West Virginia posted statutory text on October 15, 2026 creating authority for certain Secretary of State investigators to carry firearms and concealed weapons while on duty, provided they meet required training standards. The measure appears focused on arming a defined group of investigative personnel rather than broad public carry policy. This is materially distinct from previously listed stories about governors signing gun-safety packages or federal firearms legislation.
This GovInfo Congressional Record Index entry catalogs current Congress activity connected to the National Firearms Act, including related bills and reports. As an index page, it serves as an official pointer to federal legislative actions and references tied to the act during the current Congress. It is materially different from prior congress.gov items because it specifically aggregates National Firearms Act activity in the Congressional Record Index published within the target window.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that he co-led a multistate coalition letter opposing an ATF proposed rule related to registration and commerce for certain military-grade weapons. The statement frames the proposal as allowing automatic registration for such weapons and outlines state attorneys general opposition to the federal rule. This is distinct from previously published items because it concerns a new multistate regulatory comment effort, not state legislation or prior litigation.
Delaware announced a newly signed gun-safety package on September 3, 2026. The state said the package includes dealer-licensing and oversight measures for firearm sales and transfers, indicating a focus on regulating commercial gun distribution and compliance. As a new state enactment after the last covered date, it represents a notable legislative development in firearms policy.
Virginia's legislative record for SB727 shows an enacted firearm-carry measure that expands restrictions on carrying assault firearms in public places. Unlike broader package announcements, this source documents a specific bill and its policy focus on public carry limits. It provides a direct legislative reference for a narrower but concrete firearms-policy change in 2026.
Virginia said Governor Spanberger signed firearms legislation aimed at protecting families, children, and law enforcement officers from gun violence. The official statement says the package includes safe-storage and other gun-violence-prevention measures, pointing to a multi-part approach rather than a single rule change. The action is a significant 2026 state legislative update in a large Southern state.
Connecticut announced enactment of a new law banning the sale and importation of pistols that can easily be converted into machine guns. The June 5, 2026 measure targets a specific class of firearms associated with conversion risk rather than broad handgun ownership. It marks a state-level legislative response focused on firearm design and trafficking channels.
Maryland's May 12, 2026 signing schedule lists a firearms-related enacted measure requiring the destruction of surrendered guns and components in gun buyback programs. The provision addresses what happens to weapons after voluntary surrender, focusing on disposal rather than possession or sales. It is a distinct legislative detail within state firearms policy since the last coverage date.
Delaware announced enforcement and legal action involving forced reset triggers, which the state framed as an effort to keep machine-gun devices out of Delaware. Although centered on enforcement, the April 28, 2026 announcement reflects an ongoing firearms-policy development relevant to state regulation after March 2026. It highlights how states are pairing legislation with multistate legal and regulatory action on conversion-related devices.
In 2026, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act continues to influence state-level gun control measures. Several states have enacted laws to enhance background checks and restrict access to firearms for individuals with domestic violence convictions. The act has prompted discussions on mental health resources and community safety initiatives.
In 2025, the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act continues to shape gun control legislation across the United States. This act, passed in 2022, aims to enhance background checks for gun buyers under 21 and provides funding for mental health services and school safety. States are now required to report more data on gun sales and transfers, which has led to increased scrutiny and regulation at the state level.
California has introduced new gun control measures in 2025, including a ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons to individuals under 21 and stricter regulations on ghost guns. These laws are part of a broader effort to reduce gun violence in the state, with proponents arguing that they are necessary for public safety. The measures have faced legal challenges from gun rights advocates.
The federal government has increased funding for gun violence prevention research in 2025, allocating $50 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This funding aims to support studies on the causes of gun violence and effective prevention strategies, marking a significant shift in federal policy towards addressing gun-related issues through research.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2026 highlights a slight decrease in gun-related deaths compared to previous years, attributing this trend to increased gun control measures and community intervention programs. The report emphasizes the need for ongoing research and policy development to address gun violence effectively.
