On June 25, 2022,  the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938)was signed into law. The act  broke a nearly 30-year stalemate on Capitol Hill, becoming the first major piece of federal gun reform to clear both chambers since the Brady bill.

A bipartisan group of senators worked out the details of the new law in the aftermath of the mass shooting of students and teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers.

According to ABC News. the Act includes $750 million to help states implement “red flag” laws to remove firearms from people deemed to be a danger to themselves or others, as well as other violence prevention programs. It also provides funding for a variety of programs aimed at shoring up the nation’s mental health apparatus and securing schools.

The Act will also enhance background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21 by giving authorities up to 10 business days to review the juvenile and mental health records of young gun purchasers, and makes it unlawful for someone to purchase a gun for someone who would fail a background check. Another key provision is closing the so-called “boyfriend loophole” so individuals in “serious” “dating relationships” who are convicted of domestic abuse will be prevented from purchasing a gun.