Senator Hagerty Reintroduces Bill to Block Tracking of Gun Purchases
Senator Hagerty reintroduces legislation to block Merchant Category Codes from being used to track gun store purchases, citing privacy concerns.
Overview of the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act
The legislation seeks to prevent financial institutions from using or assigning Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) to gun store transactions. Senator Hagerty and co-sponsors argue that allowing MCC codes for firearm retailers sets a dangerous precedent for surveillance and discrimination against lawful gun owners.
Political Context and Industry Support for Firearm Purchase Privacy
This move follows attempts by financial service providers and regulatory bodies to categorize firearms-related purchases more distinctly, a practice criticized as facilitating federal backdoor registries. Gun rights organizations and pro-privacy advocates back the bill as a way to ensure banking services remain neutral and non-discriminatory.