Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

bradycampaign.org

bradycenter.org

millionmommarch.org

gunlawsuits.org

stategunlaws.org

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

home > legislation > state legislation > good news from the states

State Gun Laws

Good News from the States

California (06/24/2008): Senate Committee Passes "Owner Authorized" Handgun Bill!
A top priority bill, AB 2235, passed the Senate Public Safety by a vote of 3-2. This bill would require new handguns to have features like fingerprint or grip recognition so that only an authorized user can fire the gun. "Owner Authorized" handguns will help reduce injuries, homicides, suicides, school shootings, and accidental shootings in California. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

New Jersey (06/23/2008): One-Handgun-Per-Month Bill Passes State Assembly!
Today, the New Jersey State Assembly passed AB 339, a life-saving bill that will keep illegal guns off our streets and out of the hands of dangerous criminals. AB 339 will stop the bulk sales of handguns by limiting handgun purchases to one per month and put illegal gun traffickers out of business. The bill now moves to the New Jersey Senate.

California (06/17/2008): Ammunition Regulation Bill Passes Senate Committee
Today, a top priority bill, AB 2062, to regulate ammunition sellers passed Senate Public Safety Committee by a vote of 3-2. This bill would ensure that criminals, gang members, and kids no longer have such easy access to handgun ammunition. Bullets are ending up in guns and in the wrong hands across California and there are currently no regulations on sellers of handgun ammunition. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

North Carolina (06/12/2008): Senate Committee Passes Bill to Close a Critical Loophole
The North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee passed today SB 2081 to close a loophole in North Carolina's gun laws. This life-saving legislation authorizes North Carolina to report individuals who have been adjudicated dangerously mentally ill, or who have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution, to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill moves next will move to the full Senate.

California (05/28/2008): Assembly Passes "Owner Authorized" Handgun Bill!
A top priority bill, AB 2235, passed the Assembly by a vote of 43-33. This bill would require new handguns to have features like fingerprint or grip recognition so that only an authorized user can fire the gun. "Owner Authorized" handguns will help reduce injuries, homicides, suicides, school shootings, and accidental shootings in California. The bill now moves to the Senate Public Safety Committee.

New York (05/19/2008): Microstamping Demonstration a Huge Success!
Advocates conducted a successful "live-fire" microstamping demonstration at the State Police Academy in Albany, today. Microstamping technology will provide law enforcement with a vital tool to track down criminals by linking codes marked onto shell casings found at crime scenes to the individual semi-automatic handguns from which they were fired. The demonstration, held for legislators, law enforcement, and media, was another shining example of this proven technology. The New York State Chiefs of Police Association announced their endorsement of microstamping at a press conference following the demonstration. AB 9819, a bill to make microstamping a reality in New York, passed the Assembly and is pending in the State Senate.

(05/01/2008): Push For Sensible Gun Laws Growing At State Level
Tremendous progress is being made at the state level as more and more states are calling for more common sense gun laws to be enacted. A feature article in the New York Times focused how state legislatures are considering measures to reduce gun violence. Common sense gun laws work and now more states are working to pass such measures.

Arizona (04/29/2008): Two Bad Gun Bills Defeated!
Governor Janet Napolitano today vetoed a bill, HB 2630, that would have minimized the penalty for carrying a concealed weapon without a concealed carry permit to such a point that it would have made obtaining a permit almost irrelevant. The Governor should be lauded for making a common sense decision to veto this bill. After defeating a Guns on Campus bill, SB 1214, the Arizona legislature scuttled further attempts to attach similar language as amendments to other pieces of legislation. The legislature adjourned and the Guns on Campus measure in Arizona has been killed for the year.

Iowa (04/26/2008): State Maintains Police Discretion Status for CCW Permits
A bill to take away discretion from law enforcement when issuing concealed-carry permits was defeated when the Iowa legislature adjourned for the year. The bill, HF 2613, would have altered Iowa's status from a "may-issue" state to a "shall-issue" state. The bill would have forced law enforcement to award a concealed-carry permit to anyone who meets certain minimal criteria.

