Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, introduced legislation to prevent guns from getting into the hands of dangerous sex offenders. While it is against federal law for a person convicted of a felony to buy, sell or possess guns or ammunition, it is perfectly legal if he or she has been convicted of one or more misdemeanor sex crimes against a minor. The Keep Kids Safe Act of 2010 would make it illegal under federal law for someone convicted of a misdemeanor sex crime against a minor to transfer, receive or possess firearms or ammunition.

"We have a glaring gap in our law when it comes to keeping Americans - and, most significantly, children - safe from predators with guns," said Nadler. "There is absolutely no reason why someone convicted of a misdemeanor sex crime against a child should have access to dangerous weapons. The Keep Kids Safe Act will make sure that our society’s most pernicious criminals will not have legal access to firearms."

This legislation covers misdemeanor sex offenders who have already shown a propensity to target children. It is modeled after the firearms ban which applies to those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes. That ban, enacted in 1996, prevented over 13,000 criminals from gaining access to firearms in 2008 alone, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The House of Representatives already passed by voice vote language similar to the Keep Kids Safe Act in a Nadler amendment offered in the 109th Congress. The bill has the support of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Violence Policy Center.