Which states give law enforcement tools designed to address crime guns?
29 states have adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Arizona has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
California has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Colorado has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Connecticut has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Delaware has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Florida has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Georgia has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Hawaii has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Illinois has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Indiana has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Iowa has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Kentucky has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Maine has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Maryland has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- No
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Minnesota has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Montana has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Nebraska has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Nevada has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
New Jersey has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
New Mexico has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
New York has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
North Carolina has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- No
Tools to Address Crime Guns
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Ohio has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Oregon has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- No
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Pennsylvania has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Texas has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Utah has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Vermont has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Virginia has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- Yes
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Washington has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Wisconsin has adopted this policy
- Does the state require crime guns to be traced?
- No
- Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime?
- Yes
Tools to Address Crime Guns
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
What It Does
In 2025, the mission of ATF, the nation’s lead agency in protecting communities from firearm trafficking, was severely undercut, making it more difficult to interrupt trafficking activity and making it more important than ever for states to help combat the illegal flow of guns within their communities. When guns are recovered at crime scenes, officials can trace them back through the chain of custody using the federal system. But a lack of consistent requirements across the country undermines this critical tool to help stop gun trafficking, and states can require law enforcement to trace every crime gun they recover; several states also require that ballistics evidence be entered into a separate federal database. To further combat gun trafficking, states can ensure that adequate criminal laws are on the books to hold individuals accountable for trafficking, such as laws that provide specific criminal penalties for trafficking and/or the purchase of firearms for another person, also known as straw purchasing. A full discussion on Crime Gun Tracing and Gun Trafficking is here.
The Impact
By the end of 2026, an estimated 1.27 million guns will have been illegally trafficked since 2017.1Nick Suplina, Marianna Mitchem, and Chelsea Parsons, “The Supply Side of Violence: How Gun Dealers Fuel Firearm Trafficking,” Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, December 2, 2025, https://everytownresearch.org/report/how-gun-dealers-fuel-firearm-trafficking/.
Tools to Address Crime Guns
| Policy adopted? | Does the state require crime guns to be traced? | Does the state have a trafficking and/or straw purchasing crime? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — |
| Arizona | No | Yes |
| Arkansas | — | — |
| California | Yes | Yes |
| Colorado | No | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | No | Yes |
| Georgia | No | Yes |
| Hawaii | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana | No | Yes |
| Iowa | No | Yes |
| Kansas | — | — |
| Kentucky | No | Yes |
| Louisiana | — | — |
| Maine | — | — |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes | No |
| Michigan | — | — |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — |
| Montana | — | — |
| Nebraska | No | Yes |
| Nevada | No | Yes |
| New Hampshire | — | — |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | No | Yes |
| New York | Yes | Yes |
| North Carolina | Yes | No |
| North Dakota | — | — |
| Ohio | No | Yes |
| Oklahoma | — | — |
| Oregon | Yes | No |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes |
| South Carolina | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — |
| Texas | No | Yes |
| Utah | No | Yes |
| Vermont | No | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes |
| Washington | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — |
| Wisconsin | No | Yes |
| Wyoming | — | — |
Show Citations and Footnotes
Crime Gun Tracing Law Source: Cal. Penal Code §§ 11108.3, 11108.10; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-36n; 11 Del. C. § 8102; 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/24-8; Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-146(c); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131Q; Minn. Stat. § 626.5536; N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 52:17B-9.18, 52:17B-5.3(c); N.Y. Exec. Law § 230; N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-902; Or. Executive Order No 16-12, signed July 15, 2016; 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6127; R.I. Gen Laws § 12-1-10.2; Va. Code Ann. § 52-25.1. Trafficking/Straw Purchasing Law Source: Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 13-3102(A)(16), 13-3101(A)(9); Cal Pen Code § 27515; C.R.S. § 18-12-111; Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 29-37j, 53-202aa, 29-38e; 11 DE Code § 1455; Fla. Stat. § 790.065; GA Code § 16-11-113; 720 Ill Comp Stat §§ 5/24-3.5, 5/24-3B;IC § 35-47-2-7; Iowa Code § 724.16A; Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 527.090; MD Public Safety Code §§ 5-101, 5-140; Minn. Stat. § 624.7133; Nebraska Revised Statute § 69-2422; Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 202.362; NJ Rev Stat §§ 2C:39-10, 2C:39-16, 2C:39-16.2, 2C:39-16.3; NM Stat § 30-7-7.2; N.Y. Penal Law § 265.17; OH Rev Code § 2923.21; 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6111; R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-23; Tex. Penal Code § 46.14; Utah Code Ann. § 53-5a-604; 13 V.S.A. § 4025; Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2:2; Wis. Stat. § 941.2905.