Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act of 2025

This bill creates a federal grant program to help states, cities, tribal governments, and licensed gun dealers run voluntary gun buybacks. Grants last two years, and any unused money or prepaid cards must be returned when the grant ends . People who turn in guns are paid with special prepaid cards. Dealers must load 125% of the set market value of each accepted gun onto the card. The program sets and posts those values, and it sends out the cards empty for local programs to load. These cards cannot be used to buy guns or ammo, and using them for that can bring penalties, including a federal fine up to $100,000 .

At least 5% of each grant must be used to destroy collected guns and ammo, which cannot be resold. Programs can accept ammo for disposal but may not buy ammo with the prepaid cards. Up to 15% of funds can cover admin costs. Dealers have to check if a turned‑in gun is stolen, alert federal authorities within 24 hours if it is, and turn in guns to authorities within 30 days. Agencies must check within 21 days if a gun was used in a crime; if so, it goes to prosecutors. The bill authorizes $360 million per year for 2025–2027 to run these programs .

Key points

• Who is affected: States, cities, tribal governments, licensed gun dealers, and people who want to safely turn in guns or ammo.
• What changes: Funded buybacks using prepaid cards loaded at 125% of set value; no resale of collected guns; ammo accepted for destruction; admin costs capped; strong rules and penalties to prevent using the cards to buy or transfer guns or ammo .
• When: Grants run for two years; funding is authorized for 2025–2027 .