HB 2837, Ban Info Collection For Gun Registry
May 1, 2023 | Austin, TX
Tomorrow, the Texas House of Representatives will vote on HB 2837 which would limit the information payment card issuers can collect on firearm purchases. It is very important that you call your representative and urge support of this bill.
The legislation, authored by Representative Matt Schaefer of District 6, is in response to the recent issuance by the International Organization for Standardization to track firearms transactions.
In his analysis for the bill, Schaefer says, “In a letter provided to payment card networks, federal lawmakers stated that the new code for firearms retailers would be "...the first step towards facilitating the collection of valuable financial data that could help law enforcement in countering the financing of terrorism efforts."
Americans testifying at school board hearings and attending Catholic masses have already been framed as terrorists by our intelligence community. We must ask ourselves, who are the real targets of these actions?
The effort to create a gun registry expresses a clear government expectation that networks will utilize the new code to conduct mass surveillance of constitutionally protected firearms and ammunition purchases in cooperation with law enforcement.
“Currently, firearm and ammunition purchases are listed as either sporting goods or miscellaneous items. The new code would shift away from the current coding of these purchases, leading banks, payment card networks, acquirers, and other entities involved in payment card processing to identify and separately track lawful payment card purchases at firearms retailers in Texas,” says Schaefer.
“The risk of surveillance of Second Amendment activity and unprecedented information sharing between financial institutions and the government will have a significant chilling effect on citizens wishing to exercise their federal and state constitutional rights to keep and bear arms in Texas. C.S.H.B. 2837, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, seeks to address this issue by prohibiting the use of a merchant category code for firearms retailers.”
Take Action
Contact your House Representative and urge him to vote for this bill when it comes to a floor vote.
Click below to find your House representative.
Rep. Cecil Bell (HD 3)
(512) 463-0650 (Austin office)
(281) 259-3700 (District office)
Send an email
Rep. Steve Toth (HD 15)
(512) 463-0797 (Austin office)
(346) 220-0300 (District office)
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Rep. Will Metcalf (HD 16)
(512) 463-0726 (Austin office)
(936) 539-0068 (District office)
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Rep. Ernest Bailes (HD 18)
(512) 463-0570 (Austin office)
(936) 628-6687 (District office)
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