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What's next for U.S. gun laws?

The first step happened as students walked out of class.

Students participated in a nationwide walkout Wednesday in a protest over gun violence.

But some people may be asking, will the passion and effort of U.S. students lead to actual change?

The first step happened as students walked out of class. During the protest, the House passed a bill to help schools identify potential threats. The bill, which is backed by the NRA, would fund training for students, school personnel and law enforcement to detect early signs of violence. It would also fund threat assessments and “anonymous reporting systems” such as phone apps, hotlines and websites for threats of school violence.

This comes after the FBI acknowledged it failed to act on tips about the accused Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz’s potential to carry out a school shooting.

Here's what else has been discussed by the Trump administration and other political leaders:

  • A plan to ban bump stocks. Last week, President Trump signed an executive order that instructed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to regulate the devices, which help speed up the pace of gunfire and allow semi-automatic guns to fire at a rate that mimics a fully automatic firearm. A bump stock by itself is not illegal to have in California. However, under recently passed laws, the piece is considered a pistol grip, one of the so-called "evil features" which is now banned
  • Increasing the minimum age for buying a gun from 18 to 21. Trump initially voiced support over the idea, but later decided to hold off on any moves.
  • Arming teachers on campus. The president has called for "armed educators" and said the decision should be up to the states. However, questions have been raised about arming teachers, such as what kind of laws would have to be passed to do it and how it would logistically be carried out. The White House has yet to provide any details.
  • While assault weapons are illegal in California, they are still legal under federal law. There is currently no push from Congress to change this law, but businesses such as Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart have banned the sale of assault weapons.

It's difficult to speculate if and when the gun laws will change and what the changes would look like in a GOP-controlled Congress. Gun-control advocates are calling for an expansion of background checks, a ban on "assault weapons" and high-capacity magazines and other measures. To date, banning bump stocks will likely be the only real move the nation sees in the near future.

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