Sponsors (32)
The bill trades significant federal funding and financial incentives to reduce firearms in communities—and potential public‑safety gains—for substantial taxpayer cost and new legal, administrative, and logistical burdens that may restrict dealer participation and create criminal‑law risks for legitimate users and merchants.
State and local governments (and the communities they serve) will receive $360 million per year (FY2025–27) in federal grants to fund gun buyback and related programs.
Residents in jurisdictions that use grants for buybacks may see fewer firearms in circulation, which could reduce gun violence and improve public safety in those communities.
Law enforcement and public safety efforts may be strengthened because the bill discourages use of certain prepaid cards to evade background checks and reduces a payment channel used in cross‑state illicit firearm trafficking.
Taxpayers will fund approximately $1.08 billion over three years for the program, increasing federal spending and creating opportunity costs for other priorities.
Cardholders, merchants, private sellers, and gun owners who legitimately use the specified prepaid cards could face felony penalties or large fines, creating substantial legal risk and chilling lawful transactions.
Covered gun dealers located in jurisdictions that receive grants are ineligible to participate, which may limit dealer involvement and reduce program reach in some areas.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes BJA grants for gun buyback programs using smart prepaid cards, sets program rules and valuations, and creates a federal crime banning use/acceptance of such cards to obtain or transfer firearms or ammo.
Official title: To authorize the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to States, units of local government, and gun dealers to conduct gun buyback programs, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 17, 2025 by LaMonica McIver · Last progress April 17, 2025
Authorizes the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to make two-year grants to states, local governments, Tribal governments, and eligible gun dealers to run gun buyback programs that use “smart prepaid cards” to compensate people who turn in firearms. The bill requires program rules for procurement, card-loading amounts (125% of a Director-determined market value), destruction of at least 5% of collected firearms/ammunition, limits administrative spending, and requires unused cards/funds to be returned to the Treasury. It also creates a new federal crime making it illegal to use or accept a smart prepaid card to acquire or transfer firearms or ammunition in interstate or foreign commerce, with substantial monetary penalties.