California (04/15/2008): "Owner Authorized" Handgun Bill Passes Assembly Committee!
A top priority bill, AB 2235, passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a vote of 4-2. This bill would require new handguns to have fingerprint or grip recognition so that only an authorized user can fire the gun. "Owner Authorized" handguns will help reduce injuries, homicides, suicides, school shootings, and accidental shootings in California.

New York (04/14/2008): State Assembly Passes Microstamping and Other Important Gun Bills
In action set to coincide with New Yorker's Against Gun Violence's 12th Annual Lobby Day, the New York State Assembly passed an impressive package of gun violence prevention legislation today. Included in the package was a bill that would require that all new semi-automatic handguns sold in the state feature microstamping technology, and a bill to make it easier for the state to crack down on corrupt gun dealers. The bills now move to the State Senate.

California (04/08/2008): Ammunition Regulation Bill Passes Assembly Committee
Today, a top priority bill, AB 2062, to regulate ammunition purchasers and sellers passed its first test by passing the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a vote of 5-2. This bill would ensure that criminals, gang members, and kids no longer have such easy access to handgun ammunition. Bullets are ending up in guns and in the wrong hands across California and there are currently no regulations on either sellers or purchasers of handgun ammunition. The bill now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Tennessee (04/02/2008): Legislature Defeats Slew of Dangerous Gun Bills
In the past few weeks the Tennessee Legislature has stood up to the gun lobby and defeated a number of dangerous bills. The legislature defeated separate bills that would have kept CCW permit information secret, allowed guns on college campuses, guns in bars, and guns in parks. Another bill would have also allowed those committed to a mental institution to obtain a firearm permit. We commend the House Leadership in particular for their tremendous work to defeat these dangerous pieces of legislation.

West Virginia (03/20/2008): Governor Signs Bill to Close a Critical Loophole
Governor Joe Manchin III signed into law S.B. 185 to close a loophole in West Virginia's gun laws. This life-saving legislation authorizes West Virginia to report individuals who have been adjudicated dangerously mentally ill, or who have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution, to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Governor and the West Virginia legislature are to be commended for enacting this common sense legislation.

Pennsylvania (03/17/2008): State House Takes Up Anti-Trafficking Legislation
The Pennsylvania State House debated a bill that would require gun owners to report their lost or stolen handguns to police. The important legislation would help stop illegal gun trafficking and the House's floor debate on Monday night was the first substantive action taken on common sense gun laws in several years. The debate was preceded by a large press conference and rally in the Capitol Rotunda which featured legislators and advocates from across the state. A vote on the legislation is expected when the House reconvenes at the end of March.

Connecticut (03/17/2008): Committee Holds Hearing on Microstamping
In an important step towards eventual passage, the State Judiciary Committee held a hearing in Hartford on a bill to require that all new semi-automatic handguns sold in Connecticut feature microstamping technology. The bill â€” similar to legislation that passed in California last year â€” is unlikely to pass during this year's shortened legislative session, but the hearing was an important element in a campaign to educate legislators and the public at large about the effectiveness of microstamping.

Pennsylvania (03/12/2008): Philadelphia Rallies for Right to Pass Local Gun Laws
Members of the Philadelphia City Council were joined by Mayor Michael Nutter and state advocates and activists at a rally in the City Hall Courtyard On Wednesday. The event attracted hundreds of supporters and followed a hearing for the city's lawsuit that seeks to restore Philadelphia's right to enact their own gun laws.

