Policy

Newsom proposes amendment to enshrine gun safety measures

It would raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21, among other changes.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday, March 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said Thursday he would propose a convention of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution to address gun violence, a long-shot bid to act where federal courts have struck down previous state efforts to regulate firearms.

The amendment California will propose would raise the federal minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, mandate universal background checks, institute a waiting period for gun purchases, and ban assault weapons for civilians. Newsom said the amendment would not alter the Second Amendment.

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