Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
Domestic Violence SAFE Notice Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Domestic Violence Survivors Alerted For Emergency Notice Act or the Domestic Violence SAFE Notice Act. The legislation requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to establish a firearms access victim notification system. This system will notify registered crime victims when an offender attempts to buy a firearm, possesses a firearm, or has a background check denial reversed. The bill also creates a pilot program providing grants to States and Tribes to upgrade their own victim notification systems for reporting background check denials and status changes. Legal guardians or representatives may register on behalf of victims who are under 18 years of age, incompetent, or incapacitated. Additionally, the Attorney General must conduct outreach and educate crime victims about their right to register or deregister for the notification system.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +5
Would women be better off under this?
The bill directly addresses domestic violence survivors, a group disproportionately consisting of women, by alerting them when offenders attempt to acquire firearms.
- Scored +4
Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated?
The bill significantly enhances safety protections and notification systems primarily benefiting female victims of domestic violence and abuse.
- Scored +4
Does this put more limits on buying or owning guns?
The bill establishes federal and state notification systems to track prohibited firearm purchases and background check denials by domestic violence offenders.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2 establishes a federal firearms access victim notification system that allows registered crime victims to be notified of firearms-related activity by their offender. This gives victims direct alerts if their abuser attempts to purchase a firearm or gains possession of one.
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Section 2 and Section 3 allow legal guardians or representatives to register for notifications on behalf of crime victims who are under 18 years of age, incompetent, or incapacitated. This ensures that vulnerable victims who cannot manage their own registrations still receive vital safety warnings.
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Section 3 creates a grant program for eligible States and Tribes to upgrade their victim notification systems. These grants help local jurisdictions improve their ability to notify victims of firearm purchases, arrests, or the retrieval of transferred firearms by offenders.
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Section 2 and Section 3 require notifications to include contact information for the national domestic violence hotline and local resources. This connects survivors directly to help and support services during critical moments.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Section 2 and Section 3 place the burden entirely on the crime victim or their legal guardian to proactively register, maintain, and manage their enrollment in the notification systems. Victims who fail to navigate the registration process will not receive alerts when an offender attempts to acquire a firearm.
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Section 2 notes that the firearms access victim notification system shall retain transmitted information for no longer than 24 hours following the issuance of a notification to a crime victim. This extremely short retention window could burden victims who might need ongoing access to records for their personal safety planning.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill directly addresses domestic violence survivors, a group disproportionately consisting of women, by alerting them when offenders attempt to acquire firearms. Would children be better off under this? — The bill allows legal guardians to register and receive firearm-related notifications on behalf of crime victims under 18 years of age. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The legislation provides grant funding for state and tribal systems and connects vulnerable survivors to local support resources regardless of income. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill explicitly allows legal representatives or guardians to manage registrations on behalf of incapacitated or incompetent victims.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill significantly enhances safety protections and notification systems primarily benefiting female victims of domestic violence and abuse. Does this put more limits on buying or owning guns? — The bill establishes federal and state notification systems to track prohibited firearm purchases and background check denials by domestic violence offenders. Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The legislation ensures that legal guardians or representatives can register on behalf of victims who are incompetent or incapacitated.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill establishes structured reporting mechanisms to keep registered crime victims informed about firearms-related activities and background check status changes of offenders. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The legislation creates a pilot program providing grants directly to states and tribes to upgrade their own local victim notification systems. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill mandates the FBI to establish a federal firearms access victim notification system and authorizes federal grant programs for states and tribes.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill provides notifications that include contact information for domestic violence hotlines and support resources, connecting survivors to help. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The legislation connects domestic violence survivors with vital safety warnings and local resource information during critical moments.
- 10/1/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.