Legislative declaration

The Legislature representing the People of the State of Nevada hereby finds and declares that: 1. To promote public safety, federal law currently prohibits felons, domestic abusers, the severely mentally ill and other dangerous people from buying or possessing firearms; 2. Federally licensed firearms dealers are required to run background checks on their prospective buyers to ensure they are not prohibited from buying or possessing firearms; 3. Criminals and other dangerous people can avoid background checks by buying guns from unlicensed firearms sellers, whom they can easily meet online or at gun shows and who are not legally required to run background checks before selling or transferring firearms; 4. Due to this loophole, millions of guns exchange hands each year in the United States without a background check; 5. Most Nevadans live within 10 miles of a licensed gun dealer; 6. We have the right to bear arms, but with rights come responsibilities, including the responsibility to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons and domestic abusers; and 7. To promote public safety and protect our communities, and to create a fair, level playing field for all gun sellers, the people of the State of Nevada approved The Background Check Initiative in the 2016 General Election with the intent to more effectively enforce current law prohibiting dangerous persons from purchasing and possessing firearms by requiring background checks on all firearms sales and transfers, with reasonable exceptions, including for immediate family members, hunting and self-defense.