In the span of less than two weeks, two mass shootings made headlines across the country. These attacks at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and a grocery store in Buffalo, NY, killed 21 and 10 people respectively. However, these are not the only ones. According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of July 4th, there have been 313 mass shootings in the United States since the beginning of the year — including a shooting at an Independence Day parade this year in Highland Park, Illinois, where six people were killed and dozens more were injured. There were 329 mass shootings through the July 4th weekend in 2021, and 258 through the same weekend in 2020. Gun control is not a new issue, and supporters have long been calling for changes in gun laws.
Both shooters used legally purchased AR-15-style rifles. Several of the measures currently being discussed are designed to close gaps in existing federal gun laws, which stop 18-year-olds from buying handguns but not assault rifles, and require background checks for guns bought from a licensed dealer but not those bought from private sellers, often online or at gun shows. Other proposals, like regulations for gun storage and high-capacity magazines, don’t currently exist in federal law.
Many states have already passed some or all of these policies already. But the patchwork of laws limits the effectiveness of such restrictions because gun purchasers can travel to a neighboring state with fewer rules. The authors of the House legislation have emphasized the value of national laws that would apply uniformly.
“They go to the states where it’s easy to buy guns, where there are practically no limitations, and then they take those guns to other states,” said Representative Ted Deutch, a Democrat from Florida.
Many people advocating for gun control were left upset on June 23rd when the Supreme Court invalidated a law giving New York broad discretion over concealed carry permits, a framework used by five other states and Washington, D.C. declaring it unconstitutional. As a response, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law banning concealed carry of firearms in more than a dozen “sensitive locations,” including on public transit, government buildings, places of worship, polling sites, bars, restaurants that serve alcohol, medical facilities, public demonstrations, and Times Square four days after the high court’s decision. Private businesses will now prohibit guns by default, unless property owners decide to allow guns in their establishments. Separately, the hotel industry and its trade union have agreed to ban firearms in New York City hotels. Beginning September 1, subways, buses, and regional commuter trains will legally be gun-free zones.
In Massachusetts, it is also expected that the SCOTUS decision will not have much impact on gun laws. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said that the Commonwealth will continue enforcing its laws as is. “I remain committed to doing everything I can to keep our residents and our communities safe. Massachusetts has one of the lowest gun death rates in the country because we know that strong gun laws save lives. I stand by our commonsense gun laws and will continue to vigorously defend and enforce them,”
While it was previously reported that the ruling would change gun laws in Massachusetts, after review many politicians agree with Healey’s position. Blue states like Massachusetts, New York, and California are continuing to fight and push for stricter restrictions on guns.
