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119-s-5656119th Congress

Domestic Violence SAFE Notice Act

Sponsored By: Senator Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

Introduced

Summary

Federal victim notification system for firearm access would create a national framework to alert domestic violence survivors when an offender attempts to acquire or possesses a firearm and when pardons, appeals, retrievals, or other status changes affect firearm eligibility.

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  • Survivors and families: Survivors could register or deregister at any time and would receive alerts when an abuser attempts a firearm purchase that a background check would have denied, when a delayed denial shows a transferred gun, or when pardons, appeals, or record changes affect firearm rights. Notifications must include the national Family Violence hotline and State or Tribal resource information.
  • State and Tribal victim systems and service providers: The bill would fund a multi-year pilot to upgrade notification systems, require training and best practices, and authorizes $10.0 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the pilot grants. Recipients must implement core features within 3 years and operate the system for at least 3 years.
  • Federal background-check and enforcement reporting: The FBI through NICS and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would be required to report attempted acquisitions, denials, retrievals, arrests, and specified status changes to victim notification systems within 24 hours.

*Would authorize at least $50.0 million in pilot grants over FY2027–2031 and unspecified additional appropriations for a federal system, increasing potential federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Federal firearm alert system for victims

If enacted, the FBI would create a national firearms-access victim notification system. Victims of listed domestic-violence offenses could register or deregister at any time. Lawful representatives could register for minors or incapacitated victims, but offenders could not serve as representatives. The system would notify registered victims when NICS or other agencies report unlawful purchase attempts, delayed denials that indicate possession under the 3-business-day or State/under-21 timeframes, ATF retrievals, related arrests, appellate reversals, pardons or relief from disabilities, and removals of disqualifying records. Notifications would include the Family Violence Prevention hotline and State/Tribal resource information, and data from NICS could be kept no longer than 24 hours after a notice.

Grants to build State and Tribal alert systems

If enacted, the Attorney General would fund a multi-year pilot to help States and Tribes build or upgrade victim notification systems. The bill would authorize $10 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, in addition to other Crime Victims Fund amounts. Grant recipients would have to add 24/7 registration/deregistration, annual notices, processes to receive timely NICS, ATF, and law enforcement reports, victim notifications with hotline and local resource information, stakeholder training, periodic updates to qualifying-offense lists, and best-practice development. Recipients must implement required activities within 3 years and operate the system at least 3 years; the FBI and ATF would be required to send event reports to grantees within 24 hours.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

RI • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

  • Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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