WASHINGTON (AP) — A likely Republican presidential candidate has introduced a bill that would ban local elected officials in the nation’s capital from enacting gun-control laws.
The bill introduced Thursday by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida would essentially leave the District of Columbia governed only by federal gun laws.
Rubio says in a statement that District leaders have infringed on residents’ second-amendment rights and left them “vulnerable to criminals.” The city requires that handguns be registered, and residents must show a reason for obtaining a concealed-carry permit.
The bill was co-introduced by Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican.
The only announced GOP presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, introduced resolutions last week disapproving of two District laws. Those laws would bar private groups from discriminating for religious reasons.
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