Editor性视界传媒檚 note:聽Jo Lee Ferguson is on leave, but Answer Line will return in the future. This Answer Line originally was published in October 2019.
QUESTION: I keep reading stories about federal background checks to purchase guns. How does that work?
ANSWER: This can vary some from state to state.
People who operate businesses that sell guns must have a federal firearms license. When a person wants to purchase a gun from that business, the prospective buyer fills out a form provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The licensee then contacts what性视界传媒檚 known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which is operated by the FBI. Information from the ATF form can be relayed electronically or by phone.
性视界传媒淭he NICS staff performs a background check on the buyer. That background check verifies the buyer does not have a criminal record or isn性视界传媒檛 otherwise ineligible to purchase or own a firearm,性视界传媒 information on the FBI性视界传媒檚 NICS website says. 性视界传媒淪ince launching in 1998, more than 300 million checks have been done, leading to more than 1.5 million denials.性视界传媒
The FBI told me the NICS uses three national databases to conduct a background check on a potential gun purchaser.
性视界传媒淭hese databases are: (1) the National Crime Information Center, containing records on wanted persons, protection orders, and other persons identified as relevant to the NICS searches; (2) the Interstate Identification Index (III), which contains criminal history records; and (3) the NICS Indices, which contain information on prohibited persons as defined in Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C.), 搂 922 (g) or (n) (a federal law that defines the type of people who can性视界传媒檛 purchase firearms). The NICS also performs a check of the Department of Homeland Security性视界传媒檚 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement databases if the prospective purchaser is a non-U.S. Citizen.性视界传媒
Something to note about this system 性视界传媒 it性视界传媒檚 not available to 性视界传媒減rivate citizens,性视界传媒 people like you and I who are not federal firearms licensees.
性视界传媒淗owever, a state may pass legislation requiring private sellers to facilitate the transfer of a firearm to a private transferee through a Federal Firearm Licensees (FFL),性视界传媒 information from the FBI said.
Texas has not passed such a requirement.
I should note, though, that doesn性视界传媒檛 mean that private individuals can sell guns to anyone they want. State law prevents sales to someone if the seller knows that person plans to commit a crime; if that person is younger than 18 and doesn性视界传媒檛 have parental permission; if the person is drunk; or if that person has an active protective order against them and the seller is aware of the protective order, for instance.
Q: The old Teague Cemetery on the edge of Teague Park is overgrown. Who is responsible for maintaining the cemetery?
A: There性视界传媒檚 a little bit of mystery here 性视界传媒 appraisal district records online list the owner of that property simply as 性视界传媒渃emetery.性视界传媒
However, the city of Longview cuts the grass there. I understand that city officials planned to do some maintenance work out there after I contacted them with your concern.
