FY 2019 Maryland NICS Act Record Improvement Program

The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, P. L. 110-180 ("NIAA"), was initially signed into law by the President on January 8, 2008 (reauthorized by Title VI of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, P.L. 115-141). The NIAA amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 ("the Brady Act") (Pub. L. 103-159), under which the Attorney General established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Brady Act requires Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to contact the NICS before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person for information on whether the proposed transferee is prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm under state or federal law. The NIAA authorizes grants to be made in a manner consistent with the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP).

The MD Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services will use funds to: 1) upgrade the current version of the OpenFox Message Switch which is the core of the system that enables information sharing of criminal history information among local, state and federal agencies; and 2) continue efforts to research and update missing dispositions and ensure they are linked to the original RAP sheet, an estimated 37,500 records will be updated as a result of this work.

(CA/NCF)