State Rep. Phillip Ensler (D-Montgomery) has re-filed a piece of bipartisan legislation for the upcoming 2025 legislative session after an identical bill fizzled in the statehouse in 2024.
House Bill 26 (HB26) bans pistols fitted with "trigger activators" that convert semi-automatic firearms into automatic, colloquially referred to as "Glock switches" since Glocks are frequently the brand of choice for the activators. The bill would make possessing the trigger activators a Class C felony.
An identical bill neared the finish line during the 2024 legislative session, passing the House and a Senate committee. However, like many bills in 2024, gridlock and alleged political gamesmanship over a highly contentious gambling package led to the bill dying on the vine.
The prohibitions provided in the bill are currently a federal crime and punishable only by federal law. Ensler said a state prohibition would allow state and local police to enforce the ban instead of relegating enforcement to the feds. If passed, the law would not apply to those already federally licensed to possess automatic firearms and their components.
"As I have said countless times, I recognize that laws alone will not save every life from gun violence -- it starts at home and with a good moral foundation -- but they can save some lives," Ensler said. "For that reason we must have the moral courage to act and still pass a state-level ban on pistols converted into machine guns. We must send a clear message that we are working to enhance community safety and empower state law enforcement to deter and hold accountable use of these deadly devices in our communities."
Ensler's bill received Bipartisan support in 2024. The newest version already has multiple Republican co-sponsors, including State Reps. Allen Treadaway (R-Morris), Russell Bedsole (R-Alabaster) and Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville).
"This bill is just one in a large, comprehensive approach that must be taken to combat gun violence," Ensler continued. "I am proud that at the State I secured funding for conflict resolution programs in schools, resources to slow the school-to-prison pipeline, and much more to tackle some of the root causes of gun violence. We must continue and expand on these efforts. It is not a Democratic or Republican issue but a human issue."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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