearing. No formal floor vote on the substantive bill occurred; the committee will schedule a hearing for further examination.
