What was a significant provision of the Brady Bill?

The Brady Bill, officially known as the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, was enacted in 1993 and is significant for establishing a five-day waiting period for background checks before purchasing handguns. This was designed to prevent individuals with criminal backgrounds or those deemed mentally unstable from easily acquiring firearms. The legislation aimed to enhance public safety by allowing time for background checks to be conducted, thereby reducing the chances of guns falling into the hands of potentially dangerous individuals. The waiting period was later replaced with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which allows for immediate checks but was initially one of the bill's hallmark provisions in the effort to regulate gun sales and enhance firearm safety.