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After several mass shootings this year, states start taking control of gun laws

Posted at 4:28 PM, Aug 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-28 16:28:27-04

There have been several mass shootings this year, and people are still trying to figure out ways to prevent them from happening. 

The latest shooting occurred at a Madden 19 game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. The attack left two dead and nine others are still recovering from gunshot wounds.

So far this year, there have been 8 notable mass shootings.

So, what’s being done?

The federal government has not passed any major gun legislation in more than a dozen years. Action has been mostly on the state and local levels.

On Monday, California lawmakers approved a trio of bills to reduce the number of people with firearm access, including lifetime bans for people convicted of domestic violence or individuals placed on involuntary psychiatric holds twice in one year.

Florida also tightened gun controls, by raising the age to purchase a firearm to 21 and banning bump stock.

In Connecticut, the governor signed a bill banning bump stocks. Deerfield, Illinois banned assault weapons, within city limits, and in New Jersey, it’s required that therapists and counselors alert law enforcement if a patient has threatened serious violence against themselves or others. Their right to buy a gun can then be revoked.

The battle continues to wage on how to handle these types of shootings, but so far, there appears to be no federal push to make major changes, leaving efforts up to states and cities.