Douglas commissioners oppose Nevada gun background check law

Douglas County has made it clear to the State of Nevada they won't stand for any legislation that exceeds federal firearm transfer requirements. Their reaction came after Governor Steve Sisolak signed SB 143, a bill that would require background checks on gun sales, on February 15, 2019.

On March 14, 2019, a packed house attended a special meeting of the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners and watched the five men who make up the board approve a resolution to tell the Nevada Legislature they opposed the passage of SB 143 or any state legislation which exceeds federal firearm transfer requirements or infringes on the United States Constitution or Article I, Section 11 of the Constitution of the State of Nevada.

Once the commissioners approved the resolution many of the 240 people at the meeting along joined the electeds in a standing ovation.

In 2016, Nevada voters approved Question 1 to require firearm transfers between unlicensed persons to go through a licensed dealer who would contact the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICBCS) to run a background check.

After the election, then-Attorney General Adam Laxalt didn't enforce Question 1 because the FBI refused to participate in the background checks.

On February 11, 2019, Nevada Senate Bill 143 was introduced by eight sponsors and 28 co-sponsors to amend Question 1 and require the state, rather than the FBI, to run the background checks.

The bill passed the Nevada State by a vote of 13 to 8, with the chamber’s 13 Democrats voting to support SB 143 and eight Republicans voting to oppose the bill. The Nevada State Assembly passed the bill by a vote of 28 to 13. The chamber’s Republicans, along with one Democrat opposed it, the remaining 28 Democrats supported the bill.

“Background checks are proven to be the best way to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands without compromising the rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson (D-4).

SB 143 is described as, "an act relating to firearms; repealing, revising and reenacting provisions relating to background checks for certain sales or transfers of firearms; prohibiting a fee from being charged for certain background checks; requiring a licensed dealer of firearms to conduct a background check before a private party sale or transfer in certain circumstances; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly relating thereto" ("SB 143").

The law will go into effect on January 2, 2020.