By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—Federal Legislation: Several Senators have co-sponsored the RIFLE Act to remove unnecessary federal taxes on long guns under the National Firearms Act; Minnesota: HF2609, a bill that could affect many factory-installed triggers was incorporated into an omnibus bill and now goes to Gov. Waltz; New York is still trying to pass more restrictive firearms legislation with a few weeks remaining in the 2024 session; Rhode Island: the Senate has passed S2202, requiring gun owners to keep their firearms under lock and key or face consequences.
Federal Legislation
Barrasso, Lummis Join Bill to Repeal Unnecessary Tax on Firearm Purchases Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), another co-sponsor of the RIFLE Act. said, “Law-abiding Americans who exercise their Second Amendment rights should not be subject to unnecessary taxes and restrictions preventing them from doing so. Passed into law in 1934, the National Firearms Act needs to be amended. Our legislation will remove the red tape that places an undue financial burden on would-be gun owners.”
State Legislation and local communities
States that do NOT hold legislative sessions in 2024: Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas,
States that are still in session: Arizona, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin
With over half the states concluding their 2024 legislative sessions, the onslaught of bills has slowed considerably. However, most of the remaining states tend to be more anti-gun than pro-gun, so states like California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota are still hard at work.
Michigan: A set of anti-Second Amendment bills are in several committees and could be taken up at any time. SB857 and SB858, expanding gun-free zones to include the Capitol buildings, are assigned to the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety. HB4127 and HB4128, establishing 100 feet of any polling place as a gun-free zone, passed the House earlier this year, received amendments in the Senate, and are now again back for consideration in the House.
Minnesota: Last week, we wrote that HF2609, redefining trigger activators that could affect many common factory-installed triggers, passed the conference committee and will now go to the House and Senate for votes. On May 19, in an unusual Sunday night session, the legislators incorporated HF2609 into HF5247, an omnibus bill unrelated to firearms issues, with no debate as the Democrats refused to acknowledge their Republican colleagues. The bill now goes to Governor Tim Walz, who is expected to sign it.
New York: The anti-Second Amendment leadership in New York is still pushing more gun control and anti-self-defense legislation. The following bills are under consideration in the Senate Committees: SBS206A removes the lifetime ban on jury duty for convicted felons (Judiciary); S7802, gives the criminal justice service the ability to certify firearms such as “smart guns,” (Finance); and S7365A, a bill the criminalizes certain pistol parts; The following bills have been passed favorably by the Senate Committees and are awaiting floor consideration: S2102, requiring police officers to take temporary custody of firearms when responding to reports of family violence; and S9137A, prohibits openly carrying a rifle or shotgun.
Rhode Island: In March, the Senate passed S2202, requiring gun owners to keep their firearms under lock and key or face consequences. On May 20, 2024, the House Judiciary Committee scheduled S2202 for consideration in the House. This bill is on a fast track for a floor vote.
