After a mass shooting, the number of laws passed to loosen gun restrictions rose by 75 percent. It’s easy to see why laws in Republican-controlled statehouses enacted in the aftermath of a mass shooting tended to loosen gun restrictions. A mass shooting takes place, followed by emotional vigils, intensive news media coverage and sorrowful statements by politicians. Lots of gun laws are proposed in the aftermath of an attack, new research shows. But in states with legislatures that were led by Democrats or divided between the parties, a mass shooting wasn’t followed by any statistically significant increase in gun laws enacted.

Source: New York Times June 14, 2016 10:52 UTC