LAS VEGAS, NV — April 3, 2026 — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) today launched the 2026 FPC State Freedom Index—the most principled, transparent, and unapologetic scorecard of gun rights in America. With the Index, which shows the state of the law of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. as of the end of 2025, gun owners now have a single, clear tool to see exactly how their state is failing them—and the ammunition to demand their elected officials fix it. Gun owners and policymakers can visit fpcfreedomindex.org to explore the interactive map, compare states, and find out which laws need to be repealed.
The 2026 Index’s scores show that far too many states run by supposedly “pro-gun” Republican leaders are failing their own constituents, with only Kansas and New Hampshire earning a perfect 100% score. Surprising exactly no one, California finished last at 4.55%. But the real disappointments? The so-called “Freedom State” of Florida scored just 81.82%. Ohio matched Florida’s poor performance. And Nebraska underwhelmed at just 77.27%.
“Every state other than Kansas and New Hampshire has had every opportunity to get to 100%, but instead they chose not to,” said Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs. “That’s not a minor oversight—it’s a betrayal of the People and our fundamental rights. These states need to get their act together and fix their laws to fully respect the right to keep and bear arms.”
The FPC State Freedom Index gives gun owners and elected officials one clear, consistent answer to a simple question: Does your state respect the natural, pre-existing right to keep and bear arms—or not? Unlike rankings that rely on opaque methodologies or political favoritism, the FPC State Freedom Index objectively evaluates all 50 states and Washington, D.C. across 22 specific yes/no criteria in four categories:
- Arms — What can you legally own?
- Acquisition — How can you get it?
- Carry — Where can you bear it?
- Other — Preemption, registration, and more.
“All states should be free states, and our FPC Grassroots Army is fighting forward to make that a reality. Lawsuit by lawsuit and bill by bill, we are dismantling these gun control laws until the entire map is gold,” said Combs.
FPC noted that its FPC Law legal team is freely available to any state ready to do the work of repealing bad laws and enacting strong protections.
“There is no excuse for bad laws and no excuse for more excuses from politicians,” Combs concluded. “Look up your state. Find out exactly how your government is failing you—then make your elected officials answer for it. Get to 100%.”
About Firearms Policy Coalition
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) is a nonprofit membership organization that exists to restore and advance the natural, pre-existing right of all people to keep and bear arms—and to eliminate every unconstitutional gun control law standing in the way. FPC works—and wins—for the People through high-impact strategic litigation, groundbreaking research, legislative and regulatory advocacy, grassroots activism, education, and public engagement. FPC’s legal division, FPC Law, is the nation’s leading initiative dedicated to restoring the right to keep and bear arms across the United States. To learn more about how FPC is working—and winning—for the People, sign up for FPC news alerts at firearmspolicy.org and follow FPC on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
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