By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—POLITICS: Primary elections during August 2024; Nebraska: During the special session that adjourns on August 14, 2024, LB65 was heard in committee;
SCOTUS Gun Watch – Week of 8/12/24 | Duke Center for Firearms LawNew York Changes Gun Rules After Supreme Court Ruling – NewsweekColorado Commission on Property Tax to meet as special session rumors continue
Politics
Grades courtesy of NRA-PVF
Mail from Lee Williams re David Hogg
Florida: Election Aug. 20, 2024:
1st Congressional District: NRA Endorsed- Marr Gaetrz (R) A-
2nd Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Neal Dunn(R) A
3rd Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Kate Cammack (R) A
5th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-John Rutherford (R) A
6th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Mike Waltz (R) A
7th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Cory Mills (R) A
8th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Mike Haridopolos (R) A
11th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Dan Webster (R) A
12th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Gus Bilirakis (R) A
15th Congressional District: NRA Endorsed-Laurel Lee (R) A
State Senate:
District 3: No recommendation. None of the Democrats returned their questionnaire.
District 5: Tracie Davis (D) F, Franky Jeanty ?
District 7: NRA Endorsed-Tom Leek, (R) A, David Shoar AQ
District 13: NRA Endorsed-Keith Truenow (R) A
District 19: NRA Endorsed-Randy Fine (R) A
District 21: Ed Hopper (R) B, John Siamas (R) AQ
District 25: Jon Arguello (R) AQ Jose Martinez (R) ?, Kristen Arrington (D) F, Alan Grayson (D) F, Carmen Torres (D), F
District 35: Rodney Jacobs, (D) F, Chad Klitzman (D) F, Barbara Sharief (D) ?
State House:
District 13: Angie Nixon (D) F, Brenda Priestly Jackson (D) ?
District 14: Kimberly Daniels (D) F, Lloyd Caulker (D) F, Therese Wakefield-Gamble (D) ?
District 18: Kim Kendall (R) AQ, Nick Primrose (R) AQ
District 19: NRA Endorsed-Sam Greco (R) AQ, Darryl Boyer (R) ?
District 20: Judson Sapp (R) ?, Jamie Watts (R) AQ
District 23: Raemi Eagle-Glenn (R) AQ; Chad Johnson (R) AQ; David Arreola (D) F; Amy Trask (D) ?
District 26: Nam Cobb (R) AQ, Mike Levine (R) AQ, Addie Owens (R) AQ, Keith Farner (R) ?
District 27: Richard Gentry (R) AQ, Stephen Shives (R) AQ, Beckie Sirolli (R) AQ
District 32: Dave Weldon (R) A, Debbie Mayfield (R) A
District 33: Mike Limogello (R) AQ, Logan Luse (R) AQ, Monique Miller (R) AQ, Erika Orriss (R) AQ, Vernon Mitchell Anderson Jr. (D) ?, Anthony Yantz (D) ?
District 35: NRA Endorsed-Erika Booth (R) AQ, Laura McAdams Gomez (R) ?
District 41: Bruce Antone (D) F, Jane’t Buford Johnson (D) ?
District 44: Jennifer “Rita” Harris (D) F, Daisy Morales (D) ?
District 46: Michael Cruz (R) AQ, Christian De La Torre (R) ?, Vanessa Alvarez (D) ?, Jose Alvarez (D) F, Jacqueline Centeno (D) D, Robert Johnson (D) F
District 47: Anthony Nieves (D) F, Andrew Jeng (D) ?, Maria Revelles (D) ?
District 48: Jon Albert (R) AQ, Jerry Carter (R) AQ. Chad Davis (R) B, Deborah “Debbie” Owens (R) ?, Amilee Stuckey (R) AQ, Benny Valentin (R) AQ
District 49: Jennifer Kincart Jonsson (R) AQ, Heather McArthur (R) AQ, Shawn McDonough (R) AQ, Randy Wilkinson (R) ?
District 56: NRA Endorsed-Brad Yeager (R) A, Kirk Phillips (R) AQ
District 65: Nathan Kuipers (D) ?, Ashley Brundage (D) F
District 67: Lisette Bonano (R) ?, Rico Smith (R) ?
District 72: Bill Conerly (R) AQ, Alyssa Gay (R) AQ, Rich Tatem (R) AQ, Richard Green (R) AQ
District 74: NRA Endorsed-James Buchanan (R) A, Michelle Pozzle (R) AQ
District 76: Steven Cracche (R) AQ, Vanessa Oliver (R) AQ
District 81:Yvette Benarroch (R) AQ, Greg Folley (R) AQ
District 84: NRA Endorsed-Dana Trabulsy (R) A, Johnnie Lloyd (R) ?
District 89: Debra Tendrich (D) F, Destinie Baker Sutton (D) ?
District 94: Christian Acosta (R) ?, Anthony Aguirre (R) B, Gabrielle Fox (R) AQ, Megan Weinberger (R) ?
District 98: Keith Abel (D) ?, Shelton Pooler (D) ?, Emily Rodrigues (D) F, Mitchell Rosenwald (D) F
District 99: Daryl Campbell (D) F, Joshauwa Brown (D) F
District 106: NRA Endorsed-Fabian Basabe (R) A, Melinda Almonte (R) ?
District 107: All Democrat primary candidates are ?
District 109: Ashley Grant (D) F, James Bush (D) ?, Roy Haremon (D) ?
District 115: Alian Collazo (R) ?, Omar Blanco (R) AQ, Moises Benhabib (R) ?
Sheriff: (by county)
Baker: NRA Endorsed-Scotty Rhoden (R) A, JD Carpenter (R) AQ
Bay: NRA Endorsed-Tommy Ford (R) A+, Andy Husar (R) ?
