Latest news with #gunowners
CBC
14-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Head of Calgary-based firearms company 'very frustrated' after Mounties ban rifle
Canadian gun owners are expressing frustration after a Calgary-based firearms company saw one of its rifles classified as prohibited by the RCMP.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas again lowers restrictions on certain firearms, passes on regulations
Texas lawmakers passed another set of bills making it easier for gun owners to access and keep firearms, and expanded the kinds of weapons they can access. The push for looser regulations on firearms comes at a time when firearms are the leading cause of death among children in the United States, passing car accidents, cancer and overdoses. A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association has also linked 'permissive' gun legislation to higher rates of gun deaths among children, with the study listing Texas as one of the most permissive states. Meanwhile, legislation that sought to curb access to guns received little attention this session, a return to its roots after a small victory for gun control advocates in 2023, when a House committee passed a bill that would have raised the age to purchase a rifle from 18 to 21. The bill ultimately missed a key deadline to reach the House floor. The bills passed that are waiting for approval from Gov. Greg Abbott represent a continued effort to make gun ownership easier for residents. Here's what to know. Senate Bill 1362 aims to prevent extreme risk protection orders in civil cases from being used to confiscate guns from people. The protection orders can be provided by civil judges after due process hearings to temporarily bar certain people from owning or purchasing firearms if they are found to be an immediate danger. Twenty-one states have statutes, known as 'red flag laws,' permitting the protection orders. Texas doesn't have a red flag law, and SB 1362 ensures that it won't join the states that do. Red flag laws have existed in various states since 1999, and allow petitions to civil judges that request temporary removal of a person's firearms after an evidentiary hearing. The orders are mostly reserved for cases involving high risks of domestic violence or suicide, but opponents of red flag laws have said they could be abused by people levying false accusations or 'rogue' judges, and are broadly unconstitutional. Proponents of red flag laws like Nicole Golden, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, say those fears aren't based in actual instances and stave off orders that could save lives. 'These are scenarios that are not real,' Golden said. '[There's] a lot of fear-based dialogue.' Red flag laws have long been a sore spot among conservative lawmakers in Texas. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn received criticism from state officials in 2022 as he pushed for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in Congress, which included grants for red flag laws. SB 1362 prevents any federal funding from being used for enforcement of any protection orders, but Texas has used millions of grant money from the act for mental health programs and mass violence preparation. Texas judges can issue protection orders in cases with criminal charges, but SB 1362 forbids them in any civil case and makes it a felony for any official to attempt to enforce one. That restriction would extend to Texas law enforcement who enforce out-of-state orders. SB 1362 also states any protection order from federal judges in Texas will 'have no effect' if deemed unconstitutional. Short-barrel firearms are rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches and shotguns with barrels shorter than 18 inches, according to Texas statute. Senate Bill 1596 will allow short-barrel firearms to be legal in Texas without registration with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. While still a federal offense if unregistered, SB 1596 removes any state-level penalties for owning unregistered short-barrel weapons. A 2023 policy change from the ATF reclassified pistols with stabilizing braces as short-barrel firearms, making firearms already owned by some illegal without registration. Opponents of the bill expressed concerns over how much easier it is to conceal short barrel firearms because of their smaller size. A short-barrel shotgun was used in a 2018 school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, that left eight students and two teachers dead. The shooter, a high school student enrolled at the school, used the short-barrel weapon that was legally owned by his father. Also on the legislative chopping block this session are gun buyback programs, as Senate Bill 3053 constitutes a complete ban on the initiatives. Buyback programs allow residents of counties or cities to sell unwanted or unused firearms to local law enforcement, which proponents say are one of the ways local communities can help reduce gun violence. SB 3053 is clear in its purpose, banning any city or county from participating in programs aiming to remove firearms from circulation or reduce the number of firearms owned by civilians. Buyback programs are not the most effective way at reducing gun violence, Golden says, but an important option local municipalities have to spark conversation about safe use and disposal of firearms. 'I will say, when you look at what the data says about what works, what really reduces gun violence, gun buybacks are not up there,' Golden said. 'But at the same time, we've seen cities do these buyback programs that were successful, people have said, 'I have a gun in my home, I collect, I was given one or I inherited it, I don't know what to do with it. I don't want it.' You know, you need a safe place to bring it.' A handful of bills passed aimed to make state licensing for handguns easier to acquire and maintain. House Bill 668 extends the deadline to renew a handgun license from its expiration date to its first anniversary, and House Bill 1234 provides a process for license applicants to appeal medical denials. Senate Bill 706 allows Texas to recognize handgun licenses from other states, commonly known as a reciprocity law, and builds on preexisting agreements with other states. Texas currently has some form of agreement with all but four states and several American territories, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Texas legalized constitutional carry in 2021, meaning residents don't need a license to carry a handgun if they aren't prohibited by other laws from doing so. Subsequent legislation making licenses easier to obtain have been framed by opponents as redundant or unnecessary. 'Why are we worried about a one month period of time it may take for someone to get a license?' Sen. Nathan Johnson said while discussing HB 1234. 'Does it almost strike of whining? They can have a gun anyway.' Handgun licensing does carry benefits, and allows handgun-carrying in places that specifically require licenses and in other states with reciprocity agreements. Other bills that would have significantly widened the availability of firearms were not picked up by legislators. House Bill 1794, which the House passed 83-50, would have permitted the concealed carry of handguns into polling places during election season. House Bill 2470 would have lowered the age required for handgun licenses from 21 to 18, although constitutional carry currently allows adults over 18 to own handguns. Bills that would have restricted access received little to no attention from lawmakers this session, a contrast from 2023, when two mass shootings in Allen and Uvalde pulled legislators' attention toward Texas' firearm regulations. The brief support for the 'raise the age' bill came days after a mass shooting at a North Texas mall and a year after a gunman in Uvalde killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. This session, House Bill 1556 was the designated 'raise the age' bill, filed by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso. The bill never received a hearing. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. : A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of children killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Nineteen students died.
