(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed what would be the 28th Constitutional Amendment to roll back gun-ownership rights guaranteed by the document’s Second Amendment, Fox News reported.
“Our ability to make a more perfect union is literally written into the Constitution,” Newsom said while making the announcement.
“So today, I’m proposing the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to do just that,” he continued. “The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common-sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support—while leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition.”
Although Newsom’s proposed amendment would ostensibly leave the Second Amendment unaltered, according to a press release from his office, states would be enabled to “enshrine fundamental, broadly supported gun safety measures into law.”
Such measures include things like universal background checks, raising the firearm purchase age to 21 and instituting a firearm purchase waiting period.
The amendment would also leave the door open for “assault weapons” bans.
Newsom’s name often has been floated as a potential plug-in replacement should President Joe Biden somehow become incapacitated or ineligible to run for re-election.
The sweeping proposal, while great for stump speeches, is far less likely to be acted upon in the near future.
The Constitution can be amended either by the U.S. Congress, or by a convention of states.
Given Republican control in the House, and the Democrats’ narrow Senate majority, proceeding through Congress is virtually out of the question for the time being.
If Newsom’s proposal were to go to a state convention, three-fourths of all states would have to approve.
Despite the fact that the proposal will almost certainly fail, California state Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Democrat, praised Newsom for being a “man of action” with the “backbone to actually do something about the gun fetish culture around weapons of war.”
She also noted that, “as someone impacted by gun violence,” she has a moral obligation “to elevate the voices of victims and those of us left behind in the wake of tragedy.”
California state Assemblymember Reggie Jones–Sawyer also expressed his support for the governor, who refuses to “stand idly” while courts, presumably the Supreme Court, “roll back our work and diminish the ability of our Legislature to keep Californians safe.”
