By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New; Rhode Island: the House has passed S2202/H7373A, requiring gun owners to keep their firearms under lock and key or face consequences; California: three new anti-Second Amendment bills are still viable; Minnesota: Governor Tim Walz signed HF2609; New Hampshire: HB1186, prohibiting payment processors from using firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components, has passed the legislature; Rhode Island: S2202/H7373A has passed the legislature; Vermont: S209 is now law without Governor Phil Scott’s signature; Wyoming: the Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on bills including gun-free zones and preemption.
Politics – 2024
Georgia: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
Iowa: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF for the June 4, 2023 primary.
Montana: Ratings from the NRA-PVF for the June 4, 2023 primary.
Nevada: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
New Mexico: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
North Dakota: The NRA Political Victory Fund has endorsed Rep. Kelly Armstrong for Governor of North Dakota in the June 11 primary—ratings for other candidates from the NRA-PVF.
Ohio: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
South Carolina: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
South Dakota: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
Utah: The primary election will be held on June 25, 2024. You must be a member of a political party to vote. The NRA Political Victory Fund has endorsed Governor Spencer Cox for reelection.
Virginia: The primary election will be held on June 18, 2024—Virginia Citizens Defense League ratings.
State Legislation and local communities
States that are still in session: Arizona, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin
California: The rules of the California legislature include deadlines for bill passage. May 24, was the deadline for a bill to pass the legislative body where it was initially introduced. Three new bills managed to meet that deadline and will now be considered in the other chamber: SB53 prohibits firearm possession in the home unless the firearms are stored in a California Department of Justice-approved locked box or safe; SB1253, mandating possession of Firearm Safety Card for possession of a firearm; and AB2917, expands the criteria for implementing the Gun Violence Protective Order to consider any threats directed towards any group or location.
Illinois: The Illinois legislature has adjourned.
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. On May 24, Governor Tim Walz signed it.
New Hampshire: HB1186, prohibiting payment processors from using firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components, was passed by the House of Representatives. It now goes to Governor Chris Sununu.
Rhode Island: In March, the Senate passed S2202, requiring gun owners to keep their firearms under lock and key or face consequences. The House companion bill, H7373A, was approved on May 23, 2024, by the House Judiciary Committee, and on May 28, the House passed H7273A. It now goes to Governor Dan McKee.
Vermont: Governor Phil Scott did not veto S209, the mandatory requirement of serialization of firearms and firearms parts, but let the bill become law without his signature. This bill also bans the carrying of firearms at voting locations.
Wyoming: Although the legislature has adjourned, the Judiciary Committee is holding meetings on June 15-17, 2024, in Casper at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building, Round House Conference Room, 3rd Floor, Room 3024. The meeting begins at 8:30 am. If you wish to testify, sign up here. These are the topics:
The Committee will discuss statutory monetary amounts and law enforcement issues, including peace officer training, fingerprints and background checks, crime reporting, and homelessness and squatting issues in Wyoming. The Committee will also address the topic of gun-free zones and preemption and review Wyoming Supreme Court Opinions.
Additionally:
The meeting will be held in person in Casper and remotely with a live video stream available on the Legislature’s Website (www.wyoleg.gov). A limited number of participants can sign up to provide public comment virtually for a specified agenda item during the Committee’s upcoming meeting.
