Prohibiting firearms merchant category codes in payment card transactions, prohibiting government lists of firearm owners, and providing a penalty

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill prohibits a financial institution, as part of a payment card transaction, from requiring the use of a merchant category code that identifies the merchant as a firearms retailer. The bill also provides that the Department of Justice may not maintain a list of firearm purchasers based on information from background checks that DOJ performs and that no governmental entity may maintain a list of firearm owners. The bill requires the attorney general to enforce the prohibitions created in this bill.

Firearms codes in payment card transactions The bill prohibits a financial institution or its agent from requiring the use of a firearms code in a way that distinguishes a firearms retailer from general merchandise retailers or sporting goods retailers. The bill defines a “financial institution" as an entity involved in facilitating or processing a payment card transaction, including a bank, acquirer, payment card network, or payment card issuer. The bill defines “firearms code" as the merchant category code 5723, approved in September 2022 by the International Organization for Standardization, for firearms retailers. In addition, with limited exceptions, a financial institution may not discriminate against a firearms retailer by declining a lawful payment card transaction based solely on the assignment or nonassignment of a firearms code.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its authors⁠. All 6 are Republicans.

20 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment Histories
• LC Amendment Memo