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H.R. 18119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Jun 10, 2025Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 18 would require a background check for all private firearm transfers, with exceptions for close family, emergencies, and inheritance.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill would extend the federal background check requirement to private firearm sales and transfers, not just sales through licensed dealers. Anyone transferring a gun privately would need to go through a licensed dealer, importer, or manufacturer to complete the check first. Exceptions include gifts or loans between close family members, emergencies involving imminent harm, supervised use at ranges or while hunting, and inherited firearms.
This affects any private citizen who wants to sell, give, or lend a firearm to another private citizen outside the listed exceptions. Licensed gun dealers, importers, and manufacturers would be the ones running the checks for these private transfers.
Currently, private sales and transfers between individuals do not require a background check the way dealer sales do. This bill would close that gap, meaning more transfers would go through the federal check process before a gun changes hands.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.