Nevada Senate upholds governor’s gun background check veto

The Nevada Senate has upheld Gov. Brian Sandoval’s 2013 veto of a bill that would have expanded background checks on gun purchases.

Senators voted along party lines Tuesday not to overturn the veto of SB221, which passed both houses of the Democrat-controlled Legislature two years ago. Republicans prevailed this time.

The measure would have required a background check almost any time a firearm changed hands, and would have barred defendants from having guns if their court cases ended with a finding of mental illness.

Sandoval said the bill would put unreasonable burdens on law-abiding Nevadans and do little to prevent criminals from getting guns.

Fourteen of 21 Senate votes were needed to revive the bill. The scenario was especially unlikely after Republicans took control of the Legislature.