What Would Gavin Newsom's Proposed 28th Amendment Do?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would restrict gun ownership nationwide. What exactly would it do, and will it pass?

The Details: The proposed amendment would raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, implement mandatory universal background checks for prospective gun buyers, and ban the purchase of assault weapons for civilians. Newsom didn't define "assault weapon" in his proposal.

Key Quotes: "The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support – while leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition," Newsom said. The National Rifle Association (NRA) said Newsom's policies "champion the criminal and penalize the law-abiding. That is why the majority of Americans rightfully reject his California-style gun control."

For Context: Newsom, President Biden, and other Democrats have pushed for stricter gun ownership rules in the wake of recent mass shootings. Gun rights supporters see those efforts as an encroachment on constitutional rights, and question the ambiguity around "assault weapons."

How the Media Covered It: Voices across the spectrum suggested the proposal has little chance of passing. One Los Angeles Times (Lean Left bias) writer said, "that's OK," and argued, "it’s only a matter of time in this century before some 2nd Amendment tinkering occurs." The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) said Newsom's proposal "implicitly admits that the Democratic Party’s gun control wish list is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment."