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Solutions

Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas

Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas

What does this solve?

All fifty states and the District of Columbia allow civilians to carry concealed guns in public places. Laws differ in each state, but certain sensitive areas are always unsafe for guns.

In addition to keeping guns out of schools and off of college campuses, all states should prohibit civilians from carrying guns in sensitive places. This should include daycare centers, playgrounds and other places where children gather, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, public demonstrations and rallies, airports, and courthouses. No location should ever be required by the government to allow guns. Unfortunately, many states’ laws fail to prohibit guns in sensitive areas.

Which states don’t allow teachers or the general public to carry guns in K–12 schools?

33 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

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Alabama has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Alaska has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Arizona has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
Permit holders aged 19 or older

No Guns in K-12 Schools

California has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Colorado has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Connecticut has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Delaware has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Florida has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Georgia has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Hawaii has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Idaho has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Illinois has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Indiana has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Iowa has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School employees

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Kansas has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel and any other permit holders

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Kentucky has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Louisiana has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Maine has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Maryland has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Michigan has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Minnesota has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
Any permit holders; School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Missouri has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Montana has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Nebraska has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Nevada has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
Any permit holders

No Guns in K-12 Schools

New Jersey has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

New Mexico has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

New York has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

North Carolina has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Ohio has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
Individuals with written authorization of the board of education or governing body, including teachers

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Oregon has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
Any permit holders

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Rhode Island has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

South Carolina has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Tennessee has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Texas has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Utah has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
Any permit holders; teachers

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Vermont has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Virginia has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Washington has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

West Virginia has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Wisconsin has adopted this policy

No Guns in K-12 Schools

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

If not, who is allowed to carry under state law?
School personnel

How it Works

Sensitive area prohibitions keep people safe where the risk of gun violence is elevated.

Certain sensitive areas are always unsafe for guns.

Daycare centers, playgrounds, and other places where children gather: Guns have no place here because of the danger of child access to firearms and unintentional shootings.

Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol: Drinking alcohol is associated with increased aggression and impaired judgment, elevating the risk of gun violence.

Public demonstrations and rallies, airports, and courthouses: These locations are targets for politically-motivated violence.

Laws prohibiting guns in or at these sensitive areas help protect public safety, while allowing guns in these sensitive areas undermines it. Many states’ laws fail to prohibit guns in these sensitive areas. Some states even require certain locations to allow civilians to carry guns. All states should protect public safety by ensuring that sensitive area restrictions are in place and routinely enforced.

Myth & Fact

Myth

Mass shooters target “gun-free zones.”

Fact

While mass shootings in public places tend to receive more media attention, the majority of these shootings actually occur in private homes. When Mother Jones looked at every mass shooting that did occur in a public place over a 30-year span, they were unable to find evidence that a single mass shooter chose to target a place because it prohibited guns. Rather, studies have shown that most mass shooters were connected to the location, or were motivated by hate, a perceived grievance, or an interpersonal conflict.

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Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas

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