On the sixth anniversary of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas school shooting, Representatives Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) have introduced new gun legislation designed to recognize suspicious purchases of firearms and potentially thwart mass shooters.
Named the Identify Gun Stores Act, the bill would implement new merchant category codes for gun and ammunition purchases for credit card companies. This would allow the tracking of suspicious purchasing patterns, which in turn would allow law enforcement to potentially catch mass shooters before they intend to strike.
The legislation was noted as being based on a policy implemented by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2022, which created a similar merchant category code for firearm purchases. However, the system does not specify what was purchased.
Moreover, the ISO policy has been challenged by states such as Florida, which banned the system outright. As a result, Rep. Frost and Rep. Moskowitz's Identify Gun Stores Act would implement the ISO system at the federal level.
In his press release, Rep. Frost said, "In a state home to two of the most vile and horrific mass shootings in recent history – Parkland and Pulse – it is shameful that under NRA-bought Republican leadership, Florida is preventing credit card companies from being proactive against gun violence and helping stop shootings before they happen. The Identify Gun Stores Act is a simple, straightforward effort to help save lives. It’s time we honor the victims of these horrific mass shootings with action, not just empty thoughts and prayers."
Rep. Moskowitz was quoted as saying, "There are common red flags we should be on the lookout for when it comes to large purchases of firearms and ammunition. If an 18-year-old walks into a gun store and buys two AR-15s, body armor, and hundreds of rounds of ammo, that should set off a red flag. This is a common sense measure that I believe every responsible gun owner could get behind."
Last January, Frost and Moskowitz demanded a classified briefing on mass shootings in the wake of several tragedies, including the shooting of ten victims in Monterey Park, California.