A 2026 Gallup poll indicates that public support for stricter gun control measures remains high, with 60% of Americans favoring more regulations on gun sales. The poll also reveals significant partisan divides, with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting stricter laws while Republicans show more resistance. This data is influencing legislative agendas at both state and federal levels.
Several states, including New York, Illinois, and Washington, have enacted new gun control initiatives in 2025, focusing on universal background checks and red flag laws. These initiatives aim to prevent individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others from obtaining firearms. The effectiveness of these laws is being closely monitored, with early reports indicating a decrease in gun-related incidents in some areas.
Several states, including California and New York, have passed new gun control laws in 2026 aimed at reducing gun violence. These laws include measures such as mandatory waiting periods, red flag laws, and restrictions on high-capacity magazines. Advocacy groups have praised these initiatives as necessary steps toward public safety.
In 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear several cases that could redefine the Second Amendment rights and the extent of state gun control laws. These cases include challenges to New York’s concealed carry law and California’s assault weapons ban. The outcomes may significantly impact how states regulate firearms and could lead to a national precedent on gun rights.
In 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on several key cases regarding the Second Amendment, reaffirming the right to bear arms while also allowing states to impose certain regulations. This has led to a patchwork of laws across the country, with some states tightening restrictions while others expand gun rights.
In 2025, the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act continues to evolve, focusing on enhancing background checks and funding for mental health services. The Act, passed in 2022, aims to address gun violence through community-based programs and stricter regulations on firearm purchases. Recent reports indicate that states are receiving federal funds to improve their background check systems and to support local violence prevention initiatives. Source: [broken link removed]
In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on several key cases regarding gun rights, reaffirming the Second Amendment while allowing states to impose certain regulations. The rulings have significant implications for future legislation, as they clarify the balance between individual rights and public safety. Legal experts suggest that these decisions will shape the landscape of gun control debates in the coming years.
Republican lawmakers, with support from former President Trump, introduced this act in January 2025. It aims to require all states to recognize concealed carry permits issued by any other state, allowing permit holders to carry nationwide.
Introduced by Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud, this bill seeks to prevent the federal government from using national emergencies as a pretext for gun control measures.
In February 2025, an executive order was signed to review and potentially undo federal actions from 2021-2025 that “impinged” on Second Amendment rights. This includes efforts to regulate ghost guns, enhance background checks, and classify certain firearms. The White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention was eliminated, and a Surgeon General’s advisory declaring gun violence a public health crisis was revoked.
Several new laws are taking effect in California in 2025. These include eliminating an exemption for private party transactions from the one-firearm-per-30-day purchase limit, requiring dealer records of sale to include purchaser acknowledgment of firearm possession within the last 30 days, assigning a specific category code to firearms merchants, and expanding prohibitions on firearm possession to individuals found mentally incompetent to stand trial in certain hearings. New rules also include strengthening limitations on handgun purchases, consumer warnings on firearm sales, and guidance for courts regarding restraining orders related to gun violence.
New laws in Colorado require gun owners to store weapons in locked, out-of-view hard-sided containers when in unoccupied vehicles. Training requirements for concealed carry permits have increased, and certain misdemeanor offenders are prohibited from obtaining these permits.
New laws in Kentucky increase privacy protections by prohibiting the use of merchant category codes for firearms dealers.
Proposed bills for the 2025 session in Maryland include requiring the use of non-lead ammunition for hunting by various dates up to July 1, 2029, and creating an exception to the prohibition on wearing a firearm on private property for retired law enforcement personnel. Other proposals include changing penalties for carrying a handgun without a permit and requiring the distribution of literature relating to firearms by the Maryland Department of Health.
New gun laws for 2025 in New Hampshire bar employers from preventing employee storage of firearms in locked vehicles and increase privacy protections for gun owners.
A new law in New York, similar to California’s, requires consumer warnings when purchasing firearms.
The Oregon Legislature has voted to ban rapid-fire devices and allow local governments to prohibit concealed handguns in certain public buildings. The implementation date for Measure 114, which bans magazines holding more than 10 rounds and requires a permit for gun purchases, is set for March 15, 2026.
