Alaska Records improvement Program

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, the Alaska Department of Safety (DPS) will use funds to continue funding for four (4) Criminal Justice Technicians to continue the existing project to research Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence (MCDV) convictions for submission into the NICS Indices and the Interstate Identification Index (III). Prior to 2019, Alaska was not able to contribute MCDV convictions to the NICS Indices. This is a new process implemented as a result of a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court case. Prior to that case, court and FBI determinations held that Alaska misdemeanor assault and harassment convictions were not qualifying convictions under NICS.

Additionally, Alaska DPS will sub-award to the Alaska Court System to continue their long-term automation project. Specifically, this project will convert the Court's manual system to an electronic statewide system which would automate criminal case processing from case initiation through disposition. This project will result in improving the quality, timeliness, completeness and availability of felony, domestic violence, and criminal competency dispositions by making them available and accessible without delay to the state and NICS to ensure identification of persons prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. (CA/NCF)