Nevada AG’s office seeks grant to boost firearm background checks
Nevada’s firearms background check system may get a boost from new U.S. Department of Justice grant money earmarked for school safety.
The state attorney general’s office recently submitted a grant application through the School Violence Prevention Program, a $25 million grant initiative run by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in the Justice Department.
If granted, the $375,000 being sought would be used to bring in a consultant to propose changes to the state’s background check system and then purchase and implement upgrades. The application aligns with recommendations Attorney General Adam Laxalt’s office made in a statewide school safety report released in late June.
“Our grant application demonstrates my commitment to making technological enhancements to Nevada’s background check system a reality,” Laxalt said Monday in a statement announcing the application. “An enhanced background check system that makes criminal and domestic violence arrests and convictions, as well as mental health adjudications, available to law enforcement and school resource officers in real-time could make our schools safer.”
The Nevada Department of Education and the Nevada Department of Public Safety wrote letters in support of the application. State Superintendent Steve Canavero said it would be “significant” in improving school safety, and Mindy McKay, the records bureau chief in the state Department of Public Safety, agreed that the initiative could “improve the quality and flow” of information in the state systems.
Statewide focus
Since the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, school safety has been widely discussed. In addition to Laxalt’s school safety plan, Gov. Brian Sandoval also created a committee to bring forward recommendations to improve school safety. Sandoval is reviewing recommendations made by the committee and may implement some of them in his final proposed budget.
Sandoval will be out of office when the 2019 Legislative session starts, and either Laxalt, who is the Republican candidate for governor, or Steve Sisolak, his Democratic rival, will determine which measures are included in the biennial budget.
A number of other lawmakers are considering legislation aimed at improving school safety and the school board is considering using one of its two bill draft requests on a “Handle with Care” initiative designed to improve communication between local law enforcement and school officials.
Clark County principals will also carry new walkie-talkies next year that will be matched up with the radio systems used by school police officers in an effort to streamline the communication process. The equipment was funded through a grant and will make its debut in October, after training is complete for principals.
Cheyenne High School is considering whether to add metal detectors to the school doors funded by donations, although no decision has been made yet.
Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.
Background checks
The grant request does not address a controversial opinion by Attorney General Adam Laxalt's office involving the state's background check systems.
In a 2016 ballot initiative, Question 1, Nevada voters approved expanding firearm background checks to private-party sales. But the law was never implemented because Laxalt deemed it unenforceable in a December 2016 opinion, saying the FBI refuses to conduct the background checks and the state lacks the authority to do so.
In October 2017, several Nevadans filed a lawsuit in Clark County District Court against Gov. Brian Sandoval and Laxalt in an effort to get the state to enforce the law. The lawsuit is still pending in District Court.
