valencia Writes

There will never be a “right time” to discuss this, but if our legislators don’t take time to discuss this and act to protect our children, our neighbors, then they are allowing it to happen. It’s their job. They need to do it.

The following are my humble suggestions. I don’t know much about current gun legislation. I also have no direct knowledge about purchasing guns in various states. These are ideas I had that seemed to make some logical sense to me. I figure it can be a starting point for our senators and representatives to at least begin a productive discussion about how to address this problem.

1. NO LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN WILL HAVE THEIR LEGALLY PURCHASED GUN CONFISCATED!
2. NO GOVERNMENT ENTITY OR AGENT OF THE GOVERNMENT SHALL ENTER THE PRIVATE RESIDENCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONFISCATING A FIREARM UNLESS SUCH FIREARM HAS BEEN USED OR IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN USED IN A SPECIFIC CRIME.
3. All guns must be registered to the person in possession of the firearm.
4. Universal background checks will tie together national, state, county, and city databases. This will also include databases of individuals who have been in the armed services and who have been convicted in a military court of violent crimes/gun related crimes, including domestic violence.
5. Approved retail gun salespeople/Retailers will have access to universal databases in order to properly screen for criminal backgrounds, etc.
6. Individuals who have been convicted of a felony involving a gun are barred from purchasing, possessing, and/or owning a firearm. No guns can be located in that household.
7. Individuals who have been convicted of a violent crime against other individual(s) will be barred from owning and/or possessing a gun. Guns will be confiscated from the home of convicted criminals ONLY upon conviction.
8. Individuals accused of domestic violence, rape, assault, or any violent crime against another person shall have their firearm temporarily confiscated until such time as they have been cleared of that crime. If found innocent, individual is able to have firearm returned and will be allowed to purchase a gun legally as long as he or she remains law-abiding.
9. Individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence will be barred from owning a gun for the duration of any protective order plus one additional year. Victims of domestic violence shall have their home and work addresses will be kept confidential from the assailant.
10. Gun owners will be held at least partially responsible – criminally and civilly – if their firearm is used in the commission of a crime by a member of that household.
11. During purchase, gun owners must sign document stating that they understand they could be held criminally and civilly responsible should that firearm be used in the commission of a crime.
12. Individuals who have been hospitalized due to mental health conditions are excluded from purchasing, owning, or possessing a firearm for at least one year after hospitalization and/or such time as a mental health practitioner deems the individual capable of making decisions that fall within the confines of the law. Individual must also be compliant with treatment during the waiting period. (Medication, therapy, etc.)
13. Domestic violence accusations can proceed forward with or without a complaining witness as long as law enforcement provides prosecutor with enough evidence that a crime/assault has been committed. This includes body cam footage as well as documentation of bruises on victim of assault. A grand jury will be empaneled and a protective order will be issued and will remain in effect until such time as the charges are dropped by the district attorney, or the grand jury deems not enough evidence to move forward.
14. In reference to guns sold at gun shows: State or Federal approved waiting period will be enforced. Purchase can be made. Seller holds onto gun until background check can be completed, then will contact purchaser once background check is passed to obtain the firearm.
15. Straw purchases: Should firearm be used in the commission of a crime, the person to whom the firearm is registered is at least partially responsible for that crime and will be subject to prosecution as well as civil litigation from victim’s family.
16. No weapon shall be modified to allow more rounds to be fired from the gun than what was originally designed by the manufacturer. (Bump stocks)
17. Semi-automatic weapons, such as the AR-15, shall NOT be modified to be converted to a fully automatic weapon.
18. Bump stocks and other gun modifiers are illegal. The modification can be confiscated, but NOT the gun itself. The gun must be returned to the manufacturer’s original specifications.
19. There will be a waiting period for all semi-automatic weapons, rifles and handguns, of at least 5 days.
20. Universal age to purchase and/or own a gun will be at least 21 years of age with a clean record. Guns will not be confiscated from those under 21 who have already legally purchased a gun, however new purchases will have this age requirement.