Bill > A3593

This bill requires that before certain mental health records of individuals seeking to purchase firearms can be expunged, or removed from official records, local law enforcement must be notified. Specifically, if someone is petitioning a court to have a mental health commitment or determination that barred them from acquiring a firearm expunged, they must also serve a copy of the court order to the Attorney General, the county prosecutor, and the chief of police in their municipality of residence, or the State Police if no local police force exists. This notification requirement is in addition to existing procedures and aims to ensure law enforcement is aware of individuals seeking to regain firearm rights, especially in light of federal laws like the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 and the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, which regulate firearm purchases based on mental health history. The bill also clarifies that mental health records can be disclosed for the purpose of these firearm expungement reviews, but only for that specific purpose and not to third parties or for other uses.