November16,2017TheHonorableJohnCornyn TheHonorableChristopherMurphyUnitedStatesSenate UnitedStatesSenate517HartSenateOfficeBuilding 136HartSenateOfficeBuildingWashington,DC20510 Washington,DC20510DearSenatorsCornynandMurphy,TherecentshootinginSutherlandSprings,Texashasbroughtattentiontodeficienciesinthenation’sbackgroundcheckprocess.TheFixNICSActof2017wouldimprovekeyelementsofthebackgroundchecksystem.Thankyoufortheopportunitytocommentonseveralkeyprovisionsofthisbill.MembersoftheNationalCriminalJusticeAssociation(NCJA)arethestateandterritorialcriminaljusticeplanningagencies,alsoknownastheStateAdministeringAgencies(SAAs).SEARCH,TheNationalConsortiumforJusticeInformationandStatistics(SEARCH),isanonprofitorganizationgovernedbyaMembershipGroupofgovernorappointeesfromtheStatesandterritories.SEARCHMembersoperatetheStatecriminalhistoryrecordsystems,whichareusedtoprovidecriminalhistoryrecordsinformationforcriminalandcivilbackgroundscreening.NCJAandSEARCHappreciatethatthebillwouldreauthorizetheNationalCriminalHistoryImprovementProgram(NCHIP),whichprovidesgrantsandtechnicalassistancetostatesandlocalitiestoimprovethequality,timeliness,andimmediateaccessibilityofthecriminalhistoryrecordsundertheirauthority.ItwouldalsoreauthorizetheNationalInstantCriminalBackgroundCheckSystem(NICS)ActRecordImprovementProgram(NARIP),whichprovidesdirection,establishesbenchmarks,andauthorizesgrantsforthetimelyuploadingofthosecriminalhistoryrecordsintotheNICSforthepurposeofidentifyingindividualsdisqualifiedfrompurchasingafirearm.Undercurrentlaw,statesarepenalizedapercentageoftheirByrneJusticeAssistanceGrant(ByrneJAG)fundingfornotmeetingthosebenchmarks.Inadditiontoreauthorizingthesetwocriticalprograms,theFixNICSActwouldrequireeachstatetodevelopanimplementationplanforachievingthegoalssetoutintheNICSImprovementAmendmentsAct(NIAA).Theplan,tobedevelopedbyeachstateincollaborationwiththeDepartmentofJustice,wouldprovidethestatewithanopportunitytoassesstheirsystems,completenessofrecords,andtoestablishtheannualbenchmarksthestatewillcommittoachieving.Eachstateplanwouldalsoincludeaneedsassessmentthatdetailstheestimatedcostofcomplyingwiththosebenchmarks.Underthebill,statescomplyingwiththeirimplementationplanswillreceiveapreferenceforcertainfederaljusticeassistancediscretionarygrantprograms.Statesrecognizethatpenaltiesagainstfederalgrantprogramsaretoooftenabluntinstrumentandineffectivewayto

encouragecompliancewithnewstatutoryrequirements.Wearepleasedthatthisbillfocusesonincentivizing,notpenalizing,stateaction.WealsonotethatthebillwouldcreateapriorityareaunderNARIPforanewDomesticAbuseandViolencePreventionInitiativethatemphasizestheneedforgranteestoidentifyanduploadallfelonyconvictionanddomesticviolencerecords.ItwouldalsogiveafundingpreferenceunderNARIPtostatesthathaveestablishedanimplementationplan.Finally,manystatesareineligibletoreceiveNARIPgrantsbecausetheyareunabletomeettherequirementsestablishedinthelaw.TheFixNICSActdirectstheDepartmentofJusticetoassistthosestatesinachievingcomplianceandtoprovidefocusedtrainingandtechnicalassistancetograntees.Thankyouforyourleadershiponthisimportantissue.

Sincerely,

ChrisAsplenExecutiveDirector

TimothyLottInterimExecutiveDirector