Fully close the boyfriend loophole in gun laws.

fully closing the “boyfriend loophole”

Clark commits to fully closing the boyfriend loophole in gun laws.

Gun Safety | Congresswoman Katherine Clark
secondary · other · model gpt-5.5

Section 12005 amended 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(33)(A)(ii) to include a misdemeanor domestic-violence offense committed by a person with a current or recent former dating relationship with the victim.

Congress enacted a federal change covering dating partners for misdemeanor domestic-violence convictions, addressing a major part of the boyfriend loophole.

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Public Law 117-159, Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 96%

The same section says the amendments do not apply to convictions entered before enactment, and allows restoration for a single dating-relationship misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction after 5 years if no later disqualifying offense occurs.

The enacted law was not a full closure: it is prospective and includes a five-year restoration rule for one qualifying dating-relationship conviction.

partial unknown

Public Law 117-159, Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

The current definition of misdemeanor crime of domestic violence includes offenses committed by a person who has a current or recent former dating relationship with the victim; the dating-relationship provision includes the 5-year limitation for a single conviction.

Current codified law confirms the dating-partner conviction coverage exists, but with the statutory limitation that prevents treating it as a complete fulfillment of 'fully close.'

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18 U.S.C. 921, United States Code 2024 Edition
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

18 U.S.C. 922(g)(8) still applies to persons subject to qualifying court orders restraining conduct toward an intimate partner or child of such intimate partner or person.

The restraining-order firearm prohibition remains keyed to 'intimate partner,' not the newer 'dating relationship' definition.

never unknown

18 U.S.C. 922, United States Code 2024 Edition
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 91%

18 U.S.C. 921(a)(32) defines intimate partner as a spouse, former spouse, co-parent, or cohabitant/former cohabitant; dating partners are added separately only for misdemeanor domestic-violence convictions.

Because the protective-order provision uses the narrower intimate-partner definition, dating partners subject only to qualifying restraining orders are still not fully covered federally.

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18 U.S.C. 921, United States Code 2024 Edition
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

Roll Call 299 on S. 2938 passed 234-193. The vote table lists Clark (MA), Democratic, Massachusetts, voting Yea.

Katherine Clark voted for the enacted Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that partially closed the boyfriend loophole.

partial unknown A for effort

Office of the Clerk, U.S. House Roll Call 299, S. 2938
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 98%

Congress.gov summarizes H.R.1494 as prohibiting dating partners convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence or subject to certain restraining orders from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting firearms; the tracker status is Introduced, with latest House subcommittee referral on 2021-05-18.

A more complete bill that would have covered dating partners under both conviction and restraining-order routes did not become law in the 117th Congress.

never unknown

H.R.1494 - Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act, Congress.gov
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 92%

Congress.gov lists H.R.1620 as Passed House on 2021-03-17 by 244-172 and later referred in the Senate Judiciary Committee on 2022-05-24; the summary says the bill made changes to federal firearms laws.

The House advanced broader VAWA-related firearm-law changes, but that House-passed vehicle did not itself become the enacted route for fully closing the loophole.

partial unknown A for effort

H.R.1620 - Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021, Congress.gov
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 78%