A Descriptive Analysis of Second Amendment Preservation Activities

Statements, resolutions, ordinances, and laws explicitly protecting the Second Amendment have been gaining popularity across the U.S. For example, the Second Amendment Preservation Act was signed into law in Missouri to safeguard an individual's right to keep and bear arms, creating a Second Amendment Sanctuary State. Although declared unconstitutional, this legislation is just one example of how local and state jurisdictions are attempting to protect gun rights against perceived threats. However, the breadth of these activities across the U.S. has not been thoroughly quantified.

A thorough analysis was conducted to identify Second Amendment preservation activities by legislative bodies at the local (city/county) and state levels. The year in which the activity occurred; news articles and press releases; and the exact text of the statement, resolution, ordinance, or policy were identified. Then, actions were identified and categorized to make comparisons across jurisdictions, for example, Second Amendment Sanctuary City, Reaffirming Support for the Second Amendment, or exemptions for certain types of firearms or accessories.

All but 4 states took a state or local action related to protect the Second Amendment. Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia did not experience any Second Amendment preservation activities. The vast majority have been passed or enacted since 2020. In addition to state-level policies and statements, actions have been taken in more than 1,300 cities and counties across the country. The vast majority of which declare the jurisdiction a sanctuary for the Second Amendment, whereas others reaffirm support for the constitution broadly or gun rights specifically. Several used templates provided by gun rights organizations.

Gun violence is a national, state, and local problem in the U.S. Solutions to gun violence need to function at each of these levels. Activities to protect against perceived infringement of the Second Amendment have become very common throughout the country and have occurred in almost every state. The rapid expansion of Second Amendment preservation activities across the country may impede actions by public safety agencies to enforce gun laws and reduce violence.