The ATF Transparency Act changes how the federal government handles applications for certain heavily regulated firearms like machine guns, short-barreled shotguns, and silencers. Right now, there's no time limit for the government to approve or deny these applications, which can leave people waiting indefinitely. This bill creates a 90-day deadline: if the government hasn't denied your application within 90 days, you can go ahead and transfer or make the firearm anyway. If your application does get denied, the bill sets up a process where you can appeal or seek relief from that decision. The bill also requires the government to start tracking and reporting on background check requests that take longer than 90 days to resolve and to report what percentage of firearm transfer background checks are being handled by the FBI versus other agencies. Essentially, this is about adding time limits and transparency to a process that currently has neither, affecting anyone who wants to legally obtain these regulated firearms.

ATF Transparency Act

Fulcher, Russ

ATF Transparency ActThis bill modifies procedural requirements related to the transfer or making of firearms that are subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act (e.g., machine guns, short-barreled shotguns, and silencers).The bill permits the transfer of a firearm if 90 days have elapsed since the application to transfer the firearm was filed, and the application has not been denied. Additionally, the bill establishes an administrative relief process with respect to an application to transfer that is denied.The bill permits the making of a firearm if 90 days have elapsed since the application to make the firearm was filed,&nbsp;and the application has not been denied.Finally, the bill requires reports on firearms-related background check inquiries that remain unresolved after 90 days and the percentage of firearms-related background check inquiries related to the transfer of a firearm that were administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.