In the United States the right to own a firearm is listed in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (U.S. Constitution. Amend. II). Gun control legislation is both a federal and a state issue. There are some federal laws that still impact gun control today. One of the federal laws that have laid the groundwork for firearm legislation is the National Firearms Act of 1934, this law was passed “as a response to a perceived increase in the misuse of firearms associated with organized crimes” (Ludwig 350). This law focuses only on certain types of firearms, such
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According to this law the people who are not able to purchase or possess firearms are “convicted felons or fugitives from justice” (Ludwig 350). The Gun Control Act of 1968 also makes it so that people under the age of 21 are not permitted to purchase a handgun, you must be 18 to purchase rifles or shotguns, and finally, this act “limits the importation of certain firearms deemed not suitable for “sporting purposes” (Ludwig 350). This law was enacted in 1968 and since then additional gun laws have been amendments to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Ludwig 350). During President Ronald Regan’s presidency the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) was enacted (Ludwig 351). There are assorted sections to this act. The first section of FOPA is that it “forbids the federal government from establishing a national firearm registration system” (Ludwig 351). This act also limits the power that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has. This Act made it so that the ATF’s ability to “inspect the premises and records of licensed dealers” was …show more content…
Five years after FOPA was enacted the Gun Free School Zones Act went into effect, this act forbids anyone who is carrying a gun of being within 1,000 feet of a school, however there are some exceptions to this (Ludwig 351). Only four years after it was passed, in 1995, this law was “declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court”, however, in 1996 it was reinstated (Ludwig 351). Another vital piece of legislature in the United States is the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which was enacted into law on February 28, 1994 (Ludwig 351). Some states required their own background process for purchasing a firearm; this law was mainly directed towards states without their own background check process (Ludwig 351). The Brady Act required licensed firearms dealers to “process background checks of prospective handgun buyers”, these checks were to be done “through a chief law enforcement officer” (Ludwig 351). These background checks were not allowed to las in excess of five days (Ludwig 351). Three years after the Brady Act was enacted the background portion of it was ruled unconstitutional on June 27, 1997 (Ludwig
According to this law the people who are not able to purchase or possess firearms are “convicted felons or fugitives from justice” (Ludwig 350). The Gun Control Act of 1968 also makes it so that people under the age of 21 are not permitted to purchase a handgun, you must be 18 to purchase rifles or shotguns, and finally, this act “limits the importation of certain firearms deemed not suitable for “sporting purposes” (Ludwig 350). This law was enacted in 1968 and since then additional gun laws have been amendments to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Ludwig 350). During President Ronald Regan’s presidency the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) was enacted (Ludwig 351). There are assorted sections to this act. The first section of FOPA is that it “forbids the federal government from establishing a national firearm registration system” (Ludwig 351). This act also limits the power that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has. This Act made it so that the ATF’s ability to “inspect the premises and records of licensed dealers” was …show more content…
Five years after FOPA was enacted the Gun Free School Zones Act went into effect, this act forbids anyone who is carrying a gun of being within 1,000 feet of a school, however there are some exceptions to this (Ludwig 351). Only four years after it was passed, in 1995, this law was “declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court”, however, in 1996 it was reinstated (Ludwig 351). Another vital piece of legislature in the United States is the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which was enacted into law on February 28, 1994 (Ludwig 351). Some states required their own background process for purchasing a firearm; this law was mainly directed towards states without their own background check process (Ludwig 351). The Brady Act required licensed firearms dealers to “process background checks of prospective handgun buyers”, these checks were to be done “through a chief law enforcement officer” (Ludwig 351). These background checks were not allowed to las in excess of five days (Ludwig 351). Three years after the Brady Act was enacted the background portion of it was ruled unconstitutional on June 27, 1997 (Ludwig