Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990

Crime Control Act of 1990
Great Seal of the United States
Other short titles
  • Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990
  • Child Protection Restoration and Penalties Enhancement Act of 1990
  • Comprehensive Thrift and Bank Fraud Prosecution and Taxpayer Recovery Act of 1990
  • Criminal Victims Protection Act of 1990
  • Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act of 1990
  • Financial Institutions Anti-Fraud Enforcement Act of 1990
  • Mandatory Detention for Offenders Convicted of Serious Crimes Act
  • National Child Search Assistance Act of 1990
  • National Law Enforcement Cooperation Act of 1990
  • Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990
  • Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990
Long titleGun-Free School Zones Act of 1990
Acronyms (colloquial)GFSZA, CCA
NicknamesGun-Free School Zones Act of 1990
Enacted bythe 101st United States Congress
EffectiveNovember 29, 1990
Citations
Public law101-647
Statutes at Large104 Stat. 4789 aka 104 Stat. 4844
Codification
Titles amended18 U.S.C.: Crimes and Criminal Procedure
U.S.C. sections amended
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the Senate as S.3266 by Herb Kohl (D-WI) on October 27, 1990
  • Passed the Senate on October 27, 1990 (passed voice vote)
  • Passed the House of Representatives on October 27, 1990 (313–1, Roll call vote 534, via Clerk.House.gov)
  • Signed into law by President George H. W. Bush on November 29, 1990
United States Supreme Court cases
United States v. Lopez
Section 1702(b)(5) of Pub. L. 101-647 states: "Federal, State, and local authorities are encouraged to cause signs to be posted around school zones giving warning of prohibition of the possession of firearms in a school zone."
ATF letter detailing the agency's interpretation of the act

The Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) is an act of the U.S. Congress prohibiting any unauthorized individual from knowingly possessing a loaded or unsecured firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(26). The law applies to public, private, and parochial elementary schools and high schools, and to non-private property within 1,000 feet (300 m) of them. It provides that the states and their political subdivisions may issue licenses that exempt the licensed individuals from the prohibition.

It was first introduced in the U.S. Senate in February 1990 as S. 2070[1] by Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin and then was incorporated into the Crime Control Act of 1990 that was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush.

  1. ^ Kohl, Herbert (February 12, 1990). "Text – S.2070 – 101st Congress (1989–1990): Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990". www.congress.gov. Retrieved February 24, 2018.

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