Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
Congress Proposes Ban on Special Tracking Codes for Gun Store Purchases
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill would stop credit card companies and banks from using a special "gun store" code to track where people shop. Instead, stores that sell firearms would have to be labeled as general stores or sporting goods stores.
- The goal is to protect the privacy of people buying guns or ammunition. Supporters worry that special codes could be used to create a list of gun owners or track their legal purchases without a good reason.
- If this becomes law, it would cancel out any state or local rules that currently require these special codes. This creates one single rule for the whole country regarding how gun sales are labeled on bank statements.
- The U.S. Attorney General would be in charge of making sure companies follow the rules. They would set up a way for people and store owners to report violations and could take companies to court if they don't fix the problem.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Firearms retailers — small gun shops in particular — would benefit from not being singled out with a unique merchant category code. Some gun store owners have worried that distinct codes could lead to extra scrutiny from banks or payment processors, potentially resulting in account closures or higher processing fees. This bill would ensure they are classified alongside general merchandise or sporting goods retailers.
Activities
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 447.
The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 119-522.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 29 - 23.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
5 articlesNew legislation would block banks from tracking gun and ammo purchases
Rep. Riley M. Moore introduced the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act to prohibit financial institutions from using electronic merchant category codes to trace purchases of firearms and ammunition, citing concerns about the creation of a private database of gun owners.
Credit card companies targeted on gun sales
Florida's Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved a bill to fine credit card companies for tracking firearm sales, a move supporters say protects privacy but critics argue hinders law enforcement's ability to prevent mass shootings.
GOP Bill Would Block Use of Credit Card Code For Gun Stores
Wisconsin Republican lawmakers are pursuing a ban on merchant category codes specific to gun retailers, mirroring efforts in other states to prevent lawful transactions from being flagged as suspicious or reported to law enforcement agencies.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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