Despite the scrutiny of state gun laws after the February shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida, state legislators across the U.S. continue to work on scaling back gun restrictions this session, says Stateline.org. The Kansas House passed a bill last month to allow concealed-carry permit holders to carry their weapons into any public building that doesn't have “adequate security,” like metal detectors or security guards. Oregon pro-gun legislators narrowly defeated a bill that would have banned guns on schools grounds, which included K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities.
Virginia repealed its statute that blocked residents from buying more than one gun a month unless they got dispensation from the police, and Oklahoma legislators are likely to allow gun owners to visibly carry their now concealed weapons. Legislation loosening gun restrictions is still gaining momentum in Congress. The national “right-to-carry” reciprocity act was just introduced in the U.S. Senate. It would allow any person with a valid concealed-carry permit to carry their handgun in any other state that issues permits. The National Rifle Association is heavily supporting the bill, which passed the House last year, 272-154.