Bill allows semi-automatics with limited rounds in D.C.

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By David C. Lipscomb

D.C. Council member Phil Mendelson says he will propose regulations Tuesday that would legalize semi-automatic handguns in the District because the stopgap legislation the council passed in response to a Supreme Court ruling "would not stand up to judicial scrutiny."

"The Supreme Court has spoken, and we have to act accordingly," he said. "We are still going to have a strong gun control law."

Mr. Mendelson, at-large Democrat, said the bill will refine the city's definition of machine guns by using wording from other jurisdictions and the federal assault-weapons ban, which has since expired. The bill also will cap at 10 the number of rounds a semi-automatic gun magazine can hold.

The bill would undercut two federal challenges to the law: a bill in the U.S. House to be considered as early as Tuesday that would relax gun-control regulations in the District, and a lawsuit in U.S. District Court filed by Dick Anthony Heller of the District v. Heller Supreme Court case.

A ruling on the Heller case in June struck down the District's 32-year-old ban on handguns but did not address the city's broad definition of a machine gun, which effectively bans most semi-automatic pistols.

Gun advocates say D.C. officials have been flouting the court's ruling and perceive the bill as a victory.

However, others say the District is still trying to be too restrictive.

Mike Stollenwerk, co-founder of OpenCarry.org, said he is pleased that the bill would legalize semi-automatic handguns and make them easily accessible for self-defense, but does not like the cap on magazine capacity.

"It may be progress but it shouldn't have to be like this," he said. "It's just another stick in the eye to gun owners."

Most jurisdictions and federal law generally define machine guns as those capable of firing multiple rounds with a single press of the trigger or guns that can be modified easily to do so.