As Americans face the realities of recent mass-shootings, lawmakers have answered the call for change on many different fronts. From better enforcement of existing regulation to creative solutions for school security, these are a few of the bills introduced as potential preventatives of future tragedy.
To become a law, each proposal must pass through both the Senate and the House of Representatives and receive the signature of the president.
STOP School Violence Act:
Introduced by Rep. John H. Rutherford (R-Fla.)
Policy goals: Provide additional funding for safety and prevention training in schools for students, teachers and law enforcement officers. Increase school security technology, including anonymous reporting systems to gather information on potential sources of violence.
Rep. Rutherford: “I know from my time as sheriff that school and community safety requires a multi-layered approach. The STOP School Violence Act strengthens several vital layers of that security by giving students, teachers, and officers the resources and the training they to identify warning signs and keep violence out of our schools and away from our children.”
Status: Passed the House
Next step: Pass the Senate
Assault Weapons Ban of 2018:
Introduced by Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.)
Policy goals: Prohibit the sale, transfer, production and importation of: semi-automatic rifles and pistols with a military-style feature which can accept a detachable magazine, semi-automatic rifles with a fixed magazine which can hold more than 10 rounds, semi-automatic shotguns with a military-style feature, any ammunition feeding device which can hold more than 10 rounds and 205 specifically-named and listed firearms.
Rep. Cicilline: “Assault weapons were made for one purpose. They are designed to kill as many people as possible in a short amount of time. They do not belong in our communities.”
Status: Introduced
Next step: Pass the House
Fix NICS Act:
Introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Policy goals: Create more rigorous standards and regulations to maximize the effectiveness of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and provide resources to help federal agencies and states comply with NICS procedures.
Sen. Cornyn: “The calls from the American people to address gun violence in our schools and communities have been deafening, and I’m grateful we’ll soon get that chance. Fixing the background check system will help save lives and reduce the likelihood of what occurred in Parkland and Sutherland Springs from happening again.”
Status: Introduced
Next step: Pass the Senate
BUMP Act:
Introduced by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.)
Policy goals: Prohibit the sale of bump stocks and other devices which allow semi-automatic weapons to effectively operate as fully automatic when fired.
Sen. Heinrich: “There’s no possible defense for anyone owning bump stock devices or any other devices that take a semi-automatic firearm and allow it to be used as an automatic firearm. We need pragmatic gun law reforms to end mass shootings that are devastating our communities and this is one of them.”
Status: Introduced
Next step: Pass the Senate
Age 21 Act:
Introduced by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
Policy goals: Raise minimum age for to purchase assault weapons from 18 to 21 years old.
Sen. Flake: “If the law says someone under the age of 21 is too young to purchase a handgun, then it ought to say they’re too young to purchase an assault weapon. This bipartisan fix is long overdue, and would’ve made as much sense before the tragedy in Parkland as it does after.”
Status: Introduced
Next step: Pass the Senate
All information is up-to-date as of publication. To check the status of any of the acts mentioned, go to congress.gov and search their name.