B A T F / F B I  U P D A T E
  E-news for the Texas firearms  industry                                                                        October, 2002

FBI announces major improvements to NICS

TGDA meetings with FBI, BATF produce faster response times for Texas dealers

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced improvements to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) that have resulted in dramatic improvements to immediate response times for Texas dealers and their customers. Last July, the Bureau implemented several system enhancements to automate the non-United States citizen checks, multiple race codes, and the transfer option, which allows licensed dealers with delayed transactions to be transferred from the NICS Call Center to the NICS Program Office where the transactions are processed. The Bureau anticipates the transfer option will increase the immediate proceed rate, the percentage of time dealers receive an approval on a NICS check to 90%. It was right.

 

"The immediate proceed rate for Texas dealers has increased from 68% to more than 90%  since July," said Bill Carter, TGDA President and owner of Carter’s Country Outdoor Stores in Houston. "We are very pleased with the new enhancements and grateful to the Bureau for listening to our concerns and suggestions."

 

In July of last year, three TGDA Board members - Bill Carter, TGDA Vice President, Donnie Durbin, and Past President, Joe McBride, met with the top officials of the FBI and BATF in Washington for the fourth time to discuss the problems Texas dealers and gun owners were having with NICS delays. They informed the Bureau that Texas lagged behind NICS’ national average for immediate proceeds. "There is no doubt these meetings were the catalyst for these changes," said Scott Pospisil, TGDA Executive Director.

 

In addition to the NICS enhancements, the Bureau announced some additional changes that have impacted dealers.

 

(1) Last May, the NICS Program Office eliminated the policy that required licensed dealers to wait two hours before contacting the NICS for background check results. This decision was made in anticipation of NICS E-Check, which allows dealers to check transaction results 24 hours a day. The transfer option increased the number of immediate determinations, thereby decreasing the need for dealers to call requesting the status of a transaction.

 

(2) NICS has initiated a new service called the new NICS Electronic Check System (E-Check), which allows dealers to initiate background checks via the Internet. NICS E-Check is now available to all dealers. To apply, dealers must complete an original and an on-line registration form.

 

(3) A few weeks ago, the NICS Appeal Services Unit (ASU) began notifying dealers when the status of a transaction is changed upon appeal. Dealers are required to note on the BATF Form 4473 the final status of the transaction, and the Bureau also recommends the dealers note the ASU’s employee’s first name and Brady identification number.

(4) On occasions, some dealers offer firearm rental service for temporary use off premises for lawful sporting purposes. To process these background checks, dealers can now contact the NICS Customer Service Unit.