Petitions to go in for Nevada background checks

LAS VEGAS — Proponents of gun owner background checks say they’re submitting almost 250,000 signatures to Clark County election officials for a Nevada ballot measure to strengthen screening and reporting of weapon purchases.

Nevadans for Background Checks spokeswoman Kayla Keller says the organization will turn hand in on Wednesday well more than twice the approximately 102,000 signatures needed to qualify the initiative for the 2016 statewide ballot.

The group points to passage last week in Washington State of a measure making that state the seventh, plus the District of Columbia, to require universal background checks for all sales and transfers of firearms.

Nevada currently requires criminal and mental health background checks for gun buyers making purchases from licensed dealers, but not for purchases from private sellers or exhibitors at gun shows.