Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2011, $547,039)
The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, Pub. L. 110-180 ("NICS Improvement Act"), was signed into law by the President on January 8, 2008. The NICS Improvement Act 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 NICS Improvement Act authorizes grants to be made in a manner consistent with the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP).
Under this award, the Texas Office of Court Administration (OCA) proposes to increase the number of prohibiting mental health adjudications or commitments, mental retardation and guardianship records, particularly historical records, made available to NICS by hiring staff to provide direct assistance to the district and county clerks responsible for this reporting requirement. Staff members funded through this award will conduct physical reviews of mental health, probate and guardianship, and criminal case files and docket sheets to identify relevant records in counties in which the district and/or county clerk have indicated they have not identified or reported all relevant records. A training manual will be produced and distributed to all county and district clerks with information on frequently asked questions and mental health reporting tips. (CA/NCF)