Gun buyers no longer need to notify local police chiefs

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wants to remove a rule that requires gun buyers to notify their local police chief. This means that when someone applies to make or transfer a firearm covered by the National Firearms Act, their local law enforcement will no longer automatically be informed.

Since 1934, the National Firearms Act has required a local law enforcement sign-off or notification for certain types of firearms. This rule was meant to give local police a heads-up about who in their area was acquiring these weapons. Removing it means local police will lose a long-standing source of information about regulated firearms in their communities.