U.S. House OKs Adding Mental-Health Records to Gun Database
10/17/2002

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the "Our Lady of Peace" bill, which will require states to add mental-health records to the national instant background check system, Newsday reported Oct. 16.
The bill is in response to a fatal shooting at the Our Lady of Peace church in Lynbrook, N.Y. In March, Peter Troy, who has a history of mental illness, fatally shot Rev. Lawrence Penzes and parishioner Eileen Tosner.
Troy was able to pass a federal background check and buy a semi-automatic gun because his mental-health records had not been forwarded to the national background-check system.
Under the $1.1 billion bill, states would receive funding over three years to add their mental-health records to the national system.
The bill moves on to the U.S. Senate for consideration. It is expected to pass before this congressional session ends.