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Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990

Latro

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
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12
Location
Wa
Could someone explain how this works and is enforced in Washington?

I live near a school, and need to walk by it to get anywhere. I open carry, no permit yet.

I have seen mixed things on this online.
 

Dave_pro2a

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Thanks Bush.

images
 

MAC702

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Jul 31, 2011
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6,331
Location
Nevada
Although I don't agree with the need for CPL, just get one. It is too easy, and makes things easier.

Some people are proud of telling the government that they do not wish to be corralled, fingerprinted, and photographed to make things "easier."
 

Baked on Grease

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Jul 4, 2011
Messages
629
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Sterling, Va.
Sadly, the GFSZA is used as an excuse to harass and accost... I have yet to see anyone charged under that law... even the lunatic mass shooters who so obviously violate it.

As Grape said, it is wholly unconstitutional and if we can ever get it to court it shall be found so... which is why the government refuses to bring charges under that law against anyone... but it makes a nice handy excuse to detain and arrest people.
 
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MAC702

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Sorry, you may not have "seen anyone charged under" the GFSZA, but it has been to court several times, post Lopez, and found to be constitutional. In those cases, the persons accused of violating it were sent to prison...

And in every single case you just cited, the charge was a secondary charge to people actually DOING bad things with the guns.

So, yes, your conclusion that the charge was upheld is valid, but mere possession within the magic line is not going to get someone detained or arrested in most states.
 
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Jeff Hayes

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Long gone
The GFSZA is something I expect the Feds to eventually start enforcing that is why I maintain permits in all the states that I frequent enough to know where school zones are.
 

Baked on Grease

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And in every single case you just cited, the charge was a secondary charge to people actually DOING bad things with the guns.

So, yes, your conclusion that the charge was upheld is valid, but mere possession within the magic line is not going to get someone detained or arrested in most states.
Uh... people get arrested quite often for having a firearm (even obviously fake onea) within the imaginary 1000 foot line... some even get arrested outside it because "won't someone think of the children!"

Seriously, Google it. 'Man arrested near school for gun' provides many such examples of people being arrested for merely having a firearm near a school.
 
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MAC702

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Uh... people get arrested quite often for having a firearm (even obviously fake onea) within the imaginary 1000 foot line... some even get arrested outside it because "won't someone think of the children!"

Seriously, Google it. 'Man arrested near school for gun' provides many such examples of people being arrested for merely having a firearm near a school.

Uh, I said "in most states."

Also, some states have state laws against it, but that would not be part of this discussion.

I would guess that if I Googled it, there would be a handful of states where it was an issue. Is Washington one of them?
 
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Freedom1Man

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Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
4,462
Location
Greater Eastside Washington
Most spaces in a town and city are within the 1000' magical border.
333yards plus 1foot.

What would that path look like in, for example, Seattle? Mind you this would have to be while school is in session.

I have had police officers bring up that rule, but never a tape measure to verify. So the OP is not far off base for being concerned about arrest within the 1000' line.

Sent from my SM-G386T using Tapatalk
 

Difdi

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Mar 2, 2010
Messages
987
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Thanks Bush.

images

Bush wasn't President in 1995, so you have Clinton to thank as well.

Uh... people get arrested quite often for having a firearm (even obviously fake onea) within the imaginary 1000 foot line... some even get arrested outside it because "won't someone think of the children!"

Here's something I wonder about -- if people can get arrested despite fitting into one of the exempt categories, and the prosecutor goes forward on the charges, wouldn't that mean you could make a citizen's arrest of a police officer for the same reason? After all, if the exemptions are not valid law...
 

Dave_pro2a

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Bush wasn't President in 1995, so you have Clinton to thank as well.



Here's something I wonder about -- if people can get arrested despite fitting into one of the exempt categories, and the prosecutor goes forward on the charges, wouldn't that mean you could make a citizen's arrest of a police officer for the same reason? After all, if the exemptions are not valid law...

I agree 100%

Both republicans and democrats are anti-gun. Which really means they are pro-being elected (at all costs). Bush 1 and Clinton are proof that both parties are stuffed with pandering ninnies -- just like Bush 2 and Obama.

Bush 1 started gun control, Clinton finished it.
Bush 2 started TARP, Obama finished it.

Be it a Donkey or an Elephant, they still spread poop wherever they go.
 
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DeSchaine

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Joined
Nov 5, 2013
Messages
537
Location
Kalamazoo, MI
The big thing about them is that I've never seen one that was clearly marked. I know full well I live inside the zone of the local middle school, but there are no signs anywhere beyond the fence line surrounding the schools property. If a person is new to the area and walking down a street three blocks over, how do they know the school is even there?
 

JustaShooter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2013
Messages
728
Location
NE Ohio
The big thing about them is that I've never seen one that was clearly marked. I know full well I live inside the zone of the local middle school, but there are no signs anywhere beyond the fence line surrounding the schools property. If a person is new to the area and walking down a street three blocks over, how do they know the school is even there?

It is a good thing that there are no signs since the law says you have to know or have reasonable cause to believe you are in a school zone to be in violation:

8 U.S. Code § 922 - Unlawful acts
(q)
(2)
(A) It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.
 
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