California Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a proposal Thursday to amend the US Constitution to restrict gun ownership rights, including enforcing universal background checks and raising the firearm purchase age to 21.
The Democrat said his “28th Amendment” — which he claims will leave the Second Amendment “unchanged” — calls for four new measures to help end what he called the nation’s “gun violence crisis.”
In addition to background checks and raising the legal age of purchase from 18 years, Newsom’s push involves instituting a firearm purchase waiting period and barring the civilian purchase of “assault weapons.”
Newsom, 55, insisted the “common sense” gun safety measures he is proposing respect “America’s gun-owning tradition” — and claimed his plan had already garnered widespread bipartisan support.
“Every time it’s the same. They tell us we can’t stop these massacres. They tell us we have to stand by and watch tragedy after tragedy unfold in our communities,” he declared in a video posted on social media.
“They say we can’t stop domestic terrorism without violating the Second Amendment. And that thoughts and prayers are the best we can do.
“I’m here to say, that’s a lie.”
Newsom, who some have speculated is eyeing a White House run in 2024 or 2028, further argued that his proposal would allow states and local governments to enact their own gun safety laws.
The governor acknowledged his plan would require a so-called Article V Convention, which must be called for by at least 34 state legislatures — an unlikely prospect. Another path for the proposed amendment is to win approval by two-thirds of the House and Senate, as well as at least 38 state legislatures.
“The 28th locks in the common-sense constitutional protections that Democrats, Republicans, independents and gun owners overwhelmingly support and ensures NRA-owned politicians can never strip those protections away,” Newsom said.
“This fight won’t be easy and it certainly won’t be fast. Convening a constitutional convention requires two-thirds of the states to call for this. California will be the first but that’s just the beginning.”
Newsom’s proposal comes after the Supreme Court delivered a victory to gun rights activists last year with a landmark decision striking down New York’s century-old law restricting the carrying of concealed firearms.
The National Rifle Association was quick to rip Newsom’s push, saying his “latest publicity stunt once again shows that his unhinged contempt for the right to self-defense has no bounds.”
“California is a beacon for violence because of Newsom’s embrace of policies that champion the criminal and penalize the law-abiding,” an NRA statement said.
“That is why the majority of Americans rightfully reject his California-style gun control.”
Just eight amendments have been added to the Constitution in the past century, and none since 1992.