(CNN) A new federal law specifically making mass shootings a capital crime is among the proposals being studied as Justice Department officials seek to follow President Donald Trump's order to come up with legislative fixes to tackle the spate of active shooting incidents.

Attorney General William Barr spent the weekend discussing possible legislation with the President and vice president and with other Justice and FBI officials, a source briefed on the matter said. One of the top options for legislative proposals would make mass shooters eligible for the death penalty in the same way federal law treats people who use explosives, a law enforcement official said.

Any changes would have to be passed by Congress.

Existing federal law specifies the use of weapons of mass destruction as a crime that carries the possible death penalty. But if the same suspect uses a gun instead of explosives, there's no specific federal law to address that. Instead, federal prosecutors often turn to other laws, including one addressing hate crimes, to bring charges in mass shooting incidents. Federal prosecutors also can seek charges for gun offenses or crimes against federal officials.

One complication for any new law is how to define mass shootings, in a country where there are routinely dozens of people shot in drug-related and other crimes over the course of a weekend in certain cities.

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