Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas
What does it solve?
All fifty states and the District of Columbia allow civilians to carry concealed guns in public places. Laws differ in each state, but certain sensitive areas are always unsafe for guns.
In addition to keeping guns out of schools and off of college campuses, all states should prohibit civilians from carrying guns in sensitive places. This should include daycare centers, playgrounds and other places where children gather, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, public demonstrations and rallies, airports, and courthouses. No location should ever be required by the government to allow guns. Unfortunately, many states’ laws fail to prohibit guns in sensitive areas.
Myth & Fact
Myth
Fact
How it works
Sensitive area prohibitions keep people safe where the risk of gun violence is elevated.
Certain sensitive areas are always unsafe for guns.
Daycare centers, playgrounds, and other places where children gather: Guns have no place here because of the danger of child access to firearms and unintentional shootings.
Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol: Drinking alcohol is associated with increased aggression and impaired judgment, elevating the risk of gun violence.
Public demonstrations and rallies, airports, and courthouses: These locations are targets for politically-motivated violence.
Laws prohibiting guns in or at these sensitive areas help protect public safety, while allowing guns in these sensitive areas undermines it. Many states’ laws fail to prohibit guns in these sensitive areas. Some states even require certain locations to allow civilians to carry guns. All states should protect public safety by ensuring that sensitive area restrictions are in place and routinely enforced.