PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island hasn't shared any mental health records with the federal background check system used to screen prospective gun buyers, contributing to what gun control advocates call major gaps in the database.
State Police Chief Col. Steven O'Donnell says he and other leaders have been "brainstorming" the best policy for sharing such records with the FBI but that he wants "to get it right."
States submit the information voluntarily. The state attorney general's office says there are questions about which records to share and how to comply with privacy laws. Legislation might be needed.
The background check system screens available records to see if an individual is prohibited from having a gun. Mayors Against Illegal Guns says the system has "serious gaps and limitations" partly because not all states share information.