Other ideas floated by candidates include opening up gun manufacturers to lawsuits for misuse of their products and blocking gun ownership for more misdemeanor offenses related to stalking and domestic abuse charges.
Many Democratic contenders also have backed “red flag laws,” which would allow family members, co-workers and others to petition the courts to have police temporarily confiscate guns from individuals who they fear are a danger to themselves or to others.
These laws alreadyexist in many states, including Florida, where Republican Gov. Rick Scottsigned such legislationin response to the Parkland shooting, a case in which the suspect exhibited warning signs of violent behavior.
Democrats have also called forrepealing a 2005 lawthat grants firearms manufacturers immunity from lawsuits over misuse of their products.
Trump’s position on guns
President Donald Trump has generally hewed closely to gun rights activists and the National Rifle Association and calledfor arming educators inresponse to school shootings. He supportsexpanding concealed-carry laws, opposes banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and his administration hasthreatened to vetobills to broaden background checks to more sales.
But after the Parkland shooting and later those in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, Trump did express interest in expanding background check laws; however, he backed off committing to major new legislation. Congress didadd some incentivesto keep the background check system better updated.
The Trump administration has also encouraged states to pass red-flag laws, but has not yet backed bipartisan legislation to encourage their adoption or create a national version.
The president also ordered his administration to look into a ban on “bump stocks, “which can make it easier to fire semi-automatic weapons at faster rates and were employed by the 2017 Las Vegas shooter. and anew federal rulewent into effect this year banning their use and sale. But some Democrats argue the ban should be done through legislation as well.
What critics say about gun control
Gun rights activists argue many of the Democratic proposals would violate the Second Amendment, which the Supreme Court determined in a 2008 decision to include an individual right to own firearms.
Many also argue assault weapons are unfairly singled out given that they’re a popular rifle and, while employed in many high-profile mass shootings, are responsible fora much smaller percentage of gun deathsthan other firearm types like handguns, most of which would not be covered under a ban .
Previous state and federal assault weapons bans have still allowed similarly powered semi-automatic rifles, and critics argue thedifferencesbetween the new and old windo ns – like removing a collapsible stock or pistol grip – were “cosmetic” and not likely to lessen the risk of violence.
Critics have been strongly opposed to the “mandatory buyback” assault weapons proposal, arguing it would turn millions of currently law-abiding gun owners into criminals overnight if they failed to get rid of their weapons. The NRA estimates there are more than 16 million firearms that are currently in circulation that would be defined as assault weapons . In addition, recent state and local restrictions on types of guns or magazines have been plagued bywidespread noncompliance, suggesting it may be difficult to enforce.
Some Democratic leadershave been upset with the buyback discussionas well, arguing it undermines their efforts to pass other gun legislation after years reassuring gun owners they would not try to confiscate weapons.
And while expanded background checks areoverwhelmingly popularin polls, critics such as the NRA argue that they and related proposals like gun licensing are an unnecessary and burdensome addition to existing laws and that criminals will evade the new requirements by buying guns illegally.
The NRA has also argued legislation granting immunity to firearms manufacturers, which they successfully lobbied to pass in 2005, is necessary toprotect the industryfrom a deluge of lawsuits that could put companies out of business.
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