By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—US Congress: S. 632, the ATF Transparency Act, was introduced by Sen. James Risch (R-ID); “Constitutional Carry” bills introduced and moving through legislature: Florida, Nebraska, and South Carolina; California: AB97 passed the Public Safety Committee on March 7; Florida: Constitutional carry bill, SB150, passed Senate Fiscal Committee; Colorado: HB219, a three day waiting period, passed the House; Awaiting final passage in the Senate: SB168, allowing lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, SB169, minimum age for firearms purchase raised to 21, and SB170, add more non-judicial people who can file an Extreme Risk Protection Order to remove a person’s firearms. Florida: Both (Senate and House) Constitutional Carry bills are working their way to the respective House floors for a vote; SB214, the merchant category code for credit cards is in the Senate Rules Committee after having passed 2 previous Committee votes; Hawaii: SB1230, a post-Bruen bill that expands gun-free zones, passed the Senate 22-3; Iowa: HSB173, the House Committee on Public Safety subcommittee recommended Do Pass and the bill has been renumbered to HF654; Maryland: SB1, a very restrictive state law in response to the Bruen decision, is awaiting a voted in the Senate; Michigan: House Judiciary Committee sent three anti-gun bills to House floor: HB4138, HB4142 and HB4143; Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety passed three gun control packages that include the following eleven bills: Maryland: SB1 is awaiting a vote in the Senate; Mississippi: The House has passed HB1110 (87-26)that would stop the use of the gun store MCC and is was amended and passed in the Senate and has been returned for concurrence; Montana: HB674 passed House Judiciary Committee with amendment and has a hearing scheduled for March 17; New Hampshire: House defeated three anti-gun bills; New Mexico: HB9 has passed the House and was amended in the Senate and the House concurred with the amendment; South Dakota: Gov. Kristi Noem signed SB98, a bill that stops the requirement to be fingerprinted when seeking a renewal of an enhanced permit; Virginia: The following bills have passed the legislature: HB2467, allowing the use of a non-photographic ID in the purchase of a firearm, HB2387, a tax credit of up to $300 towards the purchase of a gun safe, and HB2298, allowing switchblade knives to be carried. They have been sent to Governor Youngkin; Washington: House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee holding hearing on SB5078 on March 14; three bills passed the originating House by the legislative deadline: HB1143, HB1240 and SB5078.
2023 Congressional Activity/Biden Administration
US Congress: Bills preceded by a * are newly added this week.
Pro-gun Bills
*S. 632, the ATF Transparency Act, introduced by Sen. James Risch (R-ID) allowing the transfer and registration of NFA firearms that were denied due to the 90-day limitation. The bill would take the ATF’s stated goal of 90 days to issue tax stamps and change it to a hard deadline. It currently has six co-sponsors.
H.R. 38 Introduced by US Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) with bipartisan support and 118 original co-sponsors, would protect law-abiding Right-to-Carry permit holders from navigating a patchwork of varying gun control laws when crossing a state line. Senators John Cornyn (TX-R) and Bill Hagerty (TN-R) have introduced the companion bill.
H.R. 53, the Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act, introduced by US Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.). The bill has 55 original co-sponsors. This bill is aimed at financial institutions that discriminate against corporation that manufacture, sell, fix firearms and firearms parts and accessories. This legislation prohibits the Federal Government from entering into contracts with corporate entities that discriminate against a firearm or ammunition industries.
S.163,The SHORT Act, has been introduced by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS). This bill removes certain short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other weapons from the definition of a firearm for purposes of regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA).
Anti-gun bills
S.173 A safe storage law, named “Ethan’s Law” was introduced by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), penalizing any adult that allows a minor, less than 18 years of age, to gain possession of a firearm. The bill’s storage requirements are onerous and the penalties include forfeiture of the firearm, jail time and fines. Rep. Rosa DeLauro )D-CT01) is submitting a companion bill, but no bill has yet been submitted.
