House File 383 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 383 BY WINDSCHITL A BILL FOR An Act relating to establishing a statewide database for stolen 1 firearms. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1958YH (3) 86 jm/rj
H.F. 383 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 80.45 Statewide database for stolen 1 firearms. 2 1. As used in this section, “relevant information” means 3 the make, model, and serial number of a firearm, and the name 4 and contact information of the law enforcement agency reporting 5 a stolen firearm. 6 2. The department shall create and maintain a statewide 7 database in order for the public to access relevant information 8 about a stolen firearm. The statewide database shall be 9 accessed by the public through an internet site maintained by 10 the department. 11 3. If a report about a stolen firearm has been filed with 12 a law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency may 13 report the relevant information relating to the firearm to the 14 department for input into the statewide database. 15 4. The following shall be displayed on the internet site: 16 a. An internet search portal where a member of the public 17 may input the serial number of a firearm. 18 b. A statement that warns a person not to take individual 19 action based upon the information in the database and that the 20 information is not a confirmation or probable cause that the 21 firearm is stolen. 22 c. A statement that the site contains records from law 23 enforcement agencies that have been selected for public access 24 by the law enforcement agencies. Other records may exist that 25 have not been selected for public access. 26 d. A statement indicating that the site is not intended to 27 be a place to report a stolen firearm. 28 e. A statement that the relevant information may not be 29 current, active, or complete, and that the person conducting 30 the search should contact the person’s local law enforcement 31 agency or the reporting law enforcement agency for more 32 information. 33 5. The department shall update the relevant information in 34 the statewide database on a regular basis. 35 -1- LSB 1958YH (3) 86 jm/rj 1/ 2
H.F. 383 EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill relates to establishing a statewide database for 4 stolen firearms. 5 The bill requires the department of public safety to create 6 and maintain a statewide database in order for the public 7 to access relevant information about a stolen firearm. The 8 bill defines “relevant information” to mean the make, model, 9 and serial number of a firearm, and the name and contact 10 information for the law enforcement agency reporting the stolen 11 firearm. The bill specifies that the statewide database shall 12 be accessed by the public through an internet site maintained 13 by the department. 14 Under the bill, if a report about a stolen firearm has been 15 filed with a law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency 16 may report the relevant information relating to the firearm to 17 the department of public safety for input into the statewide 18 database. 19 The bill requires the internet site to display the 20 following: an internet search portal where a member of the 21 public may input the serial number of a firearm; a statement 22 that warns a person not to take individual action based 23 upon the information in the database; a statement that other 24 information about the firearm may exist that has not been 25 selected for public access; a statement indicating the site 26 is not intended to be a place to report a stolen firearm; and 27 a statement that the relevant information may not be current 28 or complete and that the person should contact local law 29 enforcement for more information. 30 The bill requires the department of public safety to update 31 the relevant information in the statewide database on a regular 32 basis. 33 -2- LSB 1958YH (3) 86 jm/rj 2/ 2