Virginia (03/05/2008): Virginia Governor Thwarts Attempt to Roll Back Gun Laws
The Virginia Legislature passed two dangerous bills, SB 436 and SB 437, that would have allowed unlicensed individuals to carry guns in there cars and allowed hidden handguns to be brought into bars. Fortunately, Governor Kaine again sided with common-sense and vetoed both measures. Attempts to override the Governor's vetoes in the Senate were narrowly defeated after a flurry of calls and emails by concerned gun violence prevention activists. The bills are now dead for the year.

(02/29/2008): States Battle Over Guns On Campus
States across the country are thwarting attempts by the gun lobby to force colleges and universities to allow loaded, hidden guns on campus. This exceptional bi-partisan effort, coupled with support from law enforcement, university administrators and the education community, has already suppressed this type of dangerous legislation in Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota and Virginia.

As the gun lobby continues to brazenly march this reckless type of legislation around the country, we will continue to urge legislatures to defeat it every step of the way.

West Virginia (02/25/2008): Senate Passes Background Check Improvement Bill
The West Virginia Senate passed SB 185, a bill to close a gaping loophole in the West Virginia background check system. The bill strengthens record sharing of mental health information between the state and the Federal National Instant Check System (NICS) by creating a central state database of disqualifying mental health records. Those records would then be uploaded to NICS. Currently, West Virginia uploads zero disqualifying mental health records. With the bill now moving to the House of Representatives, it us up to the House to ensure that prohibited people donâ€™t gain easy access to guns.

Washington (02/05/2008): House Committee Passes NICS Improvement Bill
The top priority piece of legislation in the state of Washington, HB 3095, a bill to increase the number of disqualifying mental health records into the National Instant Check System (NICS), passed the House Judiciary committee yesterday by a vote of 7-4. While Washington has been reporting some disqualifying mental health records to the denied persons file (NICS), the legislation closes a huge loophole in the law. It prohibits the possession of firearms by persons who have been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment under the 14-day commitment process and requires that those records be reported to the NICS system.

Colorado (02/04/2008): Senate Committee Passes Child Access Prevention Bill
The top priority piece of legislation in Colorado passed its first hurdle yesterday as SB 49 passed its first policy committee by a vote of 3-2. This Child Access Prevention bill will help to prevent minors from gaining unauthorized access to guns. SB 49 will help to prevent injuries, suicides, and deaths among Colorado youth by promoting sensible, safe gun ownership. It will hold adults accountable when it comes to children and accessible firearms. The bill will now move to the entire State Senate for consideration.

Virginia (01/21/2008): Record Numbers Attend Advocacy Day in Richmond
Several hundred activists descended upon the state capitol in Richmond to demand that the legislature act to close the gun show loophole. Buses brought supporters from all corners of the Commonwealth including the campuses of Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.

The annual advocacy day -- cosponsored by the Virginia Million Mom March Chapters -- featured overflow attendance at a committee hearing, a large press conference and lie-in, and a meeting between Virginia Tech Victims and unsupportive State Senator John Edwards (with a CNN camera crew in tow!).

Brady Campaign members who were unable to make the trip made a major contribution as well, by flooding the offices of committee members with almost 200 constituent calls in the days preceding the vote.

While the bill ultimately failed to earn passage, the events brought impressive public and media attention to Virginia's campaign to close the loophole.

California (01/15/2008): Assembly Committee Ensures State's Gun Laws Remain Strong
The California Assembly Public Safety Committee voted today to defeat a bad bill that would have allowed thousands of handgun buyers to bypass the state's requirement to pass a handgun safety test. Currently in California, all handgun purchasers are required to pass a handgun safety test before they purchase their weapon, but, the NRA gun lobby pushed this legislation (AB 1357) that would have severely weakened this law. The Committee ensured that all purchasers of handguns know how to handle their weapons in a safe manner.

North Carolina (01/10/2008): Attorney General Recommends NICS Improvements
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper recommended closing a gaping loophole in the North Carolina background check system. The recommendation to force all North Carolina counties to upload mental health records to the federal National Instant Check System (NICS) came on the heels of a task force report organized by the Attorney General in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy. Enacting this policy recommendation would be a significant step toward ensuring that prohibited people donâ€™t gain easy access to guns.