H.R.584, Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2023, has been introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). Rep. Coleman was endorsed in 2022 by Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown organization.All sellers of ammunition would be licenses and required to confirm identity of the buyer in person with a photo ID. And all purchases of more than 1,000 rounds would be required to be reported to federal, state and local law enforcement.
H.R.715: Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican Representative from PA who voted for the 2022 Assault Weapon ban in Congress, has now authored HR715 that would implement a gun registry. HR715 has 180 cosponsors.
S.1522, with 43 co-sponsors on Feb 1. Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and the two Democrat Senators from CT,Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, announced the introduction of two anti-gun bills: The S.25, Assault Weapons Ban, and S.14, the Age 21 Act. In their press release they said, Congressman David Cicilline (D-R.I) will introduce a companion version of the Assault Weapons Ban.
Financial Institutions and Gun Sales
According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) there has been an effort led by Amalgamated Banks’s CEO, Priscilla Sims Brown, credit card companies have created a special tracking code for gun store purchases. Even Bloomberg News, owned by anti-gun Michael Bloomberg, has said this idea wouldn’t work. However Discover Card announced it would be using this code beginning in April. In two states, Mississippi, and Florida legislation has been introduced and is under consideration to block the credit card tracking scheme.
State Legislatures/Local communities
Louisiana, the last state to convene—April 10, 2023; Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming have adjourned sine die
Alaska: HB61 and its companion bill SB63 were introduced in a bipartisan effort to get this concept passed into law. The bills prevent the prohibition, regulation, or seizure of citizens’ Second Amendment rights during a declared State of Emergency unless all forms of commerce are effected. The bills are not yet scheduled in their respective Community and Regional Affairs Committees.
Arizona: The Senate has passed both SB1331, allowing parents of a child who is a student at a public school to carry on school grounds, and SB1109, removing suppressors from prohibited weapons category.
California— AB97, banning unserialized firearms, passed the Public Safety Committee on March 7 by a 8-0 vote. AB301, the prohibition on owning body armor, has been amended by the author several times especially adding more exempt professions. On Mar. 2 it was scheduled for a hearing on March 14. SB2, which failed in the final minutes of the 2022 legislature, a revision of the carrying permit law, is being revived and pushed by Gov. Newsom. It currently has a hearing scheduled on March 28 before the Senate Committee on Public Safety. Carry permit information: According to @MorosKosta on Twitter, the letter sent by CRPA attorneys at Michel & Associates is beginning to get some traction. If any California pistol permit applicants are not up to speed on current requirement, show them this letter put online by CRPA attorneys at Michel & Associates. Follow Attorney @MorosKosta on twitter for info on carry permit applications in California. FYI: for those Californians not living in LaVerne, CA you should check out their CCW fee schedule for their gold-plated CCW.
Colorado: HB219, a three day waiting period, has passed the House. The following bills are awaiting final passage in the Senate: SB168, to sue firearms manufacturers, SB169, minimum age for firearms purchase raised to 21, and SB170, add more non-judicial people to the list who can file an Extreme Risk Protection Order to remove a person’s firearms. HB1230, an assault weapons ban, is still in the House Judiciary Committee.
Connecticut: Three gun bills will heard by the House Judiciary Committee on March 6: HB6667, Gov. Ned Lamont’s gun ban bill, HB6816, microstamping ammunition, age to purchase raised to 21, and bans body armor, and HB6817, clarifying a person’s right to own, possess or carry a firearm.
Florida: The legislature has officially convened.The constitutional carry bill, HB543, is now ready to be considered by the House after the legislative session begins. The Senate companion, SB150, passed 5-3 the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Mar 9 and is on the floor of the Senate. The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee approved SB214, that would stop the use of the gun store MCC and even fine the credit card companies $10,000 per violation and the bill is now in the Senate Rules Committee..
Hawaii: SB1230, a post-Bruen bill that expands gun-free zones and requires mandatory insurance coverage, passed the Senate 22-3. HB426, an anti-PLCAA bill, has passed the House and is now in the Senate.
