D.C. Finally Hops on the Heller Truck

Mike DeBonis, one of my colleagues at Washington City Paper, sends word that the D.C. Council has removed the machinge gun clause from the DC gun law, as well as lifted the restrictions requiring that hand guns be kept disassembled:

The mayor has just signed the emergency gun bill passed earlier today by the D.C. Council, reports mayoral spokesperson Mafara Hobson. That means semiautomatic handguns are now legal and you no longer have to have D.C. police perform a ballistics test before taking your gun home. And once it is home, you no longer have to keep it disassembled or keep a trigger lock on it until you feel a "reasonably perceived threat of immediate harm."

UPDATE, 7:27 P.M.: The Fenty statement: "The Executive and D.C. Council have worked together to adopt common-sense, reasonable laws to prevent handguns from falling into the wrong hands or being misused. I have signed this new legislation passed by the Council today, and believe it fully complies with both the letter and spirit of the Heller decision. We trust that Congress will recognize that it is appropriate that the District legislate in this area of local law."

DeBonis is skeptical that the relaxed restrictions will "placate Congress." I guess we'll have to wait and see.