Utahns came face-to-face with gun violence at public events several times in 2025.
On June 15, a protester was fatally shot during a No Kings march in downtown Salt Lake City. The next day, three people were killed in a shooting at the WestFest carnival in West Valley City. And in September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was gunned down on the campus of Utah Valley University
As the 2026 Legislative Session continues, we are beginning to get a glimpse into how lawmakers plan to approach firearms. As of Jan. 27, there are more than a dozen firearm-related bills introduced in either the House or Senate by both Democrats and Republicans.
In Senate President Stuart Adams’ view, tragedies like the killing of Charlie Kirk did more to unite than divide on the issue of firearms in Utah.
“Our governor handled [Charlie Kirk’s killing] really well,” the Republican told reporters Jan. 27. “I actually think it brought us together and actually think it made us more rational. I think in Utah, we've handled it differently. I'm pretty proud of how we've done that type of thing, and you're seeing bills come out that are rationally being discussed.”
For Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Jake Fitisemanu, however, discussing firearms with colleagues can be a challenge.
“I'm optimistic that we can break it down and find commonalities and actually have human conversations around the topic, but I will admit that that's very difficult,” he said. “This is an emotional topic, and when emotions get involved, we tend to move to hyperbole and to kind of skirt around issues that could actually bring us together.”
Fitisemanu has a bill that would make it an infraction for anyone younger than 18 years old to possess a toy altered to look like a firearm or imitation firearm in a public place.
And addressing gun violence is a priority for the broader Democratic caucus. In their response to Gov. Spencer Cox’s State of the State address, House Minority Leader Angela Romero said Democrats will work to prevent violence before it happens.
“Community safety means taking threats seriously and being willing to have honest conversations about sensible gun safety laws,” she said. “These vital laws protect lives while allowing for and respecting responsible gun ownership.”
But the approaches differ between parties. Of the bills proposed this year, some appear to directly conflict with one another. One Republican sponsored bill would make it easier to open carry on college campuses, while another Democrat-led bill would make it harder.
One Democratic bill would prohibit open carry within 500 feet of a large public gathering like a protest, hearkening back to last June’s No Kings protest when a safety volunteer shot and killed a bystander while firing at another man who was legally carrying a rifle in public.
A Republican bill would remove a background check requirement for someone attempting to purchase an item regulated under the National Firearms Act — such as a silencer or short-barreled rifle — if that person has received an approved background check within the last 30 days.
With a supermajority Republican legislature, Democratic bills seeking more restrictions on firearms face low odds of gaining traction. By and large, Utah is a state that’s very friendly to the Second Amendment. For example, in 2021, it became legal for someone over the age of 21 to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
“The Second Amendment is the Second Amendment,” Fitisemanu said. “This is not something that we're trying to ban the lawful use of.”
But he pointed to the violent events of the past year as things that could actually polarize people further on the issue of guns because there tend to be “really emotional reactions” after a high-profile incident.
”We're trying to help people at least get to the point where we can discuss and talk about these things on a day-to-day, practical basis.”
On the Republican side, Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson has a bill that would require law enforcement to collect and report anonymous data on a program where someone can voluntarily surrender their firearms if they feel they are struggling with their mental health.
“They can take the firearm to a local public safety, police station or a sheriff's office or some public safety institution,” he said. “They can drop off their firearms and basically have public safety store them until they feel like their mental crisis is over with.”
For his part, Wilson called the program “wonderful” and hopes to use the data to help public safety organizations in the coming years.
While some bills are moving forward, others have already been struck down. Democratic Rep. Andrew Stoddard tried for the fourth year in a row to advance a bill to address safe firearm storage. It failed along party lines in committee by a 9-2 vote.
While Democrats and Republicans often disagree on gun regulations, Fitisemanu thinks that recent incidents happening so close to home could impact how the issue gets framed going forward.
“When we see the news in neighboring states or across the nation of these kinds of incidents happening, it's easier to dissociate ourselves from it because it's not happening in our backyard or at my kid's school or in a church house where I worship,” he said. “And so when we bring these conversations down to a really, to a day-to-day, neighbor-to-neighbor kind of level, I think that's where we have the most productive conversation.”
