S. 2196 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jun 26, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands firearm restrictions for abuse and stalking
This bill tightens federal rules about who cannot own or possess guns and ammunition. It adds three new groups of people to those restrictions: anyone convicted of stalking as a misdemeanor (even if it didn't happen between partners), anyone with a domestic violence court order that covers dating partners they're not living with, and anyone convicted of domestic violence against a dating partner's child.
How it affects you
If you're a survivor of domestic violence or stalking, this could mean stronger legal protections in your situation. If you've been convicted of or restrained for stalking or domestic violence in these newly covered situations, you would now face federal restrictions on buying, owning, or carrying firearms and ammunition. The law applies across all states and tribal lands where these convictions or court orders occur.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jun 26, 2025)
Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025
This bill extends federal restrictions on the receipt, possession, shipment, and transportation of firearms and ammunition to new types of stalking and domestic violence offenders.
Specifically, the bill extends federal firearms-related restrictions to individuals who are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. The term misdemeanor crime of stalking means a federal, state, tribal, or local offense involving harassment, intimidation, or surveillance that (1) causes emotional distress; or (2) places a person in reasonable fear of harm to themselves, an immediate family member, a current or former cohabitant, an intimate partner, or a pet.
Additionally, the bill extends federal firearms-related restrictions to individuals who are subject to a domestic violence protection order that restrains them from harassing, stalking, or threatening a current or former dating partner (regardless of when the relationship occurred) or an individual similarly situated to a spouse. Currently, the restrictions only apply if the domestic violence protection order restrains the individual from harassing, stalking, or threatening a co-parent, a current or former spouse, or a current or former cohabitant.
Finally, the bill extends federal firearms-related restrictions to individuals who commit a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against the child of a current or recent former dating partner. Currently, the restrictions only apply if the offense is committed against a current or recent former dating partner.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 2196
A BILL
Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) · Introduced Jun 26, 2025 · Crime and Law Enforcement · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 26, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.”