Certain public spaces, such as courthouses or public areas where large crowds may gather, are particularly sensitive. With this in mind, mayors are working to confront the challenges posed by guns in these sensitive locations. 

To address this issue, some mayors are establishing new rules - or clarifying regulations already in place - to govern gun possession in public. Here are two recent examples:

Prohibiting Guns on Municipal Property:

Seattle, Washington

Mayor Greg Nickels

In Seattle, Mayor Nickels recently issued an executive order directing city agencies to develop policies to prohibit the possession of firearms at city facilities and events. The order extends to Seattle's public parks, one of which was the site of a high-profile shooting at a city festival in May, 2008.

Read June 9, 2008 City of Seattle Press Release 

Prohibiting Guns at Airports

Atlanta, Georgia

Mayor Shirley Franklin

In light of a recent state law change that loosens rules about where concealed carry permit holders may carry their weapons, Mayor Shirley Franklin has been working with the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to ensure that the world's busiest airport is able to continue its prohibition of concealed firearms carrying.

Read the July 1, 2008 Press Release from Mayor Franklin and Ben DeCosta, General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (in PDF)

Read the July 21, 2008 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Coverage

This is a selected list of initiatives that members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns are pursuing in their cities. Please note that the programs and ideas listed on this page have not been formally endorsed by the coalition. Mayors Against Illegal Guns understands that what works in one city or town might not work in another - but mayors in this coalition have an interest in learning from each other, and these items are presented as starting points for those conversations.