Nearly 500 people die from gun violence in Kansas each year, and the state is ranked low for its gun laws, according to an annual report. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a national nonprofit focused on gun safety, gave Kansas an F for its firearm regulations, placing the state 42nd in the country.

“Kansas has some of the weakest laws in the country when it comes to gun violence, which is why we gave it an F this year,” said Emma Brown, executive director of the center, in a Tuesday news release. She continued: “Gun violence is now the No. 1 killer of children in the United States. That is unacceptable.”

The report criticized Kansas for lacking universal background checks, gun industry accountability, and violence intervention programs, while also calling for the repeal of “stand your ground” laws. It noted Kansas’ strong mental health reporting but linked weak gun laws to higher gun deaths, with nearly 17 gun deaths per 100,000 people annually. The report highlighted the February mass shooting at a Kansas City parade, sparking debate on gun laws. While 28 states passed new gun safety laws in 2024, Kansas did not adopt any.