By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New;—Federal: H.R. 8580, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Appropriations; Arizona: The legislature has adjourned; California: new anti-Second Amendment bills are still viable; California: End of session equals more gun bills; Delaware: HB311, restricting firearms on college campuses and property, passed the House; New York: The legislature has adjourned; Louisiana The legislature has adjourned; Michigan: Anti-gun propaganda in budget bill; Minnesota: The legislature has adjourned; Missouri: The legislature has adjourned; Politics: state primary elections
Firearms Fun Facts
Since 2020, the Number of New Gun Owners Equals the Entire Population of Florida.
According to a report by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), in the past four-plus years, the number of new gun owners, those who did not own a firearm before 2020, has now equaled the population of Florida. The current Florida population is 22,975,931, and Florida’s population has increased dramatically every year since 1950.
Politics – 2024
Colorado: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
Georgia: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
New York: Ratings for candidates from the NRA-PVF.
Oklahoma: Rahttps://www.nrapvf.org/grades/oklahoma/tings 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.
Federal Legislation
Veterans rights
Pass H.R. 8580 with the Crane amendment
After President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 in March, the anti-gun lobbying groups have been lobbying Democrats and President Biden with misinformation and stereotyping of military beneficiaries because the March law stopped the VA from its reporting of veterans who need financial oversight to the NICs background check system.
A new champion for U.S. military veterans has emerged in the House of Representatives, Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ2). Crane, a former Navy Seal and founder of Bottle Beacher, a company that manufactures bottle openers created from .50 caliber shell casings, was elected in 2022 when he defeated incumbent Democrat Tom O’Halleran. He is the author of a new amendment that removes the ability of the VA even to submit names if ordered by a judge. The amendment was approved on June 4 by a vote of 211-193. The H.R. 8580 bill was approved on June 5, 209-197.
Now, President Joe Biden is threatening to veto a bill that pays the salaries, benefits, and health care of our military and their families as a result of Crane’s amendment. Let your Senator know this bill needs to be passed with the Crane amendment intact.
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: California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio (special session), Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island
Arizona: The Arizona legislature adjourned on May 31.
California: SB1253 was introduced on Feb. 15. The bill changes the current law that states, within 120 days of bringing any firearm, except an antique firearm, into this state, a personal firearm importer shall obtain a firearm safety certificate.The new language reads: A person shall not do any of the following:…(3) Bring any firearm, except an antique firearm, into this state as a personal firearm importer, as defined in Section 17000, without obtaining a valid firearm safety certificate within 120 days of bringing that firearm into this state.
The penalty, which is a misdemeanor, has not changed. In a tweet by the Firearms Policy Coalition:
“A committee analysis for a California bill that would require gun owners moving into the state to obtain a Firearms Safety Certificate within 120 days notes that if someone forgets to comply with the law, they’re now incentivized to never register their guns because it would require admitting to a misdemeanor.”
The complete analysis by the legislative committee can be found here. The requirements of the current law were convoluted, but now this bill makes it worse. If you didn’t believe that the politicians in California wanted to stop the private ownership of firearms before reading all this, you should now. The Senate has passed this bill, amended it to exempt retired law enforcement, and is awaiting a vote in the House. On June 11th, the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety passed SB53, which prohibits firearm possession in the home unless the firearms are stored in a California Department of Justice-approved locked box or safe.
Delaware: On June 13, HB311, restricting firearms on college campuses and property, even for Right-to-Carry Permittees, passed the House 24-16. It now goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further action. Delaware is scheduled to adjourn on June 30.
Louisiana: The legislature adjourned on June 3.
Michigan: Firearms restrictions have now graduated to a line item in the budget. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new budget includes over $4 million for the latest red flag law. The budget is awaiting a vote within the next two weeks, and legislators need to hear from gun owners.
Minnesota: The Minnesota legislature has adjourned.
Missouri The legislature adjourned on May 17.
