The Future Legal Status of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act
Open Access
Author:
Milliard, Mason
Area of Honors:
Political Science (Behrend)
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Robert W. Speel, Thesis Supervisor Robert W. Speel, Thesis Honors Advisor Joseph Beilein Jr., Faculty Reader
Keywords:
2nd Amendment PLCAA Gun Laws Firearms Domestic Policy Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Sandy Hook Federal Legislation State Legislation Local Legislation United States Supreme Court
Abstract:
The future legal status of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act was called into question because of a legal settlement between Remington Arms and the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. This thesis answers the question, "Are states going to circumvent PLCAA?" as well as explores the history of guns in the United States and examines the purpose of PLCAA’s creation, attitudes towards PLCAA, and related lawsuits. The history of guns in the United States includes a few major periods: the origins of the 2nd Amendment, including colonial America and the Revolution; the pre-1930s, including many local and state laws; and the post-1930s, including the beginning of federal firearms legislation to the present. Each of these periods includes crucial events, including new laws, ordinances, and court cases that have led the country to its current point.
