April 9, 2013 | THE GUN DEBATE

State-by-State Gun Legislation

PBS NewsHour researched gun law proposals that state legislatures have introduced
since the December 2012 tragedy in Newtown, Conn. Some legislation has failed,
while others are pending or have been written into state law. We analyzed whether
legislation would tighten or loosen current gun policy. Where does your state stand?

'Pending' refers to bills that have neither failed nor been enacted. For the list of legislation below, this category includes 'bills that have recently been sent to the Governor' and 'bills that have passed the house of origin.' States with stripes represent multiple legislation stages. If legislation has not passed the introduction stage it is not included here. Data from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, with additional reporting by the PBS NewsHour for Michigan and Connecticut. Graphic by Elizabeth Shell.

LEGISLATION

Bills that have been enacted into law:

AR S 71: Allows guns in houses of worship.
AR S 131: Prohibits the release of records related to CCW holders and applicants to the public.
AR H 1243: Allows staff and faculty to carry on university, college, or community college campuses.
CO H 1224: Would ban LCAM.
CO H 1229: Would require background checks for private sales.
CT S 1: Among other restrictions, would ban certain semiautomatic firearms; limit large-capacity ammunition magazines; and require background checks for all firearm sales. AR H 2025: Would allow guns in liquor stores.
ID H 183: Would clarify that local governments may not regulate the carrying of concealed weapons.
KY S 150: Removes the six-month residency requirement for CCW permit applicants.
KS S 21: Would provide automatic CCW permit reciprocity with all other states.
ME S 214: Places a moratorium on public access to CCW permit record for a specified time period.
MS H 485: Makes CCW permit records confidential.
MS H 2: Relaxes laws relating to where CCW permit holders may carry in public.
MI S 60: Would exempt all federally licensed firearm dealers (instead of only class 01 federally licensed firearm dealers) from handgun-licensing requirement.
MS S 2647: Facilitates the reporting of certain information to the FBI solely for the purpose of inclusion in the NICS database and allow prohibited individuals to petition for relief from mental health disability.
MT S 145: Would prohibit the release of records related to CCW holders and applicants to the public.
ND H 1283: Would allow CCW permit holder to carry in house of worship and k-12 school with permission.
NY S 2230: Imposes numerous provisions to: strengthen the assault weapons and LCAM bans; provide a mechanism to remove firearms from unstable individuals, close private sale loophole, require lost and stolen reporting, require safe storage and regulate ammunition sales.
OK S 977: Would provide automatic reciprocity for all out-of-state CCW permits.
SD H 1087: Provides that any school board may allow the arming of school employees, hired security personnel, or volunteers, after obtaining the consent of the law enforcement officer who has jurisdiction over the school.
TN S 142: Would allow person with a valid handgun carry permit to transport and store a firearm or firearm ammunition in the permit holder's privately-owned motor vehicle in public or private parking areas under certain conditions.
UT H 121: Would authorize a cohabitant who owns a firearm to voluntarily commit the firearm to law enforcement for 60 days if the cohabitant believes another cohabitant is an immediate threat.
UT H 50: Would allow a court to prohibit the subject of a dating relationship protective order from possessing firearms.
UT S 80: Would provide a system to allow individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental health reasons to petition for relief from the disability.
VA S 1335: Would make CCW permit records confidential.
WY H 216: Would allow a judge to carry a weapon in his courtroom or determine that someone else may carry a weapon in his or her courtroom.

Bills that have been vetoed:

AL H 116: Would authorize the formation of volunteer emergency security forces at public schools in the county consisting of current and retired school employees and local citizens.
UT H 76: Would have allowed firearms to be carried concealed in public without a permit.
MT H 302: Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.

Bills that have recently been sent to the Governor:

AR H 1700: Would allow guns in bars and other areas.
AR H 2025: Would allow guns in liquor stores.
MD S 281: Would strengthen assault weapon ban, provide a mechanism to remove firearms from unstable individuals, and regulate ammunition possession.
MT H 304: Would allow carrying a concealed weapon in public without a permit.
MT H 459: Would prohibit medical providers from requiring patients to answer written questions about gun ownership.

Bills that have passed the house of origin:

AK H 24: Would remove the duty to retreat any place a person has the right to be.
AK H 69: Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.
AR S 858: Would provide automatic reciprocity with all other state CCW permits.
AR S 896: Would allow guns in certain k-12 schools.
AZ H 2326: Would expand prohibition against keeping records of gun possession and purchase.
AZ S 1325: Would authorize a school board to allow certain teachers or administrators to carry concealed weapons in certain schools, or to have the concealed weapon stored in a locked container.
CO H 1226: Would allow colleges and universities to decide whether to allow firearms on campus.
CO S 197: Would provide mechanisms to disarm domestic violence perpetrators.
DE H 35: Would require background checks for private sales of firearms.
GA H 512: Would allow firearms on public property, in houses of worship, bars, in k-12 schools or school buses with permission, and on college and university campuses except dormitories or at athletic event and would tighten restrictions on issuance of CCW permits to applicants with certain mental health histories.
GA S 101: Would create automatic reciprocity for CCW permit holders and make CCW records confidential.
KS H 2055: Would restrict the ability of local governments and state agencies to prohibit firearms in government buildings.
KS H 2199: Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.
KY S 129: Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.
MD S 281: Would strengthen assault weapon ban, provide a mechanism to remove firearms from unstable individuals, and regulate ammunition possession.
MS H 958: (now dead) Would authorize a local school board to adopt a policy authorizing certain school employees to carry a concealed firearm on school premises.
MT H 240: Would prohibit universities from regulating or restricting firearms on university property, with certain exceptions, and would provide that any local rule regulating firearms would not preempt this law with regard to state universities.
ND H 1183: (failed) Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.
ND H 1215: (failed) Would allow CCW permit holder to carry at k-12 school with permission.
ND H 1224: Would allow carrying a concealed weapon in public without a permit. ND H 1327: Would require a NICS check to be completed on CCW permit applicants, lower age for some CCW permits and expand preemption of local law.
ND H 1366: (failed) Would allow CCW permit holders to carry at athletic or sporting events, schools or school functions, churches or church functions, political rallies or functions, musical concerts, and public buildings and parks.
ND S 2239: Would allow CCW permit holders to carry at athletic or sporting events, K-12 schools or school functions, churches or church functions, political rallies or functions, musical concerts, and public buildings and parks.
NJ A 1116: Would impose a 180 day prohibition on purchase of handgun for individual who fails to report loss or theft of a firearm.
NJ A 1329: Would reduce maximum capacity of ammunition magazines from 15 to 10 rounds.
NJ A 1683: Would criminalize purchase or possession of firearms ammunition by persons convicted of certain crimes.
NJ A 3645: Would require that all ammunition sales and transfers be conducted in face-to-face transactions.
NJ A 3659: Would restrict 50 caliber rifles.
NJ A 3687: Would disqualify any person named on federal Terrorist Watchlist from obtaining firearms identification card or permit to purchase handgun.
NJ A 3717: Would require submission of mental health records to NICS.
NJ A 3748: Would require background checks for private sales.
NJ A 3754: Would provide a mechanism to remove firearms from unstable individuals.
NJ A 3788: Would prohibit the release of records related to CCW holders and applicants to the public.
NM H 10: Would tighten ban on purchase of firearms by felons.
NM H 77: Would require a background check for all sales at gun shows and require relevant records be submitted to NICS for background checks.
OK H 1622: Would allow firearms to be carried in a private school or on a private school bus.
SD S 207: Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.
UT H 114: (failed) Would seek to nullify the application of federal firearms law in the state.
WA H 1620: Would create a gun offender registry.
WA H 1850: Would authorize a court to prohibit the subject of a domestic violence protection order from obtaining a firearm or CCW permit and order him or her to surrender any firearms or CCW permit in his or her possession.
WA S 5282: Would create a statewide database of mental health information, and require the submission of mental health commitment records to the state.
WV S 369: Would allow the carrying of a concealed weapon in the state by anyone with a CCW permit, instead of just by individuals who have in-state permits and permits issued by states with reciprocity.