BOISE, ID. – Today, Everytown for Gun Safety launched the updated “Gun Law Rankings” for 2024, an online tool and website that ranks all 50 states based on the strength of their gun laws and catalogs gun safety laws state by state. This year, Everytown’s state gun law rankings also shows whether states’ rankings increased or decreased over the past year, reflecting progress made by passing common-sense gun safety policies or setbacks as a result of enacting dangerous measures backed by the gun lobby. Everytown’s analysis found that Idaho ranks 48th in the nation for its weak gun laws.
While gun-sense legislators in other states have worked to pass common-sense gun safety policies such as legislation to require the secure storage of firearms or to temporarily disarm individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others, gun lobby-backed legislators in Idaho refused to pass any common-sense gun safety measure during last session.
“Once again, Idaho finds itself in the national failure lists after failing to enact any common-sense gun safety measure,” said Jacqui Hamilton, a volunteer with the Idaho chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Our communities deserve lawmakers that put our safety and interests first, above the gun lobby or political calculus. As gun violence continues to tear communities apart, we remain committed in bringing stakeholders and communities together to fight gun violence at every level.”
In an average year, 295 people die by guns. With a rate of 16.2 deaths per 100,000 people, Idaho has the 19th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US, while 86% of gun deaths in Idaho are by firearm suicide. More information about gun violence in Idaho is available here.
To speak with an expert about Everytown’s State Gun Law Rankings or gun violence prevention efforts in Idaho, please contact [email protected]
