The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, Pub.
L.
110-180 (the NICS Improvement Act), was signed into law on January 8, 200 8. The NICS Improvement Act seeks to address the gap in information available to NICS about such prohibiting mental health adjudications and commitments
and other prohibiting factors.
Filling these information gaps will better enable the system to operate as intended to keep guns out of the hands of persons prohibited by federal or state law from receiving or possessing firearms.
The automation of records will also reduce delays for law-abiding gun purchasers.
The Act authorized a grant program to assist states in providing certain information to the NICS, and prescribes grant penalties for non-compliance with the Acts record completeness goals.
Additionally, pursuant to the Act, there are certain conditions, described below, that a state must satisfy in advance of receiving grants under the Act.
In FY 2010, $20 million has been appropriated for this program.