The Senate “assault weapons” ban outlaws 205 specific guns, magazines holding 11 rounds or more, and bump stocks, which are already illegal.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the bill’s sponsor, cites alleged benefits from the 1994-2004 “assault weapons” ban in an effort to bolster the chances for passage of the new version. However, she ignores the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice report showing that the 1994-2004 ban could not take credit for any reduction in crime.
In addition to banning 205 different guns, “high capacity” magazines, and bump stocks, the Senate “assault weapons” ban includes a universal background check requirement for any future transfer of firearms covered by the ban.
Like the 1994-2004 ban, Feinstein’s bill defines “assault weapons” based on cosmetic features. Therefore, the legislation bans commonly owned semiautomatic rifles that take detachable magazines and “[have] one or more military characteristics including a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel or a folding or telescoping stock.”
During the September 12, 2019, Democrat debate, Robert “Beto” O’Rourke said, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15.”