Nebraska: Fingerprinting Ordinance To Be Considered in Omaha

Please Contact Your City Council Members!

As early as Tuesday, July 14^th, the Omaha City Council will hold a hearing on a proposed ordinance to require fingerprinting for all guns sales to “secondhand stores” (including stores such as Scheels and Guns Unlimited).  It is vitally important that all Omaha residents come to the hearing and voice their opposition to this ordinance.  It is also important that you use the next few days to contact the City Council and urge them oppose the proposed ordinance. 

This proposed ordinance would require gun stores to fingerprint anyone who sells a firearm to the store. The ordinance would also require store owners to keep those fingerprints on record and authorize law enforcement to inspect those records without notice or warrant.  Currently “secondhand stores” are already required to hold the firearm for 15 days so that law enforcement can determine that the gun isn’t stolen.  If passed, this could lead to future ordinances requiring fingerprinting for all firearm transactions. 

Also troubling is that the City Council has chosen to ignore the efforts of the Nebraska State Legislature which worked hard this year to pass the “gang bill” LB 63, which was intended to combat violence in urban areas like Omaha.  This ordinance seems premature when the new law has not been given a chance to work yet.

NRA has sent a letter to all the City Council members informing them of our opposition to this ordinance.  Click here to view the letter.

It is critically important that you make your opinion known on this issue.  Please make plans to attend the hearing starting at 2:00 p.m., located at:

Tuesday, July 14, at 2:00 p.m.
1819 Farnam Street
Suite LC-1
Omaha, NE 68183

Also, please contact the members of the City Council prior to the meeting and respectfully voice your opposition to this measure.  Contact information can be found below.

District 1:
Pete Festersen
402-444-5527

District 2:
Ben Gray
402-444-5524

District 3:
Chris Jerram
402-444-5525

District 4:
Garry Gernandt
402-444-5522

District 5:
Jean Stothert
402-444-5528

District 6:
Franklin Thompson
402-444-5523

District 7:
Chuck Sigerson, Jr.
402-444-5526