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Which states prohibit fugitives from justice from having firearms?

21 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

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Alabama has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

California has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Colorado has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Connecticut has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Delaware has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Florida has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Hawaii has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Illinois has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Iowa has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Kansas has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Maine has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Maryland has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Michigan has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Minnesota has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Missouri has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Montana has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Nebraska has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Nevada has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

New Jersey has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

New Mexico has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

New York has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Yes

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

North Carolina has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Ohio has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Oregon has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Rhode Island has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

South Carolina has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Tennessee has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Texas has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Utah has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Vermont has adopted this policy

Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
No

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Virginia has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Washington has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

West Virginia has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

What It Does

Federal law prohibits gun possession by people who have fled from prosecution, but a separate state prohibition is important to ensure the law is enforced properly. Federal authorities have also sharply narrowed the number of gun purchase denials for fugitives, and a strong state policy helps to protect the public from people who pose a danger. The strongest state laws bar gun purchases by any people with outstanding warrants they have failed to answer. A full discussion on who should be prohibited is here. 

Fugitive from Justice Prohibitor

Policy adopted? Does the state prohibitor cover any people with outstanding warrants?
Alabama —
Alaska —
Arizona —
Arkansas —
California Yes
Colorado —
Connecticut No
Delaware Yes
Florida —
Georgia —
Hawaii No
Idaho —
Illinois No
Indiana —
Iowa —
Kansas Yes
Kentucky —
Louisiana —
Maine Yes
Maryland No
Massachusetts Yes
Michigan —
Minnesota No
Mississippi —
Missouri No
Montana —
Nebraska No
Nevada No
New Hampshire —
New Jersey Yes
New Mexico —
New York Yes
North Carolina —
North Dakota —
Ohio No
Oklahoma —
Oregon —
Pennsylvania No
Rhode Island No
South Carolina No
South Dakota —
Tennessee No
Texas —
Utah —
Vermont No
Virginia —
Washington —
West Virginia —
Wisconsin —
Wyoming —
Show Citations and Footnotes
Source: Cal. Penal Code § 29800(a)(3); Cal. Penal Code § 29805(a)(2); Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-217, 53a-217c; Del. Code Ann. tit. 11,  § 1448(a)(8); Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 134-1, 134-7(a); 430 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 65/8(n); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6301(a)(15), (m)(2); Me. Stat. tit. 15, §§ 393(1)(F), 201(4); Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety §§ 5-101(k), 5-133(b)(3); Mass. Gen. Laws, ch. 140, § 129B(1)(viii), (1)(x), 131(d)(vii), (d)(ix); Minn. Stat. § 624.713, subd. (10)(ii); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 571.070(1)(2); Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 28-1201(2), 28-1206(1)(a)(ii); Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 202.005, 202.360(1)(e); NJ Stat. 2C:58-3a(c)(14); N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(1)(c), (1)(d); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2923.13(A)(1); 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6105(c)(1); 11 R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47-5(a)(2), 11-47-2(6); S.C. Code Ann. § 16-23-30(A)(1), (B); Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307(f)(1)(C); 13 VSA 4017a(a)(1), (c)(2).

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