SC Tennessee News

Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles has introduced legislation aimed at protecting the identification of firearm and ammunition merchants. The proposed bill, named the Protecting the Second Amendment in Financial Services Act, seeks to prevent credit card transaction processors from using Merchant Category Codes (MCC) that specifically identify transactions related to firearms or ammunition.

MCC codes are four-digit identifiers used by payment processors and banks to monitor certain types of transactions. In 2022, a specific code for firearm transactions was created. Rep. Ogles argues this serves as a "backdoor gun registry." He stated, "Under the Biden Administration, the Second Amendment suffered several assaults--including an attempt by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to create a back door gun registry through a new merchant category code (MCC). This MCC was specifically designed to track gun and ammunition transactions. My bill would prohibit the MCC’s implementation and stop the radical Left in its tracks."

While major credit card companies have temporarily halted using such codes for firearm and ammunition purchases, Rep. Ogles emphasizes that no formal withdrawal request has been made regarding the MCC. His legislation aims to ensure such tracking is not implemented.

Rep. Ogles also expressed concern that using an MCC could allow authorities to "track and report lawful firearm transactions to law enforcement under the guise of 'suspicion'. In other words, this MCC is the Left’s attempt to create a backdoor gun registry to further curtail the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans."