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Rep. Ted Hill seeks to bar financial tracking of firearms purchases in RS 32,273
Summary
Rep. Ted Hill introduced RS 32,273 to prohibit financial institutions from tracking merchant codes used by firearms retailers; the draft would allow injunctions for violations and expands earlier credit-card-focused language to other financial institutions.
Representative Ted Hill, R-District 14 (Eagle and Emmett), told the House State Affairs Committee RS 32,273 would extend prior second‑amendment protections by preventing financial institutions from tracking merchant category or merchant codes tied to firearm and ammunition retailers.
Hill said earlier effort targeted credit‑card companies; the new draft would reach financial institutions that map unique merchant codes and thereby enable what he described as “backdoor surveillance” of lawful firearm purchases. Hill said the original legislative push in 2018 by some members of Congress sought merchant‑code tracking to identify illegal sales but, in his view, real criminals do not use traceable payment methods.
Under the draft Hill described, a violation would carry civil penalties—a $10,000 injunction for each instance Hill said—aimed at deterring surveillance by payment processors and financial institutions.
Representative Barbieri questioned whether the language extended beyond credit cards to debit cards and other payment systems; Hill confirmed the draft covers the broader financial‑institution payment ecosystem.
A motion to introduce RS 32,273 was made and the committee approved introduction by voice vote. The sponsor said the proposal enforces what he described as constitutional protections under the Second Amendment and the Idaho Constitution; the committee will consider technical edits and the bill in a full hearing if scheduled.
