Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Applaud Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves for Signing Bill to Prohibit Machine Gun Conversion Devices

Jackson, MS — The Mississippi chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statements in response to Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signing HB903, sponsored by  Representative Kevin Felsher (R) which would ban devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into machine guns. Republicans in both the House and Senate were the primary authors of legislation to regulate these devices. 

Machine gun conversion devices, including “Glock switches,” are aftermarket devices that allow users to convert semi-automatic firearms into illegal fully automatic machine guns. These devices pose a particular threat to law enforcement officers. Glock switches have been used in shootings that injured and killed law enforcement officers across the country, including in Mississippi, Texas, and Colorado. 

“We are encouraged by the bipartisan effort to support our law enforcement and reduce gun violence in our communities. Just this past January, this exact kind of device was used to cause the death of George County deputy Jeremy Malone. We’re grateful to Governor Reeves for signing this critical legislation into law to prevent future tragedies like this from happening again, ” said Tracy Sexton, a volunteer with the Mississippi chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Mississippians deserve to feel safe in their communities, and passing this bill is an integral step towards reducing gun violence in our state.” 

“When guns are the leading cause of death for my generation both in the country and in the state of Mississippi, we must hold the gun industry accountable for its deadly practices,” said Valencia Green, a volunteer with the Jackson State University Students Demand Action chapter. “Mississippi has the second highest rate of gun violence in the country. There’s no reason someone should be able to access these weapons of war, and that must include using Glock switches to turn handguns into machine guns.” 

With a Glock switch installed, a shooter can fire an entire magazine’s worth of ammunition in seconds. Federal law already largely prohibits an individual from possessing machine guns and conversion devices, yet because there is no corresponding state law, Mississippi often needs the help of federal authorities to crack down on this problem. The bill has received letters of support from multiple law enforcement groups, including the Mississippi Sheriffs Association, the Mississippi Police Chiefs Association, and the Mississippi Prosecutors Association. Other states have passed bills to ban Glock switches in recent years, including Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and Virginia. 

In an average year, 686 people die and 2,763 are wounded by guns in Mississippi. Mississippi has the 2nd-highest rate of gun violence in the US. In Mississippi, the rate of gun deaths increased 59% from 2011 to 2020, compared to a 33% increase Nationwide. Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Mississippi.

To speak with a Mississippi Moms Demand Action volunteer, please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected].