We have seen Democrats in New York get enough Republican support to pass gun reform. Connecticut lawmakers are debating their legislative leaders' bipartisan deal for reforms today.
But in Arizona, where Republicans have full control of the legislature, the push is going the other way. In bright-red Arizona, Republicans have been working on a bill (pdf) that would ban police from destroying the guns turned in during gun buybacks, even when the owners ask that the weapons be destroyed. Instead, they'd have to sell the guns, putting them back into circulation and thus defeating the purpose of a buyback.
With no ability to stop the law from going forward, the Democratic minority this week tried attaching 18 different amendments -- putting their colleagues across the aisle on the record over measures like universal background checks and a ban on armor-piercing bullets. From the Casa Grande Dispatch:
At one point, after Republicans rejected the ban on high-capacity magazines, a tearful Sen. Linda Lopez addressed the Senate about the mass shooting in Tucson two years ago."In less than 20 seconds, the shooter with a high-capacity magazine with 30 shots killed 6 and wounded 13, including my good friend Gabrielle Giffords," Lopez said. "How long does this have to go on?"
Among the amendments offered by Senator Lopez was one that would have given Arizona towns and cities the authority to decide how best to get rid of guns. Like the other 17, that move for greater home rule was rejected. The anti-buyback bill now needs one more vote in the Senate. (H/t Blog for Arizona)
Remember when: After the Tucson shooting, Arizona Republicans moved for looser guns laws.