Virginia (01/08/2008): Virgina Governor Push To Close Virginia Gun Show Loophole
In his State of the Commonwealth speech, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine called for the closing of the gunshow loophole, the number one legislative priority of the Virginia Million Mom March Chapters and the Virginia Working Group. "If we are to enforce current law keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, we must require instant background checks for purchase of weapons at gun shows," stated Kaine. Virginia activists will gather at the State Capitol in Richmond on Monday, January 21 to lobby and advocate for this important legislation.

New Jersey (01/07/2008): State Legislature Passes Package of Important Bills on Illegal Guns!
On the final day of its "lame duck" session the state legislature passed four bills aimed at curbing illegal gun trafficking and crime. Included in the package were requirements that gun owners report lost or stolen firearms, stronger penalties for illegal gun possession, and background checks on ammunition sales. The bills now go to the Governor's desk for his signature.

California (10/15/2007): Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Landmark Legislation to Solve Gun Crimes!
Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007 (AB 1471) into law. This new, first-of-its-kind law enforcement investigative tool will allow police to solve more gun crimes and apprehend more armed criminals and gang members. More than 65 California law enforcement organizations, police chiefs, and sheriffs from all over the state supported the legislation.

California (10/11/2007): California Cities Pass Local Ordinances Requiring Reporting of Lost and Stolen Firearms
The City of Oxnard now joins Richmond, Sacramento, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks as the latest cities who passed "Lost and Stolen" ordinances, giving local enforcement another tool in the fight to help derail the flow of illegal guns in our state! Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, West Hollywood, and Berkeley also have this law on the books.

In addition to the Lost and Stolen ordinance, Richmond also passed a large capacity magazine ban.

Illinois (08/31/2007): Victory! Illinois Strengthens Background Checks
Governor Blagojevich signed SB 940 into law today, closing a gaping loophole in the Illinois background check system. The new law strengthens record sharing of mental health information between the state and the Federal National Instant Check System (NICS). Illinois has taken a significant step to ensure that prohibited people donâ€™t gain easy access to guns.

Wisconsin (08/21/2007): Governor Doyle Stands Up for a Safer Wisconsin
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle came out strong against gun violence in the Badger State. Among the public safety measures included in his anti-crime package, the Governor is seeking to close the gun show loophole, strengthen background check systems, and prohibit criminals from possessing firearms. The Governor has taken a tremendous step with these proposals to keep children and families safe by reducing gun violence in Wisconsin.

California (08/07/2007): Sacramento Passes Ordinances to Solve Crimes and Fight Gun Trafficking
The Sacramento City Council unanimously passed two strong firearms-related ordinances that will improve public safety and aid law enforcement's ability to investigate gun crimes. The first ordinance requires gun owners to report all lost and stolen guns to the Sacramento Police in order to promote gun owner responsibility and reduce gun trafficking to criminals and gang members. The second city ordinance requires ammunition vendors to maintain records of ammunition sales in order to reduce illegal ammunition purchases within the City of Sacramento.

Pennsylvania (07/18/2007): Brady Campaign and Pennsylvania Coalition Meet with Key State Leader
In Reading, PA, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence along with CeasefirePA, the mayors of Reading, Allentown, York, Lancaster, and Philadelphia met with the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Chairman to map out a plan for combating illegal firearms trafficking. This was a positive step toward passing sensible gun laws in Pennsylvania.

New Jersey (07/16/2007): Activists Call on Sesame Street and Anheuser-Busch to End Partnership with NRA
Million Mom March Chapter leaders from New Jersey and Pennsylvania joined with other local and national gun violence prevention activists to urge Anheuser-Busch to discontinue a relationship that allowed NRA donors to receive free tickets to theme parks featuring Sesame Street characters. Inside New Jersey's state capitol building, flanked by a large fuzzy creature resembling Elmo, the group urged an end to the "unholy alliance" that wraps together guns, beer, and kids.

Maine (07/03/2007): Maine Governor Helps to Close Background Check Loophole
Maine Governor John Baldacci today issued an executive order that will close a gaping loophole in the Maine background check system. Recognizing that a strong background check system is vitally important toward ensuring the safety of the citizens of Maine and of other states, Governor Baldacci has strengthened the reporting of mental health records to National Instant Check System (NICS).

California (06/26/2007): Senate Committee Passes Crime Gun Identification Act
The California Senate Public Safety Committee passed our number one priority bill in California -- the Crime Gun Identification Act (AB 1471) -- which already passed the California Assembly by a vote of 44-31 and has received broad support from the California law enforcement community. The bill will provide police with an important tool to help solve gun crimes and catch gun traffickers and will now move to the entire State Senate for consideration in late August. Get more information on this important bill.

Connecticut (06/20/2007): Victory! Governor Rell Signs Bill to Reduce Gun Trafficking
Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell signed into law a bill that will strike at the core of the gun trafficking issue in Connecticut by requiring the reporting of all lost and stolen firearms to the police (SB 938). After a long and hard fought battle, the state of Connecticut has taken a tremendous step toward reducing gun violence.

New Jersey (06/14/2007): Assembly Committee Passes Bill to Reduce Gun Trafficking
The New Jersey Assembly's Law and Public Safety Committee passed AB 541, a bill requiring that all lost and stolen firearms be reported to the police. This bill will help police stop the flow of illegal guns to criminals and curb the prevalence of gun trafficking in New Jersey. The bill now moves on to the Assembly floor.

New Jersey (06/11/2007): Assembly Passes Bill to Stop Bulk Handgun Purchases
The New Jersey State Assembly passed AB 3511, a bill that will put illegal gun traffickers out of business by limiting bulk sales of handguns. The Assembly has taken a proactive stance to reduce gun violence in the state by overwhelmingly passing this common sense piece of legislation by a vote of 51-25. The bill now moves on to the State Senate.

Illinois (06/06/2007): Victory! Legislature Poised to Strengthen Background Checks
The Illinois State Legislature passed significant legislation that will close a huge loophole in Illinois law to ensure that prohibited people donâ€™t gain easy access to guns. This important bill, SB 940, is a package of reforms strengthening record sharing of mental health information between the state and the Federal National Instant Check System. The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Connecticut (06/05/2007): Victory! Bill to Reduce Gun Trafficking Passes Legislature
After a long and hard fought battle, the Connecticut State House passed SB 938 by a vote of 94-56. This bill will strike at the core of the gun trafficking issue in the state by requiring the reporting of all lost and stolen firearms to the police. The bill now moves to the desk of Governor Rell who has demonstrated her support for this common sense piece of legislation.

California (05/29/2007): Assembly Passes Crime Gun Identification Act
The California Assembly today passed a bill that will provide police with an important tool to help solve gun crimes and catch gun traffickers. The Crime Gun Identification Act (AB 1471), which passed 44-31, has received broad support from the California law enforcement community. The bill will now move to the State Senate for consideration.

California (05/29/2007): Bill to Reduce Gun Trafficking Passes in the Assembly
A critical bill, SB 334, that will reduce gun trafficking by requiring that all lost and stolen firearms be reported to the police passed the Assembly today 43-34. This bill will help police stop the flow of illegal guns to criminals. Since law-abiding citizens typically report robberies to the police, this bill will have little effect on the private gun owner. But it will help stop corrupt gun sellers who are trafficking illegal guns. The next stop for SB 334 is the California Senate.

