Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence: “In 2018, a new wave of youth-led activism has spurred sweeping gun safety reforms across the nation. Mass shootings, far too common in our country, are often the catalysts for safer gun laws. After a gunman used a bump stock to kill 58 people and wound hundreds of others in Las Vegas in 2017, eight states banned these and other trigger activators. This year, the surge of youth activism following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, motivated state lawmakers to enact the strongest improvements to state gun laws in years, including two states raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21. While much of the legislation following mass shootings has been tailored to address this specific type of gun violence, lawmakers have also responded with broad policies to save lives from many types of shootings. In the first half of 2018, nine states passed legislation to keep guns away from domestic abusers, six enacted laws to improve background checks, and eight enacted measures to fund urban violence reduction programs. Undoubtedly, though, the laws with the greatest momentum in 2018 were extreme risk protection order (ERPO) laws, which allow law enforcement, family members, and/or other designated members of the community to temporarily disarm a person in crisis. In addition to preventing mass shootings, ERPO laws can also prevent everyday gun deaths from suicide and stalking. Eight states, including Florida, have enacted ERPO laws so far this year…”