DOCUMENTS IN THE NEWS - 2000
Laws and Proposed Legislation

Gun Control Legislation

Current Federal Laws
• Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
  • Establishes five-day waiting period for background checks
  • Public Law 103-159
• Gun Free Schools Act of 1994
  • Federal law requiring expulsion of students carrying weapons to school if the school receives federal financial aid
• National Instant Criminal Background Check System (FBI)
  • Laws and regulations regarding background checks for gun purchases (Brady Bill)
  • Statistics on gun permits denied
  • Link to state laws on background checks
• Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
  • Full text of law includes violence against women and law enforcement initiatives
  • Title XI bans certain types of assault weapons and requires a background check before gun purchase
  • Links to legislative history

Proposed Legislation

• Children's Gun Violence Prevention Act
  • Introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy of New York on March 25
  • Summary of bill and link to the full text (H.R. 1342)
• Consequences for Juvenile Offenders Act
  • Introduced as H.R. 1501
  • Controversial debate on the floor of the House in the Congressional Record for June 17, 1999, p. H4476+
• Mandatory Gun Control Background Check
  • Introduced by McCollum and Hyde on June 10, 1999
  • Modified by Dingell amendment on June 17, 1999; Congressional Record, June 17, 1999, p. 4573+
• Omnibus Gun Control Legislation
  • President Clinton's Proposal
    • Press conference of April 27, 1999 announcing stricter enforcement
    • Raises legal purchase age to 21, holds family accountable, requires background checks at gun shows
  • House Bill (H.R. 1501)
  • Senate Bill (S. 254)
    • Bill Text
      • Text as introduced; legislative status and links to debates
    • Required background checks at gun shows (Lautenberg amendment) defeated on May 12 but being reconsidered due to negative reaction
      • Roll Call Votes
    • Lautenberg Amendment (S.Amndt. 364) passed on May 20, 1999 with Vice President Gore breaking the tie
      • Roll Call Vote on Lautenberg Amendment
      • Senator Lautenberg's Statement
    • See also Ten Commandments

Center for the Prevention of Handgun Violence
• Advocacy group headed by Sarah Brady
• State gun control laws, including child access laws and waiting periods
National Rifle Association
• Federal and state laws and firearms
• Proposed federal legislation on guns

Smith and Wesson Agreement (HUD)
• Full text of agreement made between Smith and Wesson and President Clinton on March 17, 2000
• SW will design gun safety measures and ensure background checks before sales
• State and local governments will drop pending lawsuits
Smith-Wesson
• Catalog of products and some safety information

Center for the Prevention of Handgun Violence
• Advocacy group headed by Sarah Brady
• State gun control laws, including child access laws and waiting periods
• National gun law loopholes and proposed legislation
• Firearm facts
Gun Control v. Gun Rights (Open Secrets)
• This 1999 article analyzes the campaign contributions of the gun rights v. gun control groups
• Table of gun rights votes arranged by name of Congressman with the campaign contributions received from gun rights groups and his/her vote with the guns rights position
National Rifle Association
• Federal and state laws and firearms
• Proposed federal legislation on guns
• Statements on Smith and Wesson agreement

National Gun Policy Survey 1998 (National Opinion Research Center)
• Extensive public opinion survey on gun ownership, regulation, violence, and safety issues
• Text in pdf and with statistical tables
• Shows American public support for gun control
Homicide and Suicide Rates Associated with the Implementation of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
• Article appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (August 2, 2000)
• Compares the 32 states which implemented a waiting period to purchase a gun versus those who had implemented a waiting period prior to 1994
• Authors conclude that the Brady Law had no effect in curbing homicide or suicide, except for the suicide of people 55+

Michigan Concealed Weapons Law

Background
• H.B. 4530 of 1999 unifies the concealed weapons application procedure in Michigan's 83 counties
• Requires owner have training
• Public institutions may post "No Concealed Weapons" signs
• Conference version passed the Michigan House and Senate on December 13, 2000
Legislative History
• Links to various versions of the bill
• Text of House and Senate analyses
• Links to debates and final version in the Michigan House and Senate Journals
Final Votes and Text
• House Journal (Dec. 13, 2000, pp.2663-2883)
• Senate Journal (Dec. 13, 2000, pp. 2106 ff.)
















Grace York, Coordinator, Documents Center
University of Michigan Library
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