Idaho: The House on March 3 passedwith overwhelming margins HB189 and HB190, ensuring that the citizens of Idaho through their tax dollars do not do business with firms that boycott the firearms industry. The bills have been referred to House State Affairs.
Illinois: HB3967, an amendment to the IL Domestic Violence of 1986 Act, would delete the text in the law that is struck out: (1) was issued after a hearing of which such person received actual notice, and at which such person received actual notice, and at which such person had an opportunity to participate; thus denying the accused his day in court; HB3238, possession, sales, transfer of armor plate, body armor or military helmet would be illegal; HB1231, requiring banks, pawn shots, grocery stores and gas station in cities of more than 2 million population to have an armed security guard during hours of operation, has been introduced. According to a county map of Illinois on Twitter, only two counties have said they would enforce HB5471, the comprehensive “assault weapons” ban signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Iowa: HSB173, allowing adults who are licensed to carry firearms to drive onto school grounds to pick up of drop off students. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Public Safety recommended Do Pass and the bill has been renumbered as HF654.
Kansas: The Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs recommended that SB116, a bill to expand access to firearms safety education, do Pass. In past sessions similar bills have been vetoed by Gov. Kelly,
Kentucky: HB153, which invalidates federal firearms bans, has passed the House by a vote of 78-19.
Maryland: SB1, a very restrictive state law in response to the Bruen decision, is awaiting a vote in the Senate.
Michigan: House Judiciary Committee sent three anti-gun bills to House floor: HB4138-Require license or background check for purchase of firearms; HB4142-Update firearms references to pistol in penal code; HB4143-Update firearms references in sentencing guidelines, which were then passed by a vote of 56-53. On March 9 the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety passed three gun control packages that include the following eleven bills: package 1 (firearms transfers): SB76-Update references to pistol in penal code; SB77-Weapons; firearms; update references in sentencing guidelines; SB78-Adding penalties for storing or leaving a firearm accessible to a minor; package 2 (storage requirements): SB79-Update weapons sentencing guidelines reference; SB80-the penalties for improper storage ; SB81-Sales tax exemptions for firearm safety devices; SB82-Use tax exemptions for firearm safety devices; package 3 (red flag law): SB83-Enact extreme risk protection order act; SB84-Prohibit purchase of firearms if individual has an extreme risk protection order; SB85-Guidelines for making a false statement in support of an extreme risk protection order; SB86-Service of process for extreme risk protection order actions includes waiving court fees.
Minnesota: According to the MN Gun Owners Caucus 48 Sheriffs are pushing back against the DFL’s anti-gun agenda. The Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee adopted the following bills and re-referred to the House Ways & Means: HF396, a safe storage bill requiring locking devices to be included in every firearm transfer, HF14, a background check bill, HF15, a “red flag” bill, and HF601, requiring the reporting of stolen or lost firearms within 48 hours.
Mississippi: The House has passed HB1110 (87-26) that would stop the use of the gun store MCC and is was amended and passed in the Senate and has been returned for concurrence.
Missouri: HB282 and SB224, allowing the carrying of firearms on public transit, have been introduced.
Montana: HB674, creates an optional, enhanced concealed carry permit that will recognize Montanans’ concealed carry permits in five additional states, including WA, MN, NM, SC & DE, passed House Judiciary Committee with an amendment and has a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on March 17.
Nebraska: AlthoughThe Judiciary Committee has sent LB77, a constitutional carry bill, for a vote in the legislature, it will need 33 Senators to overcome a filibuster planned against the bill. The bill now has 25 co-sponsors. As a result an amendment allowing the city of Omaha to keep its local ordinance of requiring registration of concealable handguns is being considered.
North Carolina: The House of Representatives passed HB50, repealing the permit-to-purchase state requirement 67-48.
New Hampshire: The House defeated the following bills: HR8, a resolution urging Congress to pass an “assault weapons” ban, HB158, banning so-called armor piercing ammunition, and HB191, allowing state agencies to destroy voluntarily surrendered firearms.
