Firearm Preemption Laws
Gun control supporters demand that state legislatures impose a wide variety of gun control restrictions within their borders. However, they hypocritically cry foul when legislatures use their power to limit gun control. Frustrated at their inability to convince state legislatures to adopt the restrictive firearm laws they propose, gun control supporters say that local jurisdictions should be able to adopt those restrictions independently.
Aside from gun control supporters’ hypocrisy, there are multiple arguments against local restrictions on basic firearm rights. Historically, some local jurisdictions have imposed clearly unconstitutional restrictions on gun ownership—the District of Columbia’s and Chicago’s since-overturned handgun bans being two recent examples. It also creates confusion when laws vary widely within a state, potentially placing otherwise law-abiding citizens at risk of violating an ordinance of which they were not previously aware, as they travel within their states, and more so when they travel outside their state of residence.
As a result, almost all states today have a law prohibiting local jurisdictions from imposing gun control restrictions that are more severe than state law.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
A Kansas House committee is taking up legislation stripping cities and counties of any power to regulate guns ...
Friday, February 7, 2014
A Kansas House committee is preparing to vote on legislation stripping cities and counties of any power to ...
Thursday, January 23, 2014
A Nebraska lawmaker is proposing legislation that would prevent cities and counties from enacting stricter gun regulations than ...
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Cities in Tennessee could be forced to remove bans on handguns in their parks if a push underway ...
Friday, December 13, 2013
It's against state law to try to regulate guns in the Green Mountain State, but city officials here ...
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Oakland could become the first city in California to require residents to register guns with the city or ...
Friday, September 6, 2013
City Council is reluctantly mulling a change to its law that prevents firearms in city parks, as it ...
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Calling it a "flawed bill with serious safety problems," Gov. Pat Quinn changed a concealed carry measure Tuesday ...
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A nearly unanimous West Virginia House of Delegates on Monday approved a measure that would repeal a handful ...
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Wyoming Legislature concluded its 2013 session with mixed results for law-abiding gun owners. Although one pro-hunting reform was ...