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Which states require crime guns to be traced?

12 states have adopted this policy

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

Crime Gun Tracing

Alabama has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

California has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Colorado has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Connecticut has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Delaware has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Florida has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Hawaii has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Illinois has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Iowa has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Kansas has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Maine has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Maryland has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Michigan has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Minnesota has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Missouri has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Montana has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Nebraska has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Nevada has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

New Jersey has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

New Mexico has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

New York has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

North Carolina has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Ohio has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Oregon has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Rhode Island has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Tennessee has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Texas has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Utah has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Vermont has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Virginia has adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Washington has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

West Virginia has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

Crime Gun Tracing

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

What It Does

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. These states require law enforcement to trace every crime gun they recover; Delaware, Illinois, and New Jersey also require that ballistics evidence be entered into a separate federal database. A full discussion on Crime Gun Tracing and Gun Trafficking is here

The Impact

Between 2017 and 2021, the United States recovered over 1.4 million crime guns—with nearly 400,000 of those guns having crossed state lines after they were purchased.

Show Citations and Footnotes
Source: Cal. Penal Code §§ 11108.3, 11108.10; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-36n; 2015 DE HB 217; 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/24-8; Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-146(c); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131Q; 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; Va. Code Ann. § 52-25.1.

1.4 million/400,000: Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, “Five Things to Know About Crime Guns, Gun Trafficking, and Background Checks,” accessed January 4, 2023, https://everytownresearch.org/report/five-things-to-know-about-crime-guns/.

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