TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Idaho added mental health records to a national Federal Bureau of Investigations database, making it easier for background checks to discover if would-be gun owners have a history of mental illness.
The Twin Falls Times-News reports gun store customers are asked to complete a form revealing their legal status, criminal history and whether they have been committed to an institution for health reasons or found mentally unfit by a court.
The answers are then compared against the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Until last year, Idaho was one of 17 states that submitted only a fraction of records, making it difficult to know whether people were telling the truth about mental problems.
Now, Idaho State Police say they’re keeping the FBI up-to-date on those records.
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