LBCI
20-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Defense Ministry imposes stricter gun license rules to curb arms misuse
As part of the Defense Ministry's efforts to curb the widespread possession of unregulated weapons, Defense Minister Michel Menassa has introduced a new reform measure requiring all gun license applications to include an exact identification of the weapon's type and serial number, regardless of the applicant's identity or status. The decision marks an end to a previously lenient phase in which licenses were granted without detailed information, leaving room for abuse and loopholes in the law. The new approach is based on documented data that enables authorities to trace every licensed weapon and hold violators accountable. The measure requires citizens to provide accurate declarations about their firearms and places responsibility on the relevant authorities to thoroughly verify each license. It is seen as a key step toward improving transparency and tightening the regulation of gun ownership to enhance internal security.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- CBS News
Student shot inside school bus at Redford Township's Thurston High School
A student was injured after being shot while inside a school bus on Wednesday at Thurston High School in Redford, Michigan. According to the Redford Township Police Department, the shooting happened at about 2:45 p.m. Police say the student was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. A firearm was recovered. Police did not release details on the suspect, but said an investigation is ongoing. Police say there is no threat to the community. "The Redford Township Police Department reminds all gun owners to ensure that their weapons are securely locked up and inaccessible to those that should not handle them," police said in a news release. This story is developing.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- CBS News
550 guns stolen out of unattended vehicles in Colorado last year, new law hopes to reduce that
Denver police want to remind everyone to never leave handguns inside their vehicles unattended. Not only is this dangerous, but illegal. State House Bill 24-1348 took effect on Jan. 1. This bill prohibits knowingly leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the handgun is stored in a locked hard-sided container that is not left in plain view or that is in the locked trunk of a vehicle. A firearm that is not a handgun must be stored in a locked vehicle in a locked soft-sided or locked hard-sided container that is out of view. If the firearm is in a soft-sided container, a locking device must be affixed to the gun. CBS The Denver Police Department encourages gun owners to ensure they are safely and legally storing their firearms in their unattended vehicles and offers the following tips: Ensure firearms that are left in an unattended vehicle are secured inside a locked, hard-sided container that is out of sight, and the vehicle is locked. A firearm that is not a handgun must be stored in a locked vehicle in a locked soft-sided or locked hard-sided container that is out of view. If the firearm is in a soft-sided container, a locking device must be affixed to the gun. Avoid storing the firearm in the glove box, console, or under a seat. Store ammunition separately from the firearm. Denver police say in 2024, 550 firearms were reported stolen from vehicles in Denver. As of April 30, 2025, 98 firearms have been reported stolen from vehicles. Also in 2024, 2,160 illegal guns were removed from Denver's streets by DPD. Denver police say if you notice your vehicle is stolen, you need to call 911 and let them if there is a weapon inside. The best plan is never having a weapon in your vehicle. Officers say every time someone steals your car and learns about a gun in there, they can commit a very dangerous crime. "Those guns find themselves in the wrong hands," said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. "There are people who are intent on committing violent crimes. Young people whose brains are not quite developed, and don't understand the implications of what they're doing. They don't have de-escalation techniques at their disposal, so they are inclined to be very irresponsible with guns." To date, DPD has not issued citations for violation of this law. Violations are a civil infraction with a maximum fine of $500.
