Alabama lawmakers approve a ban on devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns
Nichole Smith signs a memorial sign Sept. 23, 2024, remembering the four people who were killed in a shooting outside a nightclub in Birmingham, Ala.
Update: Gov. Kay Ivey signed this bill into law on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday approved a ban on Glock switches and other conversion devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns, after a deadly year that included multiple mass shootings.
A bipartisan coalition pushed the Alabama legislation after several multiple mass shootings last year, including the shooting deaths of four people outside a Birmingham nightclub in September. The devices are already banned under federal law, but there’s currently no state law that bans them.
The Alabama Senate voted 24-2 to accept the House of Representatives changes to the bill. The measure now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who is expected to sign it after calling for its passage in her State of the State address.
“Passing gun safety legislation in Alabama is not easy. But the hard work of building a bipartisan coalition has resulted in the passage of this life-saving legislation,” said state Rep. Phillip Ensler, a Montgomery Democrat, who had urged the measure for three years.
“While laws cannot bring back victims of gun violence, this ban can help save lives moving forward,” he said.
Republican state Sen. Will Barfoot of Pike Road sponsored the bill that was approved this year. Possessing or selling the devices would be a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The measure will take effect immediately if it is signed into law.
The devices are banned under federal law and in 23 states, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. Supporters said a state ban will allow local law enforcement to prosecute people for the possession of the devices. Police say the devices produce a rapid, hard-to-control spray of bullets that increase the number of casualties during a shooting.
The bill passed without significant opposition, a rare consensus on gun legislation in the deeply red state. Alabama lawmakers in 2022 voted to end the requirement to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public.
Alabama has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the U.S. In 2022, there were 1,278 gun-related deaths in Alabama, which was the fourth-highest gun death rate in the country, ranking below Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico.
Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk fatally shot during Utah college event
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," President Trump wrote in a Truth Social Post. Kirk was shot during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Israel’s attacks on Hamas in Qatar stun the Gulf and dash chances for a Gaza ceasefire
Qatar slams Israeli attacks on Hamas leaders in Doha as "state terrorism" after the bombardment rocks the tiny U.S. ally and dashes hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza
Life on Mars? NASA says a rock sample shows potential signs of ancient life
Ancient organisms may have left microscopic "biosignatures" on Mars. That's according to NASA scientists, who say a rock sample offers the most concrete proof yet that the red planet once hosted life.
Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has died after shooting, Trump says
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," President Trump wrote in a Truth Social Post. Kirk was shot during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
4 lives are upended by an impulsive kiss in the epic novel ‘Buckeye’
Patrick Ryan's novel focuses on two married couples and stretches from pre-WWII to the close of the 20th century, capturing both the sweep of history and the mundane particularity of everyday life.
Trump makes a rare D.C. restaurant visit to tout his federal crackdown on crime
In his first term, President Trump only dined out at the steakhouse in his former hotel. He visited a steakhouse near the White House on Tuesday, saying, "I wouldn't have done this three months ago."
