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  | The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence produces ‘report cards' for each of the fifty states in the USA . This section gives details from the 2004 reports on New Jersey , Massachusetts , Alabama and Texas .
The Report Cards give each state a grade for its laws, according to how effectively it ‘shields families, and children especially, from gun violence'. In general, the Brady Campaign will give states with more gun control laws a higher grade. We can use this data to compare the restrictions on gun ownership for the four states featured on this site.
The Brady grades go from ‘A' where “children are reckoned to be well protected from gun violence” to ‘F' where “children are poorly protected”.
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 | Brady Campaign ‘Report Card' on state gun laws
Grade: ‘F'
No juvenile possession law
Must be 18 to buy a handgun
No child access prevention law
No requirement for gun safety locks
Does not allow cities to regulate guns
No background checks on those buying guns privately
Police have discretion on whether to issue Carrying Concealed Weapon permit. No requirement for training in handling a weapon carried concealed
Prohibits local government lawsuits against the gun industry
Removed 48 hour waiting period on the secondary sales of handguns (such as those at gun shows, for example) or between two individuals neither of whom have a licence to sell guns.
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 | Brady Campaign ‘Report Card' on state gun laws
Grade: ‘A -'
Must be 21 to possess a handgun or assault weapon, 18 for other firearms
Must be 21 to buy a handgun or assault weapon, 18 for other firearms
All firearms must be stored with a lock, safety locks must be sold with a weapon
Allows cities to regulate guns
Licence needed for all gun sales
Police have discretion to refuse Carrying Concealed Weapon permits
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 | Brady Campaign ‘Report Card' on state gun laws
Overall Grade: ‘A -'
The state has a juvenile possession law - no guns for the under 18s.
Must be 21 to buy a handgun.
It has a child access protection law protecting under 16s
Childproof handgun law. State-approved child-safety locks must be sold with guns
Permit required by dealers for all gun sales
Police forces decide whether to issue permits to carry a concealed weapon (CCW)
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 | Brady ‘Report Card' on state gun laws
Grade: ‘D -'
No juvenile possession law
Must be 18 to buy any type of weapon
It has a child access protection law protecting under 17s
No gun safety locks
Does not allow cities to regulate guns
No background checks on private sales of weapons
Police have no discretion in issuing Carrying Concealed Weapon permits. Texas does insist on strong checks of a person's background before the permit is issued.
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