The Toomey-Manchin compromise language is finally public. Here’s the relevant part:
It shall be unlawful for any person other than a licensed dealer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed importer to complete the transfer of a firearm to any other person who is not licensed under this chapter, if such transfer occurs-
“(A) at a gun show or event, on the curtilage thereof; or
“(B) pursuant to an advertisement, posting, display or other listing on the Internet or in a publication by the transferor of his intent to transfer, or the transferee of his intent to acquire, the firearm.
Basically, there would need to be a background check for any sale that began with any type of published advertisement. If you heard through the grapevine that someone wanted a gun, you could sell it to him without a background check; if you saw his ad in a newspaper, you couldn’t. It’s not just Internet sales and gun shows, as the sponsors claimed at their press conference.
While the FBI would not charge a fee for the checks the bill requires, there would be no cap on how much the federal licensees who conducted the checks might charge.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece has been amended since its original posting.