NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP)

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). Under the FY 20 NARIP, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (MD DPSCS) will uses funds to provide overtime hours for CJIS staff to process missing dispositions for arrests without disposition cases. This includes processing criminal history updates on the RAP Sheet and using skilled research to link tracking number and/or a court case number, errors and required biometric data in case files. Additionally, the MD DPSCS will use funds to provide overtime hours for CIJIS staff with the record recovery process. Previously, the Department was engaged with a vendor, Inquiries, Inc., on a competitive bid, multi-year contract, to review arrests with missing dispositions. While the DPSCS Procurement process was ongoing new additional research staff members were on boarded, ending the need for outside parties/vendors to assist with recovery efforts. The Criminal Justice Information System – Central Repository (CJIS-CR) serves to improve public safety in Maryland by bringing together dissimilar information systems, data, and processes. In conjunction with the FBI, CJIS diligently works to ensure that Maryland submits eligible records to the NICS system. Addressing missing dispositions and RAP Sheet errors are critical to providing accurate data to the NICS system. (CA/NCF)