Why US gun laws get looser after mass shootings
Congress has rarely acted. But gun laws have been changing.
Subscribe and turn on notifications 🔔 so you don’t miss any videos: http://goo.gl/0bsAjO
For decades, the US Congress failed to make meaningful movement on gun reform in the aftermath of mass shootings. But that weak federal response has obscured another story: that state gun laws change after mass shootings all the time. And a study found that, in Republican-controlled state legislatures, a mass shooting roughly doubles the number of laws loosening gun restrictions in the next year.
In this video we look at Texas, where decades of mass shootings in the US have been met with laws that expand gun access. We spoke with Flo Rice, a survivor of the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, where a gunman killed 10 people. Flo was shot six times. She and her husband, Scot, became advocates for gun safety, and tried to get tighter gun laws passed in Texas. Watch the piece above to see what happened, and what their story reveals about who has power when it comes to gun policy in the US.
SOURCES:
Here’s the 2020 study on gun laws we reference in the video: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272719301446
The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence has lots of resources to understand gun laws in the US. We mention that the US has only had a few major federal laws enacted on guns. You can learn more about some of them here: https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/policy-areas/other-laws-policies/key-federal-regulation-acts/
The Texas Tribune has lots of information on the state’s gun laws. Here is one of James Barragán’s recent articles: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/30/texas-democrats-gun-control-uvalde/
The Texas Tribune also has this timeline that helped us develop ours:
https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2019/texas-10-years-of-mass-shootings-timeline/
The Texas Political Project tracks public opinion on gun laws every few months: https://texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/search?fulltext_search=AND&fulltext=should+gun+laws+be+more+or+less+strict#overall
The RAND Corporation has been tracking gun laws across the country in their database: https://www.rand.org/pubs/tools/TLA243-2-v2.html
OpenSecrets has lots of data and resources on lobbying and political contributions: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/05/texas-is-a-top-target-for-gun-rights-lobbying-and-political-contributions
Chapters:
The gun cycle: 00:00
The study: 1:41
Texas: 3:12
Gun laws across the US: 7:11
Make sure you never miss behind the scenes content in the Vox Video newsletter, sign up here: http://vox.com/video-newsletter
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what’s really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com
Support Vox’s reporting with a one-time or recurring contribution: http://vox.com/contribute-now
Shop the Vox merch store: http://vox.com/store
Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: http://facebook.com/vox
Follow Vox on Twitter: http://twitter.com/voxdotcom
Follow Vox on TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@voxdotcom
@Vox
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
This is the third of four videos we're bringing you this week on how power works in the US. Tomorrow, we'll be looking at American infrastructure and the obstacles that keep the country from building big things.
Check out all three videos so far here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ8cMiYb3G5d6JhWSEt8ybDrwMEUfJJq0
@diegoabche
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
why is it so hard to understand that the 2nd amendment was written for arms that took ~1-2 minutes to reload a single round in the 18th century. It never considered the evolution of guns.
@1_Garde_zu_Fuß_guy
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
here in the UK, it took 1 school shooting (the Dumbane shooting) before we massively restricted guns (you need a license to own guns, and even then it can only be bolt/pump/level action or muzzle loaded, no semi/full autos.)
@Hibuy-
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
Guns are still great. This video didn’t talk about the threats stopped with cow or other guns, and ammo is a consumable; you can’t do anything with only ammo, like owning gas but no car.
@ZaleAnderson
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
Thanks for recommending this after charlie, youtube. Maybe people will get the message.
@PP-bw8ig
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
2nd ammendment. Some of the world's problems are caused by people's adherence to old and ancient texts.
@PP-bw8ig
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
Who manufactures the guns that criminals use? Pretty sure they're not making their own. The manufacturers benefit from crims being armed.
@DigitalMarksman
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
4:55 well did this kid steal his parent credit card then? Does it mean he could have stolen his dad's driver license too if he needed more proof to buy online? This lady clearly does not solve the issue, but rather exhales with frustration and shakes like a little silly lamb trying to figure out what else can she say to get out of her misery.
@LostSpaceKid
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
They say never again, yet keeps happening
@aniuncensored
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
So I had an emergency appendectomy via laparotomy (open incision) when I was a single parent of a 4&2 year old. And yes I fully agree caring for a toddler post surgery is exceptionally difficult. I'm glad you're doing better ❤
@larryaldrich4351
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
We don't want to get killed because of the inability to shoot back.
@Sparks68
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
What part of "Shall Not Be Infringed" do you NOT comprehend. It is a command from God Almighty Himself! My RIGHT to defend myself using maximum lethal force is from GOD ALMIGHTY! That includes ALL guns. MY RIGHT TO ANY GUNS IS FROM GOD ALMIGHTY! YOU CANNOT DEFY GOD ALMIGHTY!!
@Vergils_Blade
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
You should need to take a psych test before buying a gun
@tibimarin
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
instead of trying to ban guns why don't y'all focus on better education and housing? you can have your cake and eat it too.
@idontevenknow3529
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
watching this video solely so I don't get age restricted
@m.07.69
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
Me: Look I see my city!… Its my city…
But for real, i live in odessa, the shootings both happened in odessa. people only cared for like 2 years and no one cared after that. Im pretty sure everyone forgot.
@Percyily
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
There was a mass shooting in a church killing 26 people, so naturally, Texas just had to make it legal to carry guns in churches. Where is the logic?
@Squatchman_4
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
It’s not guns that are the problem it’s bad people who get their hands on them
@_tutcy
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
there is an obvious problem but it could never be solved because of ‘the right of self defense’
@oversight7379
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
They don’t get laxer Illinois passed PICA the protect Illinois communities act as a direct response to the 4th of July mass shooting as did other states on a state level. Federally the supreme court and the legislature as well the constitution support a history and tradition test for what are and are not constitutional gun laws. The constitution would need to be amended to fix these things it’s not just about sponsorships.
@michaelpcoffee
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
It's dismaying how many people respond to the violation of the individual rights of honest, peaceful people by seeking to violate the individual rights of honest, peaceful people.
@ysgramornorris2452
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
You guys should turn the entire country into a giant NRA meeting.
Because guns are banned at NRA meetings.
@michaelpcoffee
October 5, 2025 at 2:25 am
The bulk of the gun violence problem is caused and exacerbated by illegitimate and unconstitutional government interference.
If we abolish the war against drug users; the drug gang turf wars will have no funding or motivation. Addiction will just be an illness instead of evidence of a felony.
If we abolish restrictions on the individual right to self defense; people will be more prepared and willing to defend themselves; with the deterrent effects that would entail.
Eliminate the unconstitutional government interference and the gun violence fades to insignificance.
Most certainly; responding to the problematic results of government interference by adding more and quite similar government interference is quite illogical.
Comments are closed.