Thomas Massie Introduces Bill to Repeal “Gun-Free Zones” aka Criminal Safe Spaces

Many Republicans like to talk about how they’re pro-Second Amendment, but they do little in terms of introducing legislation to roll back gun control. 

By contrast, Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie walks the walk and goes the extra mile by introducing bills to repeal bad gun control laws on the books. 

On April 7, 2022, Massie announced his re-introduction of the “Safe Students Act,” H.R. 7415. Under the “Safe Students Act”, the “Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990,” (GFSZA) would be repealed. The GFSZA mandates a one-size-fits-all federal prohibition on firearms in school zones.  By contrast, the passage of the “Safe Students Act” would allow for state and local governments and school boards to establish their own policies for firearms. 

“Gun-free zones are ineffective and make our schools less safe. Since 1950, 98 percent of mass public shootings have occurred in places where citizens are banned from having guns,” Massie declared in a press release. “Banks, churches, sports stadiums, and many of my colleagues in Congress are protected with firearms. Yet children inside the classroom are too frequently left vulnerable.”

“The only thing gun-free zones do is disarm law-abiding citizens and take away their ability to protect themselves and others. We shouldn’t leave our most vulnerable – our children – in an unsafe environment like gun-free zones where acts of violence cannot be stopped,” South Carolina Congressman Jeff Duncan stated.

“Gun Free School Zones are a lie,” asserted Dudley Brown, President of National Association for Gun Rights. “It doesn’t make guns magically disappear.  They only make criminals out of the people who would protect our children. Repealing this ludicrous federal law would put criminals on notice that they can’t commit heinous acts in schools with impunity any longer.”

“GOA is proud to support Rep. Thomas Massie’s bill to repeal the unconstitutional Gun-Free School Zones Act which disarms parents and teachers and leaves our children’s’ schools as soft targets for violent criminals,” commented Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs, Gun Owners of America. “‘Gun-free’ zones infringe on the right to keep and bear arms for law-abiding citizens, and the federal government has no business prohibiting firearms in certain locations.” 

“We all agree that protecting our children is a priority,” noted Dianna Muller, Founder of the DC Project, Women for Gun Rights. “The DC Project fully supports the Safe Students Act and applauds Congressman Massie and his colleagues for their leadership to ensure parents and teachers can lawfully carry and protect our kids.”

As Massie’s press release observed, former Texas Congressman Ron Paul originally introduced the bill in 2007. This bill would repeal the 

GFSZA which makes it “unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.”  Back in 1995, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that declared GFSZA to be unconstitutional, thus compelling Congress to amend the bill in 1995. So far, the Supreme Court has not taken up a case to address the constitutionality of the amendment to the GFSZA. 

The press release listed off the original cosponsors to H.R. 7415: 

“Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Mo Brooks (R-AL), James Comer (R-KY), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Jody Hice (R-GA), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Mary Miller (R-IL), Alex Mooney (R-WV), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), and Chip Roy (R-TX).”

 Gun-free zones could be better described as criminal safe spaces. These areas allow for criminals to easily prey on the innocent and rack up nasty kill counts. Schools, by virtue of their density and target rich environment, are usually the gun-free zones that mass murderers target. 

Such tragedies can be prevented by legislation that allows good people to be armed. Massie’s legislation is a strong step in allowing for law-abiding people to secure schools and other facilities that tend to be vulnerable to these types of attacks.