Assault weapons legislation in the United States

U.S. states and territories that have enacted assault weapons bans
  Long guns and handguns
  Handguns only
Firearm legal topics of the
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Assault weapons legislation in the United States refers to bills and laws (active, theoretical, expired, proposed, or failed) that define and restrict or make illegal the manufacture, transfer, and possession of assault weapons. How these firearms are defined and regulated varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; generally, this constitutes a list of specific firearms and combinations of features on semiautomatic firearms.

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban enacted in 1994 expired in 2004. Attempts to renew this ban have failed, as have attempts to pass a new ban, such as the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 (AWB 2013). Ten U.S. states have assault weapons bans: three were enacted before the 1994 federal ban, four more were passed before the federal ban expired, and one passed after the federal ban expired. The majority of states (40) have no assault weapons ban, although two, Minnesota and Virginia, have training and background check requirements for purchasers of assault weapons that are stricter than those for ordinary firearms. On June 4, 2021, a federal judge struck down the three-decade-long ban in California, though it is pending appeal by the California Attorney General. While there are no statewide assault weapon bans in Colorado, local bans exist in certain cities or counties in the state. In addition to state bans, Washington, D.C., and some U.S. counties and municipalities have assault weapons laws.

The 1994 federal and 1989 state ban in California were prompted by the 1989 Cleveland Elementary School shooting in Stockton, California. Over the last decades, there has been an increase in the use of semi-automatic rifles in mass shootings.[1] At least one rifle was used in about 44% of mass public shootings since the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting.[1] The U.S. suffers the highest death toll from gun violence among high income countries and the 2023 Covenant School shooting, which occurred in March, was the 129th such mass shooting in America since the beginning of that year.[2] Existing and proposed weapon legislation often come under renewed interest in the wake of major mass shootings, such as the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

In 2018, most Americans who were polled, supported a ban on assault weapons.[3][4][5] According to an April 2023 Fox News poll, 61% of Americans are in favor of an assault weapons ban.[6]

Total deaths in US mass shootings—defined as four or more people shot and killed in one incident, excluding the perpetrator, at a public place, excluding gang-related killings[7][8]
After the 2004 expiration of the Assault Weapons Ban, the firearms industry embraced the AR-15's political and cultural significance for marketing.[9] Almost every major gunmaker produces its own version, with ~16 million Americans owning at least one.[9]
  1. ^ a b Williams, Ashley R. "More mass shooters are using semi-automatic rifles – often bought legally". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ^ Narea, Nicole (May 26, 2022). "America's unique, enduring gun problem, explained". Vox. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  3. ^ Shepard, Steven (February 28, 2018). "Gun control support surges in polls". Politico. Retrieved March 19, 2018. Seventy percent of voters support a ban on high-capacity magazines, and 68 percent want to ban assault-style weapons.
  4. ^ Khalid, Asma (March 2, 2018). "NPR Poll: After Parkland, Number of Americans Who Want Gun Restrictions Grows". Morning Edition. NPR. Retrieved March 19, 2018. Eight-in-10 Americans told the pollsters they favor bans on assault weapons, high-capacity ammunition magazines and "bump stocks," an accessory used by the Las Vegas shooter that allows a semi-automatic rifle to fire like an automatic weapon.
  5. ^ "U.S. Support For Gun Control Tops 2-1, Highest Ever, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds". Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. February 20, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2018. Support for gun control on other questions is at its highest level since the Quinnipiac University Poll began focusing on this issue in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre: 67 - 29 percent for a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons; 83 - 14 percent for a mandatory waiting period for all gun purchases.
  6. ^ Balara, Victoria (April 27, 2023). "Fox News Poll: Voters favor gun limits over arming citizens to reduce gun violence". Fox News. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  7. ^ Follman, Mark; Aronsen, Gavin; Pan, Deanna. "US Mass Shootings, 1982–2023: Data From Mother Jones' Investigation". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  8. ^ Follman, Mark; Aronsen, Gavin; Pan, Deanna (2012). "A Guide to Mass Shootings in America". MotherJones.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Updated March 27, 2023. Describes inclusion criteria.
  9. ^ a b Frankel, Todd C.; Boburg, Shawn; Dawsey, Josh; Parker, Ashley; Horton, Alex (March 27, 2023). "The gun that divides a nation". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Frankel et al. credit: "Source: National Shooting Sports Foundation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives." Frankel et al. quote: "The shift began after the 2004 expiration of a federal assault weapons ban that had blocked the sales of many semiautomatic rifles. A handful of manufacturers saw a chance to ride a post-9/11 surge in military glorification while also stoking a desire among new gun owners to personalize their weapons with tactical accessories."