Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 facts for kids
The Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 was a law passed in Washington, D.C. by its city council. This law was approved on June 29, 1976, and started on September 24, 1976. It made it illegal for most people in D.C. to own certain types of handguns, automatic guns, or large semi-automatic firearms. It also said that any gun not registered was against the law. Police officers and guns registered before 1976 were exceptions. The law also required guns kept at home to be unloaded, taken apart, or locked with a trigger lock. Many people felt this meant they couldn't use a gun to protect themselves at home. On June 26, 2008, the highest court in the U.S., the Supreme Court of the United States, decided in a famous case called District of Columbia v. Heller that parts of this law, like the handgun ban and the trigger lock rule, went against the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Understanding Gun Laws in Washington, D.C.
The gun laws in Washington, D.C. have often been seen as some of the strictest in the United States. Many people have argued that these laws went against the rights protected by the U.S. Constitution, especially the Second Amendment. This amendment talks about the right to keep and bear arms.
Why the D.C. Gun Law Was Challenged
On March 9, 2007, a part of the D.C. gun law was ruled unconstitutional by a court called the United States Court of Appeals. This happened in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. The court decided that some parts of the law were not allowed under the Constitution.
After this decision, Washington, D.C. asked for the case to be heard again by more judges, but this request was denied. So, D.C. took the case to the Supreme Court of the United States.
The Supreme Court's Decision
On June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court made its final decision. The Court agreed that the ban on handguns and the rule about trigger locks went against the Second Amendment. This was a very important ruling.
However, this decision did not mean that all gun control laws were illegal. Some rules, like requiring guns to be registered, stayed in place. The city's ban on assault weapons also remained.
