GIFFORDS releases Annual Gun Law Scorecard, data shows stronger gun laws save lives

WASHINGTON — Today, GIFFORDS Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence released its Annual Gun Law Scorecard, which grades and ranks each state on its gun laws, and found that 24 states received an F. The comprehensive, 50-state analysis reflects that states with stronger gun laws are significantly safer, with lower gun death rates and more lives saved. 

California has the strongest gun laws in the nation, which is reflected in its gun death rate that is 46% below the national rate. Wyoming, on the other end of the spectrum, has the weakest gun laws in the nation. In the United States, nearly 47,000 people lose their lives to gun violence every year. If the national gun death rate matched California’s, more than 19,900 lives would have been saved in a single year — and more than 13,000 of those lives saved would be in states that currently receive an F or D.

One alarming trend is the rise in states passing laws to ban extreme risk protection order laws, also known as red flags. Extreme risk protection orders are a proven policy to prevent suicides and avert mass shootings. In 2025, Texas and Montana passed laws to ban extreme risk protection order laws, becoming the sixth and seventh states to do so.

Visit the Annual Gun Law Scorecard at giffords.org/scorecard.

“Each year, our Gun Law Scorecard highlights a clear truth: states with stronger laws have fewer people dying, and less crime. Gun violence remains the leading cause of death for children and teens in this country, and a child’s safety shouldn’t depend on their zip code. That’s unacceptable,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown. “We know how to prevent gun crime and save lives, and Americans are united on solutions like universal background checks and extreme risk laws. The Gun Law Scorecard provides a clear path forward for lawmakers, advocates and concerned citizens ready to act. The public has spoken. It’s time for leaders to deliver.”