The federal rules will help prevent accidental shootings and promote sharing of mental health records.

WASHINGTON — President Obama announced new steps Friday to help curb gun violence, including by identifying the requirements that “smart guns” would have to meet for law enforcement agencies to buy and use them as well as sharing mental health records with the federal background check system.

Smart guns use various technologies to prevent an accidental shooting or help track down a missing gun.

As Obama unveiled a plan last January to expand federal background checks for gun purchases, he directed the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Justice to conduct or sponsor research into smart-gun technology. Obama also instructed the agencies to regularly review the availability of such technology and to promote its use.

In response, the National Rifle Association said Obama should focus on fighting terrorist threats.

“At a time when we are actively fighting terrorists at home and abroad, this administration would rather focus the military’s efforts on the president’s gun control agenda,” said Jennifer Baker, director of NRA-ILA Public Affairs.

In a report released Friday, the Justice and Homeland Security departments said they expect to complete identifying the smart-gun requirements by October.

“Many gun injuries and deaths are the result of legal guns that were stolen, misused, or discharged accidentally,” Obama said. “As long as we’ve got the technology to prevent a criminal from stealing and using your smartphone, then we should be able to prevent the wrong person from pulling a trigger on a gun.”

The Social Security Administration will publish a proposed rule to help ensure that mental health records about people who are prohibited from buying a gun are reported to the background check system.


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