S. 3211: Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2018

115th Congress · introduced 2018-07-12 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2018-07-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2018

Plain summary

Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2018 This bill amends the federal criminal code and sets forth new provisions to modify requirements for a licensed firearms importer, dealer, or manufacturer (i.e., a federal firearms licensee [FFL]). Among other things, the bill: increases the allowable number of compliance inspections of an FFL during a 12-month period; authorizes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to hire at least 80 additional personnel to conduct additional inspections; increases from one year to five years the maximum prison term for an FFL or licensed collector who knowingly makes a false statement or representation in required firearms records; allows the ATF to require an FFL to conduct physical inventories if the FFL unlawfully transfers a firearm or if 10 or more crime guns are traced back to the FFL; allows the ATF to deny an application for a federal firearms license if it would endanger public safety or if the applicant is unlikely to comply with the law; and modifies the liability standard for an FFL who fails to comply with laws or regulations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act of 2018

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · 13 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] reported raising $6.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s3211.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s3211 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115