Gun Safety - Yang2020 - Andrew Yang for President

For many Americans, guns are a big part of their culture and identity. That must be respected. However, guns are a major responsibility and thus we need to have common-sense gun safety measures, especially considering that there are already approaching 400 million firearms in the United States. Responsible gun owners should continue to enjoy the right to bear arms, subject to licensing and education requirements that will enhance public safety. But we need to ban the most dangerous weapons that make mass shootings as deadly as they have become, and address the other violence - particularly suicide - that is plaguing this country.

We also have to address all instances and causes of gun violence in this country. Physical confrontations and domestic violence are more likely to be deadly when a firearm is involved. Suicide rates involving guns are far too high: over 20,000 Americans each year. Mass shootings in the United States have reached epidemic proportions.

Problems to be Solved

Most Americans agree that responsible gun-ownership with some restrictions is the proper policy.
Current gun laws have been pushed in a dangerous direction by lobbying groups only looking out for the profits of gun manufacturers.
Mass shootings are becoming increasingly common and deadly.

Most Americans agree on common-sense safety requirements and restrictions on firearms. As President, I will support sensible regulation of guns that allows their continued enjoyment by responsible gun owners in a framework that promotes the overall public safety.

Goals

Create a common sense licensing policy, requiring investment and safety precautions
Prevent dangerous individuals from owning guns
Ban the manufacture, sale, and transfer of weapons and accessories that make it easier for individuals to commit mass shootings
Enhance mental health resources available to people who need help
Provide deescalation training and mental health professionals to law enforcement agencies to prevent interactions from becoming deadly

As President I will...

Close the gun show and Charleston loopholes, requiring all gun sales and most transfers to have a background check run and completed.
- Implement a purchase limit (rate, not total) on all firearms.
- Implement a federal cooling-off period to decrease the incidence of suicide and impulsive crime.
Promote a stringent licensing system, with a 5-year renewal requirement, for gun ownership.
- Anyone desiring a license would need to:
  - Go through a federal background check.
    - Anyone with a history of violence, domestic abuse, or violent mental illness would not be allowed to hold a license.
    - Interview with a federal agent, who has limited discretion on granting the license.
  - Pass a basic hunting or firearm safety class.
  - Provide a receipt for an appropriately-sized gun locker, or trigger locks (tax deductible).
- Individual states will determine their concealed carry/open carry laws, and reciprocity will not be federally enforced.
Create a clear definition of “assault weapon”, and prevent their manufacture and sale.
- Prohibit the manufacture and sale of bump stocks, suppressors, incendiary/exploding ammunition, and grenade launcher attachments, and other accessories that alter functionality in a way that increases their firing rate or impact.
- Automatically confiscate any weapon that has been modified in a way as to increase its ammunition capacity, firing rate, or impact.
- Create an agency tasked with monitoring gun manufacturing developments and addressing “design-arounds” as they arise.
Renew a ban on Large Capacity Ammo Feeding Devices (LCAFDs) and after-market non-standard large capacity magazines.
Pass a federal gun transportation law that will require people to transport guns unloaded and locked in a storage safe.
Increase liability for individuals who sell guns illegally that are used to commit a crime.
Form a commission to study the development of 3D printing technology to see ways we can minimize the risk of this technology in perpetuating gun violence.
Maintain current restrictions on and definitions of automatic weaponry.
- Stridently enforce importation restrictions on weapons and accessories.
Create federal safety guidelines for gun manufacture and distribution, similar to federal car safety requirements, with strict penalties for the violation of these guidelines.
- Use tax incentives to encourage gun manufacturers to implement designs that prevent interchanging parts that alter the functionality of the firearm.
- Repeal laws that shield gun manufacturers from liability.
Invest in personalized gun technology that makes it difficult or impossible for someone other than a gun's owner to fire it, and ensure that they're for sale on the marketplace.
- Provide a tax credit for the full value of upgrading a gun to use these systems, or work through the buyback program to allow "trades" of non-personalized guns to personalized ones.
Implement a federal buyback program for anyone who wants to voluntarily give up their firearm.
As stated here, invest in a more robust mental health infrastructure. This will help to identify and treat people with mental health illnesses that make them prone to suicide.
Increase funding to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and drastically increase funding to the US Department of Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention efforts.
Direct the CDC to research gun violence, and reject any budget deal that includes the Dickey Amendment.
Require all locations where guns are sold to display information on how to receive mental health treatment or reach suicide crisis hotlines.
Initiate and fund mindfulness programs in schools and correctional facilities, which have been demonstrated to reduce violent behavior.
Invest heavily in law enforcement training to de-escalate situations involving firearms, and provide funding to programs that involve mental health professionals in de-escalation situations.