Assault Weapon Ban Expires
Decade-Old Federal Ban Ends; Some State Have Tougher Laws
www.cbsnews.comI don’t have live access to news feeds in this moment, but I can summarize what’s been reported recently about the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 (AWB 2013) and its status up to now, based on reputable sources.
Short answer
- There is no federal AWB of 2013 currently in effect. The proposed federal ban introduced in 2013 was defeated in the Senate, and the original federal ban that existed from 1994 to 2004 expired in 2004. Since then, there has been ongoing debate and periodic reintroduction of similar legislation, but no nationwide federal AWB has been enacted as of mid-2026. Some court decisions related to state-level bans have occurred in recent years, but these do not restore a federal ban.
Key context and notable developments
- Federal status in 2013: The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 (S. 150) was introduced in January 2013 by Senator Dianne Feinstein but failed to secure the necessary votes in the Senate, effectively ending that round of federal legislation. This is well-documented in contemporary coverage from early 2013.[3][4]
- 1994–2004 federal ban: The earlier federal Assault Weapons Ban, enacted in 1994, expired in 2004, after which there was no nationwide equivalent at the federal level.[4]
- State-level activity: Following the federal debate, various states enacted their own assault weapons restrictions. Notably, several state laws from the 2010s and 2020s regulate or restrict assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, and some courts have upheld or struck down specific state provisions in the wake of evolving Second Amendment interpretations. For example, an appellate court upheld Maryland’s 2013 assault weapons ban in 2024, though that decision pertains to a state law and not a federal ban.[1]
- Ongoing proposals: In the U.S. Senate, reintroduction of nationwide bans or restrictions has continued in more recent sessions (e.g., 2025 reintroductions by some lawmakers), but these have not become law by mid-2026, and coverage of those efforts is typical of ongoing political debate rather than enacted policy.[6]
- Public and political discourse: Coverage around 2013 and subsequent years frequently notes the political difficulty of passing an AWB at the federal level, with arguments about constitutionality and public safety driving both sides’ positions.[5][3]
What this means for you in New Jersey (your location)
- New Jersey already has stringent gun laws with restrictions on certain semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines, independent of any federal ban. State-level regulations are what governs access within your state, and Maryland’s 2013 ban case is a federal appellate decision and does not directly affect New Jersey law.[1][4]
If you’d like, I can:
- Pull and summarize the latest specific state court rulings related to assault weapons bans in your region.
- Compile a timeline of federal AWB developments from 2013 to 2026, with links to source articles.
- Create a concise pro/con table of arguments for and against a federal AWB as discussed in recent Congressional hearings and media coverage.
Please tell me which you’d prefer, and I’ll assemble it with citations.