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House debate over HB 183 centers on federal NICS checks vs. state checks and who pays for background checks
Summary
Sponsors argued for relying on the federal NICS system and eliminating the state-only criminal background check; critics warned that federal checks may not reveal Utah juvenile records or protective orders. An amendment to require dealers to pay fees was offered and sharply contested.
A contentious floor debate unfolded Feb. 7 over House Bill 183, the third substitute, which would substantially change how Utah handles criminal background checks for firearm purchases.
Sponsor Representative Throckmorton argued the bill would rely on the federal NICS system and pointed to experience in 27 states that use it. “There are 27 states that do nothing but the federal background check,” he said, adding staff figures identifying about 4.5 million checks and noting one mistake in that sample. “If we…
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