Democratic Congressman introduces bill to ban loaded firearms in airports
RT.com reports today on a new bill being introduced by Democratic Representative Hank Johnson:
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Georgia) introduced a bill that would ban loaded firearms in pre-security areas of airports. Currently, federal law only bars people from carrying armed guns past security checkpoints. Until then, local and state legislation applies.
The bill, which Johnson dubbed the ‘Airport Security Act of 2015’, would prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm at an airport covered by the Transportation Security Administration, and “would expand Homeland Security’s jurisdiction to include non-secure areas of airports and would take precedence over any city or state laws that allow weapons in any airports nationwide,” Johnson’s office told The Hill newspaper. “The gun ban would include public transportation stops within airports if the gun owner departs the transit station at an airport.”
Travelers would still be able to carry guns, as long as “the firearm is unloaded, carried in a hard-sided container that is locked, and the key or combination to the lock is in the exclusive possession of the individual.” The traveler would also have to have a boarding pass for a flight within 24 hours of entering the airport or plans to purchase such a ticket. People shipping firearms for air commercial purposes would also be able to carry guns.
Read the full story at RT.com.
