OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma officials say state and federal privacy laws are why just 25 mental health records have been provided to an FBI database used to prevent certain people from buying firearms.
The Oklahoman reports that a new state law going into effect July 1 is expected to result in more records being sent to the FBI's National Instant Crime Background Check Systems, or NICS and officials say more records are expected to be provided then.
Federal law prohibits the sale of a firearm to anyone found mentally incompetent by the courts. But Oklahoma does not provide the records because of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, and state privacy laws.
An FBI report says the NICS had about 3.7 million mental health records as of Nov. 30.