Skip to content

Which states prohibit convicted domestic abusers from having guns?

32 states have adopted this policy

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Alabama has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

California has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Colorado has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Connecticut has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Delaware has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Florida has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Hawaii has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Illinois has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Indiana has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Iowa has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Kansas has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Louisiana has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Maine has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Maryland has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Michigan has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Minnesota has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Missouri has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Montana has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Nebraska has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Nevada has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

New Jersey has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

New Mexico has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

New York has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

North Carolina has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Ohio has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Oregon has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Rhode Island has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

South Dakota has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Tennessee has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Texas has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Utah has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Vermont has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Virginia has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
No

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Washington has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

West Virginia has adopted this policy

Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Yes

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

What It Does

While federal law already bars most people convicted of misdemeanor domestic abuse from having guns, a separate state prohibition is important to ensure the law is enforced properly. Federal law historically applied only to spouses, those who share a child, and co-habitants, failing to cover all dating partners. The 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act addressed this “boyfriend loophole” by prohibiting all dating partners who have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from having guns for a period of five years.  A full discussion on Domestic Abusers and Intimate Partner Violence is here. 

The Impact

Women in the US are 28 times more likely to die by firearm homicide than women in other high-income countries. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely the woman will be killed.

Prohibition for Convicted Domestic Abusers

Policy adopted? Does the law close the boyfriend loophole by covering abusive dating partners?
Alabama No
Alaska —
Arizona —
Arkansas —
California Yes
Colorado No
Connecticut Yes
Delaware Yes
Florida —
Georgia —
Hawaii Yes
Idaho —
Illinois Yes
Indiana Yes
Iowa No
Kansas Yes
Kentucky —
Louisiana No
Maine Yes
Maryland Yes
Massachusetts Yes
Michigan Yes
Minnesota Yes
Mississippi —
Missouri —
Montana —
Nebraska Yes
Nevada Yes
New Hampshire —
New Jersey Yes
New Mexico Yes
New York Yes
North Carolina —
North Dakota —
Ohio —
Oklahoma —
Oregon Yes
Pennsylvania No
Rhode Island Yes
South Carolina —
South Dakota No
Tennessee No
Texas No
Utah Yes
Vermont Yes
Virginia No
Washington Yes
West Virginia Yes
Wisconsin —
Wyoming —
Show Citations and Footnotes 
Source: Ala. Code § 13A-11-72(a), (k)-(l); Cal. Penal Code § 29805(a), (b); Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-108(6)(c); Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-217c(a)(D), (C), 53a-217(a)(D), (C); 46b-38h; 46b-38a; Del. Code tit. 11 § 1448(a)(7), (d); Del. Code tit. 10 § 1041(2); HRS §§ 134-7(b), (h); 134-1; 430 Ill Comp Stat §§ 65/4(a)(2)(ix), 65/8(l); 720 ILCS §§ 5/12-3.2, 5/12-3.3; 725 ILCS § 5/112A-3(b)(3); Ind. Code §§ 35-47-4-6(1); 35-42-2-1.3(a)(2); 35-31.5-2-128(a)(2), (3); Iowa Code § 724.26(2)(a); K.S.A. § 21-6301(a)(18), (m)(1); La. Stat. Ann. § 14:95.10; 15 M.R.S. § 393(1-B); 19-A M.R.S. § 4102(4); Md. Public Safety Code Ann. §§ 5-133(b)(1), 5-205(b)(1), 5-101(g)(3); ALM GL ch 140, §§ 121F, 129B; 131; Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.224f(5), (10)(c); Minn. Stat. §§ 609.2242, subd. 3(c), (d), 518B.01 Subd. 2(b)(7); R.R.S. Neb. §§ 28-1206(1)(b), (5)(b), 28-323(8); Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 202.360(1)(a)(2), 33.018(3); N.J. Stat. §§ 2C:39-7(b), 2C:25-19(d); N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 30-7-16(A)(3); 30-3-11(A); NY CLS Penal §§ 400.00(1)(c), 265.01(4), 265.00(17)(b); NY CLS CPL § 530.11(1)(e); ORS §§ 166.255(1)(b)(A),(3)(c), 135.230(4)(e); 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6105(c)(9); R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47-5(a)(4), 12-29-5, 12-29-2(a),(b); S.D. Codified Laws § 22-14-15.2; Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307(f)(1)(A; Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 46.04(b); Tex. Fam. Code Ann. §§ 71.0021, 71.003, 71.005, 71.006; Utah Code § 76-10-503(1)(b)(xii), (d); 13 VSA §§ 4017(a), (d)(3); 5301(7)(C); 1042; 1041; 15 VSA § 1101; Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.1:8; Rev. Code Wash. (ARCW) §§ 9.41.040(2)(a)(i), 9.41.010(24), 7.105.010(20); W. Va. Code § 61-7-7(a)(8).

28x: Everytown analysis of the most recent year of gun homicides by country (2015 to 2019), GunPolicy.org (accessed January 7, 2022).

5x: Jacquelyn C. Campbell et al., "Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results From a Multisite Case Control Study," American Journal of Public Health 93, no. 7 (July 2003): 1089–97, https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.93.7.1089.

More from Keeping guns out of the wrong hands