Jaime’s Law
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7564
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-30T08:06:40Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The bill, titled "Jaime's Law," aims to strengthen the background check system in the U.S. to stop people who are legally banned from owning guns or ammunition—such as felons or those with certain mental health issues—from buying ammunition. It extends existing firearm transfer rules to include ammunition sales.
Key Provisions
- Background Checks for Ammunition Transfers: Non-licensed individuals cannot sell or give ammunition to another non-licensed person without first handing it to a federally licensed gun dealer (like an importer, manufacturer, or dealer). The dealer must then run a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), treating it like a sale from their own stock.
- Dealer Responsibilities: Licensed dealers must inform buyers about the new rules and get a signed form confirming the buyer understands them before completing the transfer.
- Exceptions to the Rule: The background check requirement does not apply to:
- Law enforcement officers, armed security professionals, or military members acting in their official roles.
- Gifts or loans between close family members (spouses, parents/children, siblings, grandparents/grandchildren, etc.).
- Transfers through wills or trusts after someone's death.
- Short-term loans needed to prevent immediate harm, like in cases of domestic violence or self-defense.
- Transfers approved by the Attorney General for special cases (under tax code rules).
- Temporary use at shooting ranges, for legal hunting/fishing, or while supervised by the owner, if there's no reason to suspect illegal use.
- Return of Ammunition: If a transfer fails the background check, the dealer can return the ammunition to the seller without it counting as a new transfer.
- No National Registry: The law explicitly states it does not create a federal database tracking guns or ammunition.
- State Rights Preserved: It does not block states from making their own similar laws.
- Effective Date: The changes take effect 180 days after the bill becomes law.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 922 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code (part of the Gun Control Act of 1968), which currently requires background checks for firearm sales by licensed dealers but not for private ammunition sales.
- Expands the existing firearm background check process (previously in subsection (s)) to cover ammunition, renaming and adjusting related sections (e.g., old subsection (t) becomes the new (s)).
- Makes technical updates to other laws, like the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and NICS Improvement Amendments Act, to reflect the new ammunition rules and fix outdated references.
- Introduces a new subsection (t) specifically regulating private ammunition transfers, which were previously unregulated at the federal level.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and FBI (which runs NICS) may see increased workload from more background checks, potentially requiring more resources for processing. Local law enforcement chiefs or their designees could be involved in verifying checks in some cases.
- On Citizens: Law-abiding gun owners and hunters might face delays or added steps for buying ammunition privately, but exceptions protect family sharing and recreational use. Prohibited persons (e.g., those with felony convictions or domestic violence restraining orders) would have a harder time obtaining ammunition illegally through private sales.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic gun and ammunition regulations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Gun Owners and Buyers: Everyday people purchasing ammunition, especially through private sales, who must now route transactions through licensed dealers.
- Licensed Gun Dealers: They will handle more ammunition transfers, conducting checks and providing notices, which could increase their business but also administrative burdens.
- Prohibited Persons: Individuals barred from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal or state law (e.g., felons, fugitives, those adjudicated as mentally defective) benefit indirectly by facing stricter barriers to access.
- Law Enforcement and Regulators: Federal agencies like the ATF and FBI, plus local police, gain tools to enforce restrictions but may need to adapt to higher volumes of checks.
- Families and Shooting Enthusiasts: Protected by exceptions for gifts, inheritances, and range/hunting use, minimizing disruption for lawful activities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Builds on the Second Amendment framework by regulating commercial-like transfers without banning possession outright; includes safeguards against overreach, like the no-registry clause, to address privacy concerns. Could lead to court challenges testing if ammunition rules infringe on gun rights similarly to firearm laws (e.g., referencing Supreme Court cases like District of Columbia v. Heller).
- Constitutional Implications: Balances public safety with individual rights by mirroring established firearm check procedures; the exceptions for self-defense and family transfers aim to avoid undue burdens on law-abiding citizens, potentially strengthening its defensibility under the Second Amendment.
- Political Implications: Named after a victim (implying Jaime Guttenberg from the Parkland shooting), it reflects ongoing debates on gun control post-mass shootings. As a House-introduced bill referred to the Judiciary Committee, it highlights partisan divides—supporters see it as commonsense reform, opponents may view it as an expansion of federal oversight on private transactions. Preserves state authority to encourage broader adoption without federal preemption.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
Cosponsors (17)
Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-02-12: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-12: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Jaime’s Law — issued 2026-02-12 — PDF (8 pages)