by Tanya Metaksa | Contributing editor
With more state governments enacting State Emergency Orders to enforce “social distancing” we are maintaining a listing of how states are dealing with firearms laws, firearms dealers, shooting ranges and/or retailers that deal in firearms and ammunition on a daily basis.
As of March 25, 2020 9 am EST
States with no shelter-in-place order: Mississippi
In the following states, firearms dealers are considered essential services: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
In the following states there is no explicit ban on firearms manufacturers or retailers: Colorado, Minnesota
In Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming only close-contact businesses have been asked to close.
In the following states the executive order includes using the federal CISA list for essential workers: Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. This federal definition includes “defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. Government or a contractor to the U.S. Government.”
Individual states:
California has a law that forbids “the seizure or confiscation of any firearms or ammunition from any individual who is lawfully carrying or possessing the firearms or ammunition, or authorize any order to that effect.” However, firearms dealers and ranges have not been listed as Essential critical infrastructure workers in the Executive Order N-33-20 from Gov. Newsom. Therefore, the localities have the discretion to keep these businesses open or close them. For all California gun owners please check here.
In Delaware the state has published a list of essential and non-essential business. Sporting goods are in the non-essential category, while hunting and fishing is allowed.
In Iowa the issuance of applications for purchasing pistols and/or revolvers has been left up to the individual Sheriff’s office.
While Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D) of New Orleans, LA issued emergency orders that prohibited the transportation of firearms, Gov. Edwards (D) in his Proclamation Number 33 JBE 2020, has “deemed essential” firearm and ammunition suppliers.
While there is a 2007 law prohibiting the state from imposing “additional restrictions as to the lawful possession, transfer, sale, carrying, storage, display or use of firearms, ammunition or components” during a state of emergency, the Nevada governor has explicitly closed “sporting goods and hobby shops” and has closed the state office the processes NICS checks.
In New Jersey gun shops and gun ranges have been deemed non-essential and have been asked to close.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Luhan Grisham has issued a stay-at-home order which specify firearms-related businesses as “essential”. But the order includes businesses that provide
“Facilities used by law enforcement personnel.”
Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Wolf’s list of industries that may remain open has been amended to include retail firearms dealers as “essential” services.
Virginia: Gov. Ralph Northam issued Executive Order No. Fifty Three that closes all indoor shooting ranges, does not list firearms retailers as “essential”, but they are under a provision that limits “no more than 10 patrons per establishment.”
Thanks to the National Shooting Sports Foundation for their information.
