Electronic Medical Certificates for Firearm Purchases Introduced
A new bill has been submitted to the State Duma to strengthen government control over firearms circulation and tighten the medical examination process for obtaining a firearm license. The bill, No. 1172610-7, proposes amendments to the Federal Law “On Weapons” and the Federal Law “On the Basics of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation.” Alexander Khinshtein, head of the parliamentary information committee and one of the bill’s authors, announced the initiative.
Key Provisions of the Bill
- Medical examinations for firearm purchases will only be conducted in state or municipal institutions.
- The examination will include chemical-toxicological tests and psychological assessments.
- Upon successful completion, an electronic medical certificate will be generated, signed with a qualified digital signature, and uploaded to the Ministry of Health’s information system (GIS Minzdrav).
- The National Guard (Rosgvardiya) will have access to this electronic registry.
According to Khinshtein, this system eliminates the need for individuals to carry paper certificates from office to office. The Licensing and Permitting Center (LRC) will automatically see the applicant’s medical certificate. Importantly, this measure also removes the possibility of submitting fake medical documents. Currently, Rosgvardiya cannot even verify if a person is registered at a psychiatric clinic, he added.
Additional Measures and Consequences
If a firearm owner is later found to have medical contraindications (for example, if drug traces are discovered after a car accident), this information will also be entered into the Ministry of Health’s system and sent to Rosgvardiya. In such cases, the firearm license and permit are suspended, and the individual must undergo an unscheduled medical examination within 30 days. During this period, their firearms will be confiscated.
The bill also proposes creating an electronic registry of firearms, ammunition, and their owners within the Rosgvardiya information system. Khinshtein noted that the bill has been thoroughly developed and agreed upon with the relevant agencies, including Rosgvardiya and the Ministry of Health.
Background and Motivation
This initiative to tighten firearm regulations follows the tragedy in Kazan, where 19-year-old Ilnaz Galyaviev opened fire at Gymnasium No. 175, resulting in nine deaths and 32 injuries, many of them children. Based on his behavior during interrogation, there is reason to believe Galyaviev had mental health issues. Many in the public and online community have questioned why Rosgvardiya, responsible for firearm regulation, did not notice his unstable condition. Similar questions were raised after the Kerch tragedy.
Some Russian politicians have promised to review firearm legislation, while others have resorted to the usual practice of blaming the internet for such incidents.