Map Shows States Changing Gun Laws This Month
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Several states changed their firearm laws in July, and while most are cracking down on gun and ammunition purchases, one state has just loosened its rules for carrying a firearm.
As states across the country take sharply different approaches to firearms policy, several new gun laws are taking effect this month that could affect everything from who can buy ammunition to who can legally carry a concealed weapon.
Colorado, Rhode Island and Virginia are implementing new restrictions on firearms, ammunition and certain semi-automatic weapons, while Kentucky is expanding concealed-carry rights for certain Americans.
The changes highlight the growing divide between states pursuing tighter gun regulations and those moving to expand Second Amendment protections, creating an increasingly fragmented patchwork of firearm laws nationwide.
Colorado: Ammunition & Ghost Guns
The Colorado measures illustrate a growing trend among gun-control advocates: focusing not only on the firearms themselves but also on ammunition access and the technology used to manufacture weapons. As 3D-printing technology becomes more widely available, lawmakers in several states have increasingly viewed homemade firearms as a regulatory challenge.
Colorado’s new law on ammunition went into effect on July 1. It does the following:
Raises the minimum age to purchase ammunition from retail stores and through mail order to 21.
Requires retailers to keep ammunition behind counters or in locked displays, preventing customers from accessing it without store assistance. The one exception to the rule is gun ranges, which can sell ammunition to people who are as young as 18 years old.
Supporters argued the change could help reduce gun-related crime and suicides among younger people, while opponents contended it creates unnecessary barriers for lawful gun owners.
“It takes a single bullet to take a life, which is why we’re passing this bill to bring down ammunition theft and raise the age of purchase so we can prevent senseless firearm deaths,” Representative Lindsay Gilchrist, the bill’s cosponsor, said. “From suicide to accidental firings, too many lives have been tragically taken from their loved ones. As a mother to young kids, I know that our communities will be safer by making it just a little harder for 18-21-year-old youth to acquire ammo that could be used in a violent crime.”
A second measure targets so-called “ghost guns” and firearms manufactured through emerging technology.
The law prohibits most individuals from using 3D printers or other computer-assisted manufacturing equipment to produce firearms, gun parts, or accessories.
The legislation expands Colorado’s existing restrictions on untraceable firearms and explicitly limits such production to federally licensed gun manufacturers.
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington all have laws restricting the production and use of 3D-printed guns.
Rhode Island: ‘Assault Weapons Ban’
Rhode Island implemented one of the month’s most consequential gun-control measures through its new Assault Weapons Ban Act on July 1.
The law restricts the manufacture, sale, purchase, and possession of certain assault-style firearms. It specifically bans any semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine that holds more than 10 rounds, and a semi-automatic rifle that accepts a detachable magazine and has at least one of the following:
Folding, telescoping, or detachable stock
Bayonet mount
Grenade launcher
Barrel shroud
Pistol grip
Thumbhole stock
Flash suppressor
Threaded barrel designed to accept a flash suppressor
Semi-automatic pistols impacted by the ban are those with a fixed magazine that holds more than 10 rounds or one that accepts a detachable magazine and has one of the following:
Magazine located outside the pistol grip
Threaded barrel capable of accepting accessories such as a flash suppressor or silencer
Barrel shroud
Unloaded weight of 50 ounces or more
Buffer tube, arm brace, or similar part extending behind the grip
It also bans semi-automatic shotguns with a fixed magazine exceeding six rounds, one that can accept a detachable magazine or any shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
“Today, we’re delivering progress on the work to keep our children, families, and communities safe from gun violence,” Governor Dan McKee said in a statement. “This law builds on the important momentum we’ve created over the last few years and is a testament to the dedication of our advocates, legislators, and many Rhode Islanders who stood up for a safer state.”
Assault-weapon restrictions remain among the most politically contentious firearm regulations in the United States. Supporters frequently argue that limiting access to military-style semi-automatic rifles can help reduce the severity of mass shootings. Critics counter that such laws target firearms that are functionally similar to many other legal guns and may conflict with Second Amendment protections.
“There’s no middle ground to us when it comes to infringing on a natural right,” Dan Kesler, the vice president of Para Bellum Provisions, told WJAR. “We understand all the safety arguments, and we agree with the safety arguments, but we believe that these bills attack law-abiding citizens.”
Virginia: Semi-Autos, the Definition of Assault Weapons, Public Spaces
Virginia has two gun-control measures in effect as of July 1.
One law restricts the sale and transfer of certain semi-automatic firearms, while another expands the state’s definitions of assault weapons based on firearm features and magazine capacity. Both measures took effect July 1 and represent a significant shift in how the state regulates particular categories of firearms.
Semi-automatic rifles are banned if they have detachable magazines and at least one of the below features:
Pistol grips
Folding or telescoping stocks
Flash suppressors
Threaded barrels
Pistols are also banned if they have magazines outside the pistol grip, threaded barrels and certain stabilizing braces.
Virginia also enacted another law on July 1 that prohibits carrying certain firearms in public places, including public streets, parks and sidewalks. However, the law is being challenged and Lynchburg Commonwealth Attorney Bethany Harrison told ABC 13 her office won’t prosecute violations while they’re being litigated.
Judge John Martin ruled in favor of gun rights groups who argued that the legislation violated the state constitution and put an injunction on the enforcement of the ban until the end of the year while the legal case plays out.
Kentucky: Concealed Carry Expansion
While most states are tightening restrictions this month, Kentucky is moving in the opposite direction.
A new Kentucky law taking effect Thursday expands concealed-carry rights for adults ages 18 to 20.
Under the measure, eligible young adults can obtain a provisional license to carry a concealed firearm after completing training requirements and background checks. Previously, Kentuckians in that age group could openly carry firearms but were generally unable to carry concealed weapons until age 21.
Supporters of the law argued that adults who are legally old enough to vote, serve in the military, and exercise other constitutional rights should not face restrictions on concealed carry solely because they are under 21. Opponents have expressed concerns that lowering the age threshold could increase risks associated with gun violence involving younger adults.
The laws taking effect this month reveal the increasingly divergent paths states are taking on firearms policy.
That contrast reflects broader political and regional differences that have come to define the gun debate in the United States. Democratic-led states have generally pursued new regulations targeting firearm access, assault weapons, ghost guns, and ammunition purchases. Republican-led states have more often focused on expanding carrying rights and reducing restrictions on lawful gun owners.
As these new laws take effect, legal challenges are likely to continue shaping the future of gun regulation. Courts remain central to determining which measures can withstand constitutional scrutiny, particularly following recent Supreme Court decisions that have reshaped the legal framework governing firearms restrictions.
What’s Next
Colorado is the only state that has additional gun law changes being enacted in the coming months.
“Beginning August 1, 2026, individuals who want to purchase most specified semi-automatic firearms, including certain rifles and certain handguns with detachable magazines, must first obtain a Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card,” the U.S. Conceal Carry Association reported. “To receive the card, the applicant must complete a background check and a state-approved firearms safety course. This creates a permit-to-purchase requirement for covered semi-automatic firearms.”
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
