(a) When certification of a chief law-enforcement officer is required by federal law or regulation for the making, transfer, receipt or possession of a firearm, the chief law-enforcement officer shall, within thirty days of receipt of such a request, provide such certification upon determining that to his or her knowledge the applicant is not prohibited by federal, state or local law from making, transferring, receiving or possessing the firearm for which application is being made and is not the subject of a proceeding that could result in the applicant being prohibited by law from receiving or possessing a firearm. If the chief law-enforcement officer is unable to make a certification as contemplated by this section, he or she shall provide the applicant written notification of the action setting forth the reasons therefor.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Chief law-enforcement officer" means any official, or his or her designee, that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or any successor agency, identifies by regulation or otherwise as eligible to provide the required law-enforcement certification for the making, transfer, receipt or possession of a firearm.