Washington approves new handgun regulations
In response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned its handgun ban, Washington has approved a new set of regulations on the registration and storage of firearms in the city. The new law continues the ban on handguns in most places except for self defense in the home, requires the police department to perform ballistics tests on all registered handguns, clarifies an existing law on storing the weapons unloaded, and reiterates that no license is necessary to carry guns inside the owner’s home.
Mayor Adrian Fenty commended the council for acting swiftly to pass the new regulations, which were unveiled Tuesday and approved the same day. “None of us wanted this bill to be necessary. But, I think we have struck the right balance between honoring the Supreme Court’s decision and protecting the safety of our residents,” Fenty said in a statement.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier also issued emergency rules for registering handguns, which include submitting an application form with photos, proof of residency and fingerprints. More information is available at http://dc.gov/mayor/news/release.asp?id=1333&mon=200807.
