Urgent Wisconsin Member Alert: ACT NOW – Wisconsin Second Amendment Privacy Act To Be Heard This Thursday

Last year, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a nonprofit based in Geneva, Switzerland, announced the creation of a new Merchant Category Code (MCC) for credit card transactions involving firearms and ammunition. Transactions at firearm retailers have historically been coded as sporting goods, specialty retail, durable goods and general merchandise. This new code would specifically indicate that a person is making a purchase from a firearm retail shop.

The potential for credit cards to be used to track those that make purchases from firearm retailers is extremely concerning. If a firearm-specific MCC were to be put into place, any large purchase could be flagged as “suspicious” by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen) and transactions could be denied. Lawful transactions made by law-abiding gun owners could be reported to law enforcement. Gun owner watchlists could be created and shared with the Federal Government, which is especially troubling as the Federal Government, as you are likely aware, is prohibited from keeping a list of gun owners.

Since March of this year, NSSF^® – The Firearm Industry Trade Association – has worked to pass laws in 7 states that ban the implementation of a firearm-specific Merchant Category Codes.

Assembly Bill 468, introduced by Representative Ty Bodden, would prohibit these MCCs in Wisconsin AND prohibit the state from keeping a list of firearm owners.

This important bill is scheduled to be heard on Thursday, November 2, at 10:30 a.m. in the Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection.

We need Wisconsin NSSF members to voice their support for this bill in one or all of the following ways:

1. Join NSSF in committee to testify in support of this bill.
2. Urge your own state representative to support this bill. Find their contact information here.
3. Voice your support to the committee using the information at this link.