New Mexico: Bills moving: HB9, a gun owner liability law identical to one from last year has passed the House and was amended in the Senate. On March 8 the House concurred with Senate Amendments. It now goes to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. SB114, expanding permission to carry a handgun, if the persons has a concealed handgun license, into bars, was reported without recommendation. TheHouse Consumer & Public Affairs Committee advanced two bills: HB100, requiring a 14-day waiting period prior to receiving a purchased handgun, and a committee substitute, for HB101 by Andrea Romero (D), that grandfathers in any “banned firearms owned prior to March 1, 2024, but bans the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles, .50 BMG caliber firearms and ammunition, certain magazines, and would require registration of this banned weapons prior to March 1, 2024, or become a felon. Both these bills have received a DO Pass Recommendation. SB116, banning young adults age 18-20 from purchasing or possession any semi-automatic firearm passed the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee.
New Jersey: A4557 will be upgrading the crime of manufacturing firearms from second to first degree. A4717, requiring psychological evaluation and in-home inspection as prerequisite to purchase firearms. S3003/A4502, expands sensitive places and S2847/A4369 prohibits possession of body armor.
New York: New gun bills introduced: A5199, excise tax on ammo;
Oklahoma:AB1892, requiring the posting of signage when the rate of “gun violence” in a particular area exceeds the national rate was introduced; SB430, prohibiting live ammo on a film production set and SB929 that would limit the sale “ammunition for assault weapons” to “two times the capacity” of the owners gun within a 120-day time frame.
North Carolina: Two bills, allowing the carrying of a firearm while attending church, SB41 and HB49, have passed their respective Houses. Hopefully the legislature can override a veto by Gov. Roy Cooper as he vetoed a similar bill in both 2020 and 2021. Rep. Bobby J. Cox has introduced HB3594, a permitless carry bill.
North Dakota: Two pro-gun bills, HB1401, making Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) illegal and HB1404, allowing a concealed carry on a college campus, were heard in the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee in January. Both bills failed in the House.
Oklahoma: HB1001, a bill to lower the age a citizen can carry a firearm, has been introduced by Rep. Jim Olsen (R) and passed the State Powers Committee on March 1.
Oregon: More anti-gun bills introduced: HB2005, a bill to not only stop the manufacture of firearms, it prohibits citizens from owning certain federally unregulated part, HB2006, denies Second Amendment rights to persons between the ages of 18-21; and HB2007, weakens the state’s preemption law. HB2572, creates a new definition for civil disorder which is defined as unlawful paramilitary activity and allows for civil action against persons engaging in the paramilitary activity
Pennsylvania: HB226, concerning sale or transfer of firearms, introduced by 10 Democrats.
South Carolina: HB3594, a constitutional carry bill, passed the House 87-26 on Feb. 23 and is in the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
South Dakota: Gov. Kristi Noem signed SB98, a bill that stops the requirement to be fingerprinted when seeking a renewal of an enhanced permit, has passed the legislature by overwhelming majorities. Norm.
Texas: HB2837, a bill to prevent the use of a firearm specific banking code, has been introduced. HB1623, banning possession & transfer of firearms with removable magazines bigger than .22 has been introduced.
Utah: Adjourned
Virginia: The following bills have passed the legislature: HB2467, allowing the use of a non-photographic ID in the purchase of a firearm, HB2387, a tax credit of up to $300 towards the purchase of a gun safe, and HB2298, allowing switchblade knives to be carried. They have been sent to Governor Youngkin.
Washington: House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on SB5078, an anti-firearms industry bill,on March 14, which passed the Senate on a 28-21 vote on March 2. On March 9, the House voted to pass HB1240, banning so-called “assault rifles” by a vote of 55-42-1. The following bills passed their originating house before the legislative deadline: HB1143, has been amended and is now Second Substitute HB1143. SSHB 1143 would unjustly force free citizens to buy a “Permit to Purchase a Firearm” before they could buy or transfer a firearm each time they go to purchase. It passed the House on March 7, 52-44-1.
West Virginia: Adjourned
Wyoming: Adjourned
