The ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) is proposing 34 rule changes that will make the selling and trafficking of weapons much easier and the gun industry far more deregulated. We have prepared comments for 3 critical rules and will focus on one rule each week in July.  

Stand Against Lax Gun Sales: 

ATF Proposed Rule Change- Revising the "Engaged in the Business" Firearms Dealer Definition

The "Engaged in the Business" rule claims to bring the definition of who must obtain a federal firearms dealer license in line with the statutory language of the Gun Control Act (GCA). But in practice, the rule removes enforcement tools that help identify unlicensed dealers, making it easier for prohibited individuals to obtain firearms from sellers who are not required to run background checks. This proposed rule exacerbates the existing loophole enabling unlicensed firearms sellers to operate outside the background check system.

• Removal of Presumptions: The proposal removes specific behavioral criteria from 2024, including reselling a firearm within 30 days of purchase, that had helped establish when a seller must be licensed. 
• Broadened Personal Collection Exception: The proposal expands the definition of a personal firearms collection, giving repeat sellers more room to claim their activity falls outside licensing requirements. 
•  Former Licensee Inventory: Rules that relax restrictions over how former licensees, including those whose licenses were revoked, sell off remaining inventory, reducing oversight in the secondary firearms market. 

HOW TO ACT:

1. Click HERE to make a comment.
2. Fill in the information & copy/paste the comment (or write your own!)
3. Forward to others to do the same.
4. Use this PDF, for easy access to the rule change and all 3 comments.

Prepared Comment:

I am writing to OPPOSE the proposed rule (RIN 1140-AB01). Removing clear criteria for when a seller must be licensed makes it harder for law enforcement to identify unlicensed dealers operating outside the background check system.  Unlicensed sellers are not required to conduct background checks or maintain transaction records, creating pathways for prohibited individuals, including those with felony convictions or domestic violence records, to obtain firearms. Criminal organizations continually adapt their methods, and reducing clarity around licensing requirements gives bad actors more room to exploit gaps in the system. A solid definition of who must be licensed is fundamental to the integrity of the background check system, and rolling it back puts communities across the United States at greater risk. Thank you for your consideration.