Ghost guns and assault weapons bans: New gun laws in 2024
- New laws include red-flag laws and laws targeting specific types of weapons
- Ghost guns and semiautomatic assault weapons are targeted by laws
- Many of these laws have been challenged in court
FILE – Assault weapons and hand guns are seen for sale at Capitol City Arms Supply on Jan. 16, 2013, in Springfield, Ill. The Illinois Supreme Court will issue an opinion on the state’s ban on the sale or possession of semi-automatic weapons of the type used in the 2022 Independence Day shooting in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park that killed seven and dozens of other mass shootings nationally. Rep. Dan Caulkins, a Decatur Republican, and other gun owners of Macon County filed the lawsuit contending the law not only violates the Second Amendment but equal protection of the laws because it exempts police and military from the ban. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)
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(NewsNation) — A new year means new laws, and several states have seen legislation around gun control go into effect with the start of 2024. The laws range from red-flag laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of people who are at risk of harming themselves or others to efforts to regulate ghost guns and ban semiautomatic assault weapons.
California: Concealed carry
A California law banning concealed carry in certain locations was enacted Jan. 1 despite active legal challenges.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law, which bans people from carrying a concealed weapon in public places including churches, playgrounds, parks, public transportation and museums. There is an exception for privately owned businesses that have clearly posted signs allowing concealed carry.
The prohibition applies even to those with a concealed weapons permit, who must be 21 and pass a background check and training before being allowed to carry a concealed weapon.
The law was blocked by a lower court, but an appeals court lifted the injunction, allowing the law to go into effect while the appeal is considered.
Illinois: Semiautomatic assault weapons ban
The Supreme Court declined to weigh in on the law, which bans semiautomatic assault-type weapons. Specific weapons are outlawed in the legislation: AK-type and AR-15-type weapons as well as .50 caliber guns. The law prohibits certain attachments, including grenade launchers and the ability to use ammunition belts. Any magazines capable of firing more than 10 rounds for a rifle or 15 rounds for a handgun are also prohibited.
Gun owners who already owned guns purchased before Jan. 10, 2023, and covered under the ban had until Jan. 1, 2024, to register their weapons or face penalties.
While the Supreme Court refused to weigh in on the law, a number of sheriffs in Illinois have said they do not support it and don’t intend to enforce it. It’s not clear what will happen if law enforcement officers refuse to act on the legislation.
Washington: Expanded waiting period
In Washington, purchasers will be required to wait 10 days before purchasing any firearm, a restriction that previously only applied to pistols and semiautomatic weapons.
The law also requires all buyers to undergo a background check and prove they have completed a firearms safety training program or qualify for an exemption, such as being a member of law enforcement or the military.
Colorado: Ghost guns
Colorado joined a handful of other states in outlawing so-called ghost guns, which are assembled from kits at home or made using 3D printers. The guns typically don’t have serial numbers, making them difficult to track and appealing to those engaging in criminal activity.
Pro-gun groups in the state filed a lawsuit on Jan. 2 challenging the law on the grounds it violates the Second Amendment.
Minnesota: Imminent risk
Minnesota’s red-flag law also went into effect on Jan. 1, allowing courts to remove guns from those who are believed to be at risk of harming themselves or others.
The power to request guns be removed is only granted to family or household members, law enforcement, and city or county attorneys. The law allows for an emergency, short-term order in cases of imminent risk or a long-term order lasting a year, which would not go into effect until after a hearing where the person has the ability to argue why they aren’t a safety risk.
Michigan: Red-flag law
Michigan’s red-flag law won’t take effect until February of 2024, along with three other laws meant to improve gun safety.
A gun storage law will require people to lock up firearms around those under 18, and another law will make safety devices for guns, including storage, exempt from the state’s sales tax. All gun buyers will also have to undergo a background check, something that previously only applied to those buying handguns and pistols.
The state’s red-flag law will give judges the power to grant an emergency order to remove guns from someone if that person is determined to be a threat to themselves or others. The final law prevents those convicted of domestic violence from owning guns.
