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Pewstates
New State Gun Laws Show Power of
One-Party Control
By
Maggie Clark
Gun
rights activist Siri Davidson carries her AR-15 as she walks
toward the Utah State Capitol at a gun rights rally on March 2. So far
this
year, 15 states have adopted laws to loosen gun restrictions and four
states
have passed laws to tighten gun regulations. (AP)
New
this year: South Dakotans can now carry concealed pistols
while riding their snowmobiles. And Arkansas and North Dakota residents
are now
free to bring their guns to church, as long as their pastors say it’s
alright.
A
dozen other states also have eliminated some gun restrictions
this year. Four states have gone in the opposite direction, tightening
their
gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting last December in Newtown,
Conn. (see
chart)
The
speedy passage of gun laws in the states reflects the fact
that in many of them, one party dominates the political landscape.
Following
the 2012 elections, a single party now controls both the governor’s
mansion and
the legislature in a whopping 37 states—sometimes with a nearly
unbeatable
“supermajority.” The result has been a torrent of new laws related not
only to
guns but other issues ranging from abortion to taxes.
The
action in the states stands in stark contrast to the situation
in Washington, where split party control has slowed gun-related
legislation—and
all other legislation—to a crawl. The U.S. Senate, led by Democrats,
began
debate Thursday on a bill expanding background checks, making gun
trafficking a
federal crime and boosting federal funding of school security programs.
But it
is unclear whether that measure—or any other gun-related proposal—will
clear
the House, where Republicans hold the majority.
“At
the same time Washington, D.C. is getting more gridlocked,
we’re seeing this historic moment of supermajorities in the states and
legislation is speeding through the statehouses,” said Thad Kousser,
professor
of political science at the University of California at San Diego.
“Government
wouldn’t be working well if, in states where they wanted more or less
gun
regulation, that wasn’t reflected in the laws being passed.”
State
Democrats follow Obama
President
Barack Obama called for immediate federal action to curb
guns after the Newtown shootings, but Congress is only now taking its
first
votes on the issue. Meanwhile, four states dominated by
Democrats—Connecticut,
New York, Colorado and Maryland—have already tightened gun regulations
this
year.
“Nothing
focuses your attention like 20 babies being killed,” said
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy, speaking about his change in
legislative
priorities following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School
in
Newtown, in an interview withStateline.
Last week, Malloy signed a measure that
expands Connecticut’s assault
weapons ban and requires anyone who already owns gun with a
high-capacity
magazine to register with the state. It also allocates $15 million for
school
safety and mental health programs.
Despite
the fact that Democrats have a solid majority in
Connecticut and did not need Republican support, the bill passed with
bipartisan backing.
Read
the rest of the article and see a chart of states with
tight-to-loose gun control laws at Pewstates
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