In a move to tighten gun control, Alabama legislators took a significant step forward on Tuesday by advancing a bill that would outlaw the use of Glock switches and other devices that alter semi-automatic firearms to fire as fully automatic weapons.
The Alabama Senate unanimously passed the legislation with a 28-0 vote, propelling it to the House of Representatives for further consideration. This action follows last year’s unsuccessful attempt to pass a similar measure in the Senate.
The proposal has gained traction due to support from a bipartisan coalition, motivated by a violent year in 2024 characterized by numerous mass shootings. Although federal laws already prohibit these conversion devices, Alabama currently lacks a state-specific ban against them.
Sen. Will Barfoot, the Republican senator championing the legislation, emphasized the bill’s importance, stating, “We’re equipping our local law enforcement with the authority to apprehend and prosecute those who would use these devices to transform legal semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons.”
Republican Governor Kay Ivey also echoed the need for state-level intervention in her recent State of the State address, urging the establishment of a state ban on the devices.
Law enforcement officials argue that these conversion tools dramatically amplify the speed and volume of gunfire, rendering shootings more deadly and difficult to control. This was underscored by a tragic incident in September, where such a device was believed to be used in a Birmingham shooting that resulted in four fatalities outside a lounge. Another incident involved the arrest of an individual carrying a machine gun conversion tool after a shooting at Tuskegee University, which led to one death and 16 injuries.
Twenty-three states, along with federal law, already prohibit the use of these conversion devices, as reported by the anti-violence organization Everytown for Gun Safety. Alabama’s proposed legislation aims to join this list and strengthen state-level enforcement against such devices.
