Tag

Gun Control

All articles tagged with #gun control

Virginia enacts assault weapons ban and high-capacity magazine restrictions
politics10 days ago

Virginia enacts assault weapons ban and high-capacity magazine restrictions

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed into law an assault weapons ban and high-capacity magazine restrictions, making Virginia the 11th state to enact such bans. The law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase or transfer an assault firearm and bars someone convicted under the ban from purchasing, possessing or transporting a firearm for three years. Exemptions include antique firearms, those rendered permanently inoperable, and firearms that are bolt, pump, lever or slide-action. The ban takes effect July 1, 2026.

Minnesota Senate OKs sweeping semiautomatic ban and school-safety funding
politics21 days ago

Minnesota Senate OKs sweeping semiautomatic ban and school-safety funding

The Minnesota Senate passed a comprehensive gun-control bill that would ban semiautomatic weapons and provide funding for school safety and mental health counseling, moving along party lines with all DFL senators voting in favor and Republicans opposed. The measure would grandfather current owners but require registration; Gov. Walz urged the House to act, though the House previously rejected a weaker version and time is running out with only two weeks left in the session.

Shreveport Massacre Exposes America's Gun-Violence Fatigue
politics1 month ago

Shreveport Massacre Exposes America's Gun-Violence Fatigue

A mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana killed eight children in a domestic-violence context, revealing how national coverage often fades after tragedies and arguing that America’s high level of gun ownership and political obstacles hinder action. The piece advocates pragmatic policy steps—domestic-violence prevention, mental-health integration with policing, and gun-restriction measures like licensing and red-flag laws—while noting that evidence is imperfect and political resistance remains.

Virginia Overhauls Gun Laws with Broad Amendments and New Restrictions
politics1 month ago

Virginia Overhauls Gun Laws with Broad Amendments and New Restrictions

Gov. Spanberger amended and signed a sweeping package of Virginia gun laws, expanding universal background checks on private sales, raising the purchase age for guns, tightening safe-storage rules, banning future sales of certain semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines, and restricting gun carry in state buildings, with enforcement-focused changes and the potential for legal challenges as lawmakers reconvene.

Md. Moves Glock-Switch Handgun Ban, Bill Heads to Governor
state-government1 month ago

Md. Moves Glock-Switch Handgun Ban, Bill Heads to Governor

Maryland’s House and Senate approved a bill banning the sale of pistols that can be converted into machine guns with Glock switches, sending the measure to Gov. Wes Moore for signature. The ban targets semiautomatic pistols with a cruciform trigger bar and would bar future sales while exempting current owners, law enforcement, and military. California’s Glock ban is being challenged in court, and Maryland’s proposal is expected to face legal challenges from gun-rights groups if enacted; supporters say it moves the state closer to eliminating ‘weapons of war’ from the market.

From Sidelines to Dolby: Kerr Wins Oscar
sports2 months ago

From Sidelines to Dolby: Kerr Wins Oscar

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr won an Oscar for the documentary short All the Empty Rooms, adding to his off‑court advocacy on gun control. Kerr, as an executive producer, wasn’t at the Dolby Theatre to accept the award and learned of it via his family during a Warriors game. He says the win supports the cause and doesn’t expect to become a filmmaker.

Justices weigh if habitual drug use should bar gun ownership
politics2 months ago

Justices weigh if habitual drug use should bar gun ownership

The Trump administration urged the Supreme Court to uphold a 1968 law denying gun ownership to habitual drug users, including marijuana users, while justices expressed skepticism that occasional cannabis users should be barred and questioned the breadth of the case, which centers on balancing the 2nd Amendment against drug laws in U.S. v. Hemani with a decision due by June.

Cannabis on Trial: The Supreme Court and the Second Amendment
politics2 months ago

Cannabis on Trial: The Supreme Court and the Second Amendment

The Supreme Court is weighing whether the federal gun-ban for unlawful drug users fits with today’s evolving cannabis laws in the Hemani case. Prosecutors argue a long historical tradition justifies disarming drug users, while the defense and groups like the ACLU say the law targets habitual cannabis users and clashes with state reforms. The decision could affect millions of marijuana users and the broader balance between gun rights and drug policy as states continue to liberalize cannabis rules.

Walz rolls out sweeping gun-safety package in Minnesota Legislature
local-politics3 months ago

Walz rolls out sweeping gun-safety package in Minnesota Legislature

Gov. Tim Walz unveiled a gun-violence prevention package in Minnesota, including a ban on military-style assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, mandatory safe storage and reporting of missing or stolen firearms, a firearm and ammunition tax, insurance requirements, expanded resources for schools, and closing the ghost-gun loophole. The plan, announced six months after the Annunciation shooting, emphasizes safety while Walz asserts it won’t infringe on Second Amendment rights; survivor Lydia Kaiser shared her perspective at the press conference.

Virginia House Advances Broad Gun-Control Package, Heads to Senate
politics3 months ago

Virginia House Advances Broad Gun-Control Package, Heads to Senate

Virginia House Democrats approved a sweeping gun-control package that includes an assault-weapons ban, limits on large-capacity magazines, ghost-gun restrictions, safe-storage rules, and new civil-liability provisions for gun manufacturers and sellers; the bills advance to the Senate amid Republican accusations of infringed rights and likely litigation, while supporters argue they address gun violence in a state shaped by mass shootings.

politics3 months ago

Trump’s gun rhetoric rattles Second Amendment allies over potential rights clampdown

Pro‑gun groups fear Donald Trump’s remarks about a legally licensed protester and his broader gun-safety stance could signal a new tightening of Second Amendment rights, even as some allies say there’s no clear policy shift yet. The article surveys reactions from gun‑rights organizations, GOP figures, and White House voices in the context of Minneapolis protests and ongoing debates over gun ownership and regulation.

Left-leaning gun groups report membership surge amid political tensions
politics3 months ago

Left-leaning gun groups report membership surge amid political tensions

After the Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents, left-leaning gun groups report a surge in members and training enrollments, with more women, people of color, and LGBTQ individuals taking up arms. Examples include LA Progressive Shooters’ weekend classes selling out through March and Pink Pistols Twin Cities increasing permit-to-carry courses from about five to 25 per class. Organizers say fear and shifts in the political climate are driving interest, while analysts note a broader diversification of gun ownership amid immigration enforcement debates and evolving gun politics.

Minneapolis shooting reshapes America's gun politics
politics4 months ago

Minneapolis shooting reshapes America's gun politics

The Minneapolis killing of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent has intensified the national gun debate, with some gun-rights supporters pointing to Pretti’s gun as a justification for owning firearms, while gun-control advocates say the weapon’s specifics aren’t policy drivers; the incident highlights how immigration enforcement and deep partisan polarization are shaping the gun-policy conversation.