Texas lawmakers have passed bills aimed at easing access to guns. Senate Bill 3053 bans gun buyback programs. Senate Bill 1596 will allow short-barrel firearms to be legal in Texas without federal registration, removing state-level penalties. Other bills aim to make handgun licensing easier and allow Texas to recognize handgun licenses from other states.
Video: GOA Takes Biden to Court
National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research Announces $3.1M in New Funding for Research on Red-Flag Laws Funding will be available for one and two-year research projects The National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research (NCGVR) will award more than $3 million in funding for research on extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), also known as gun violence restraining orders or red flag laws. The funding round will be open to research on all aspects of ERPOs, including descriptive research on how such orders are used by courts, police, families, and communities; their effectiveness in reducing firearms violence; equity impacts and effects on vulnerable communities; whether recipients of these orders receive due process and fair treatment; implementation best practices; and other related research questions. ERPO laws are risk-based, temporary protective orders issued by courts to remove…
Biden says US is at ‘tipping point’ on gun control: ‘We will ban assault weapons in this country’ complete text below: Despite the lack of sufficient support in Congress to pass a new assault weapons ban, President Joe Biden on Friday said the US has “reached a tipping point” in the fight to strengthen America’s gun laws, due to the activism of the gun violence prevention movement that has gathered increasing strength in recent years. Mr Biden, who was delivering remarks at the National Safer Communities Summit in Hartford, Connecticut, at the invitation of Senator Chris Murphy and a coalition of gun safety groups including Everytown, Moms Demand Action and Giffords, recounted some of the more than 20 executive actions his administration has taken to stem the tide of mass shootings since he took office. He said those politicians who claim to be concerned about crime should realise that…
Support a 28th Amendment to the Constitution on Guns Add your name to say you support passing a Constitutional amendment that will make our communities safer from gun violence. It’s a small and simple action, but it will send a powerful message about the size and strength of the coalition to get this done. The time is now.
pdf below exec-orders-lee100.pdf
Federal Judge Strikes Down Federal Age Limit on Gun Purchases U.S. Senior District Judge Robert Payne has delivered another blow to the Administration’s effort to limit gun rights. In a 65-page decision, Judge Payne ruled that the Second Amendment protects people 18-20 who were barred under the regulations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Federal licensed dealers were previously told that they could not sell to buyers below the age of 21. The case is Fraser v. BATFE, U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82432(Eastern District, Va. May 10, 2023). The Biden Administration argued that 18- to 20-year-olds are not part of “the people” protected under the Second Amendment. It argued that the “age of majority” was 21 at the founding and that the Framers did not intend to protect the rights of citizens below the age of 21 for the purposes of gun purchases. It is an argument with…
Texas Bill HB 2744: pdf below A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to prohibiting the transfer of certain semiautomatic rifles to certain recipients; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty. The legislation would raise the minimum age for purchasing certain firearms but likely wouldn’t have been a hindrance to the Allen gunman obtaining a weapon. The bill still faces an uphill climb in the Legislature. HB02744I.pdf
PROTECTING THE SECOND AMENDMENT IN FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Alex X. Mooney introduced H.R. 3021, The Protecting the Second Amendment in Financial Services Act to expressly prohibit financial institutions and credit card companies from using a merchant category code that separately categorizes gun and ammunition transactions. This legislation is endorsed by the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America. “Leftist activists have been clear that they intend to use merchant category codes to further surveil the constitutional firearm purchases of law-abiding citizens,” said Rep. Alex X. Mooney. “The only rationale to implement a new merchant category code is to appease anti-Second Amendment activists. I am unwavering in my support of the Second Amendment, and I am proud to introduce this common-sense legislation to protect it.” “GOA thanks Rep. Mooney for…
Video: Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino announces changes to gun control bill
Text: H.R.7910 – Protecting Our Kids Act
Governor Newsom signed AB 2571, prohibiting marketing of firearms to minors following recent efforts by the gun industry to appeal to minors, like Wee 1 Tactical advertising the sale of a JR-15, an AR-15 meant for kids, complete with cartoon child skulls with pacifiers. Full story