Bill Overview
Title: Shall Not Be Infringed Act
Description: This bill repeals the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law on June 25, 2022. The act makes various changes to federal firearms laws, including to expand background check requirements, broaden the scope of existing restrictions, and establish new criminal offenses. The act also reauthorizes, funds, and supports various programs, grants, and activities to promote access to behavioral and mental health services, enhance school safety and security initiatives, and address gun violence in communities.
Sponsors: Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-3]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals impacted by changes to federal firearms regulation, particularly U.S. gun owners and residents in gun-owning households
Estimated Size: 120000000
- The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act impacts gun owners by imposing federal regulations such as expanded background checks.
- Repealing this act might ease regulations which could affect the 81.4 million Americans who own guns.
- Repealing provisions that support mental health and school safety could potentially impact the general population, but are especially relevant to communities prone to gun violence.
- Current federal background check requirements apply to all 331 million Americans purchasing firearms.
- Only 1 in 3 American adults own guns, but firearm purchasing extends beyond gun owners to those living in households with guns.
- In 2021, there were approximately 124 million households in the U.S., and firearms are owned in about 45% of these, thus impacting around 55 million households.
Reasoning
- We need to ensure the represented sample includes both gun owners and non-gun owners, given that the repeal would affect these groups differently.
- Considering the policy change impacts school safety, opinions from educators or parents should be included.
- The budget constraint implies that many existing initiatives related to behavioral health and school safety may lose funding, impacting public wellbeing.
- The distribution of gun ownership is not uniform across the U.S., hence individuals from regions with higher gun ownership may experience a different impact than those from regions with lower gun ownership.
- The impact of repealing mental health services and safety measures might not be immediately felt within the first year for everyone, but could have long-term societal impacts.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (Texas)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Concerned about the potential reduction in school safety measures.
- Believes that students may feel less safe without expanded behavioral health services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Gun shop owner (Ohio)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Believes the repeal will positively impact his business by easing restrictions on gun purchases.
- Feels the repeal aligns with his rights under the Second Amendment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Mental health counselor (New York)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Worries that the repeal might reduce funding for vital mental health services.
- Concerned about the potential increase in gun-related incidents without preventive measures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Retired veteran (Pennsylvania)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Supports the repeal as it reduces government overreach in gun ownership.
- Feels more secure in his rights to own firearms without added restrictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
College student (California)
Age: 23 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Feels uneasy about the repeal diminishing campus safety programs.
- Believes enhanced background checks are necessary for public safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 5 |
Police officer (Florida)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Worried that the repeal might lead to an increase in gun-related crimes.
- Believes keeping some regulations and safety funding is critical for community safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
Software developer (Illinois)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Feels neutral; while expanded rights might be favorable, his main concern is maintaining safety.
- Appreciates the balance of existing checks with personal freedoms.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
School principal (Georgia)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Strongly believes in maintaining a safe environment for students through funded safety programs.
- Conerned the repeal will undermine efforts to reduce violence in schools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Construction worker (Alabama)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Supportive of repealing the act for more straightforward gun purchases.
- Relies on firearm for personal protection and fears restrictions could limit access.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired teacher (Michigan)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Believes that reducing regulations could have negative outcomes on community safety.
- Supports current safety funding and mental health initiatives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Year 2: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Year 3: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Year 5: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Year 10: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Year 100: $500000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $700000000)
Key Considerations
- Removing mental health support and school safety initiatives could have societal costs not immediately quantifiable.
- The repeal affects gun regulation compliance stakeholders, potentially altering the volume and type of enforcement needed.