Colorado (05/14/2007): Victory! Governor Signs Bill to Ensure Database of Permitees to Carry Concealed Handguns Remains Intact
Today, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed into law HB 1174, an important bill that will keep in place an already existing database of those permitted to carry concealed handguns in public. The new law will provide law enforcement with an important tool to keep guns out of criminalsâ€™ hands, including domestic violence offenders, by maintaining a statewide database of those permitted to carry loaded, hidden handguns in public. The gun lobby opposed HB 1174 despite strong objections from Colorado law enforcement.

Illinois (05/08/2007): Four Gun Control Proposals Clear First Hurdle
An unprecedented coalition of gun violence prevention advocates, victims and leaders from public health, law enforcement, and the faith community have helped to pass all of our priority bills out of policy committees. Legislative efforts include banning high capacity ammunition clips and .50 caliber sniper rifles, requiring a background check on all buyers of handguns, and requiring reporting of lost and stolen firearms. Advocates are busy meeting with legislators, making phone calls and gaining media exposure on these bills to ensure that we keep our legislative priorities moving.

Maine (05/07/2007): Senate Considers Bill to Keep Guns Off College Campuses
The State Senate is considering legislation that would give all public colleges and universities in Maine the power to regulate guns on campus. Sen. Margaret Rotundo (D-Lewiston) introduced the bill in April to little fanfare, but the tragedy at Virginia Tech has renewed interest in the legislation. The legislation had been tabled but will likely earn consideration again in the legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

Pennsylvania (04/26/2007): House Judiciary Committee Concludes Public Hearings on Gun Violence
After listening to pleas for sensible gun violence legislation from across the state, the House Judiciary Committee met in Harrisburg and concluded it's series of field hearings on gun violence. Among those testifying in favor of the one-handgun-a-month bill were Col. Jeffery Miller, State Police Commissioner, Mayor Tom McMahon of Reading, Mayor Rick Gray of Lancaster, and members of the domestic violence prevention and gun violence prevention communities.

Florida (04/18/2007): Guns in the Workplace Bill Dies in Committee!
Today, a Florida State House Committee killed HB 1417, a dangerous bill that would have forced employers to allow guns on their privately held, business-owned property, whether they wanted to or not. This legislation also threatened to punish business leaders should they choose to keep their workplaces safe by prohibiting guns. The committee defeated the bill 10-4 and the honorable committee members who voted against it should be commended as they withstood heavy pressure from the NRA. This is an important victory for the Florida business community as well as all Florida citizens who desire to keep their places of employment and communities safe. Click here to thank the committee members that voted against this bill.

Colorado (04/09/2007): Victory! Database of Permitees to Carry Concealed Handguns Remains Intact
Today, the Colorado State Senate successfully passed HB 1174, an important bill that will keep in place an already existing database of those permitted to carry concealed handguns in public. Despite the efforts from the gun lobby that would have tied the hands of law enforcement officials, the state senate passed the bill 18-17. The bill provides law enforcement with an important tool to keep guns out of criminalsâ€™ hands, including domestic violence offenders, by maintaining a statewide database of those permitted to carry loaded, hidden handguns in public. The bill is now awaiting Governor Ritter's signature.

Maryland (04/09/2007): Two Dangerous "Shoot First" Bills Die in Annapolis
Two ill-conceived bills in the Maryland legislature, HB 455 and SB 518, failed today due to adjournment for the 2007 session. The NRA-backed legislation would have allowed a gun owner to shoot and kill another person in certain situations even if their life were not in danger. The bills - known as Shoot First - would've eliminated a citizen's duty to avoid a threat and instead allow the gun user to "shoot first." The NRA is pushing these unnecessary bills all over the country but Marylanders can claim victory as they have successfully defeated these dangerous pieces of legislation.

Paul Helmke [image]

Guns in Colleges and Schools [image]

Guns in the Workplace [image]

[image]

God Bless America Poster [image]


	Million Mom March Chapters · Brady Center · Legal Action Project · State Gun Laws Sign Me Up \| Forward to a Friend \| Privacy Policy \| Contact Us All information ©2008 Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence