California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a bold proposal on Thursday, calling for the addition of a 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution to end "America’s gun violence crisis."
Under Newsom's proposal, the 28th Amendment would include numerous changes to gun laws in the country:
- Raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21
- Mandate universal background checks for gun purchases
- Ban civilians from owning "assault weapons"
- Allow states and local governments to enact additional gun safety regulations
Newsom notes that his proposal does not eliminate the Second Amendment, which gives Americans the right to bear arms.
"The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support," Newsom said.
Gun violence is a major problem in the U.S., but lawmakers have consistently been deadlocked on ways to solve the crisis.
A record 48,830 lives were lost in 2021 from firearms, marking the second straight year the U.S. set a record, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Violence Solutions.
Adding an amendment to the Constitution, especially on the issue of guns, will be a major challenge. It would need support from 33 other states before an amendatory convention could take place and be ratified. This process has never been done before.
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