Citrus: NRA Endorsed-Michael Prendergast (R) A+, David Vincent (R) ?
Columbia: NRA Endorsed-Mark Hunter (R) A, Wallace Kitchings (R) ?
Dixie: NRA Endorsed-Darby Butler (R) A, Julie Herring (R) ?
Gulf: NRA Endorsed-Mike Harrison (R) A, Vince Everett (R) ?
Hardee: NRA Endorsed-Vent Crawford (NPA) A, Arnold Lanier (NPA) ?
Highlands: NRA Endorsed-Paul Blackman (R) A, John Singha (R) ?
Indian River: NRA Endorsed-Eric Flowers (R) A, Milo Thornton (R) ?, Keith Touchberry (R) ?
Jackson: NRA Endorsed-Donnie Edenfield (R) A, Chris Brannon (R) ?, Jeffrey O’Pry (R) ?
Jefferson: NRA Endorsed-Mac McNeil (R) A+, Andrew Fischer (R) ?
Lafayette: NRA Endorsed-Brian Lamb (R) A+, Fred Allen (R) ?, Scott Bonafide (R) ?
Levy: NRA Endorsed-Bobby McCallum (R) A, Britton Drew (R) ?
Marion: NRA Endorsed-Billy Woods (R) A, Milton Busby (R) ?
St Johns: NRA Endorsed-Robert Hardwick (R) A, Jim Priester (R) ?
Suwannee: NRA Endorsed-Sam St. John (R) A, Jason Rountree (R) ?
Taylor: NRA Endorsed-Wayne Padgett (R) A, Eric Sadler (R) ?
Wakulla: NRA Endorsed-Jared Miller (R) A, Armand Reyes (R) ?
Oklahoma: Election Aug. 27, 2024:
State Senate Republican Primary
District 3: NRA Endorsed-Blake Cowboy Stephens (R) A
District 15: Lisa Standridge AQ, Robert Keyes AQ
District 33: Christi Gillespie AQ, Shelley Gwartney AQ
District 47: Kelly Hines AQ, Jenny Schmitt AQ
Wyoming: Election Aug.20, 2024:
U.S. Senate: NRA Endorsed-Senator John Barrasso, (R) A+
Presidential Election
This week the news media will be covering the Democrat National Convention. I am sure that will be an Anti-Second Amendment love-fest. Both the media and the Democrats have become the most virulent groups against law-abiding gun owners.
Texas State Fair
The Texas State Fair, which is scheduled to open on Sept. 27, sent out a press release explaining their 180-degree change in firearms policy that states: ”As a private not-for-profit organization, the State Fair of Texas prohibits fairgoers from carrying all firearms, knives that are prohibited according to state law, clubs, explosive devices, ammunition, chemical dispensing devices, replicas or hoaxes, or other weapons of any kind. This includes Holders of a License to Carry, Constitutional Carry, Concealed Carry, and the Open Carry of firearms anywhere on the fairgrounds including Cotton Bowl Stadium.
“Guests will be channeled through weapons detection technology, which screens for dangerous weapons in the presence of a licensed and trained security officer.”
In response, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent out a press release warning the City of Dallas to End State Fair Firearms Policy Unlawfully Infringing on Second Amendment Rights. He writes, “Texas law clearly states that license to carry holders may not be prevented from carrying a firearm on property owned or leased by the government unless otherwise prevented by state statute.”
If you would like to protest this change in policy, the Texas State Fair can be reached at 469-945-FAIR or by email at info@bigtex.com.
Firearms Fun Facts
According to NSSF, the firearms trade association, July 2024 was the 60th consecutive month of over 1 million monthly FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). They reported, “This milestone is demonstrative of Americans’ desire to lawfully exercise their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes. The last time monthly background checks associated with the sale of a firearm at retail were below 1 million was July 2019, when 830,579 background checks for firearm sales were recorded.”
State Legislation and local communities
States that are still in session: California, Illinois (recess), Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska (special session), New Hampshire (recess), New Jersey (recess), Ohio (recess), Pennsylvania (recess), Virginioa (recess), Wisconsin
California: This is the final push to get bills passed before adjournment. AB262, a safety bill that would have banned shooting at summer camps, has been stripped of all its references to guns, a win by CRPA. AB2917, which expands upon California’s “red flag” laws, was amended on the floor and reordered for a second reading. Votes were held for two Senate bills in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 15: SB53, which prohibits firearm possession in the home unless the firearms are stored in a California Department of Justice-approved locked box or safe was passed 11-3, and SB1252, a bill to codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which was passed 4-2 in Appropriations Committee.
Colorado: As a result of two property tax ballot measures on the November 2024 election, Governor Jared Polis has called for a special session to consider a legislative compromise with the proponents. According to msn.com: “The compromise would cap increases in property tax revenue for local governments at 5.25% a year and school district revenue growth at 6% a year. Local governments could ask voters to opt out of the cap.”
Although this special session is billed as a property tax session, gun owners should be vigilant for any gun measures being proposed.
Nebraska: The Senate Revenue Committee had a hearing for LB65 that would assess a 5% excise tax on all ammunition sales, during the special session which has NOT adjourned. No further action has been taken as of Aug. 15. Legislative sessions are scheduled through Aug. 20.
New York: New York City: According to Newsweek: “The New York City Police Department adopted an emergency rule last week that will allow nonresidents to apply for concealed carry permits through the city, a move that could create a backdoor for out-of-state residents to carry their guns in the state.
“New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed the changes into law last Tuesday, allowing for nonresidents to file carry applications in the city. Prior to the new order, NYPD rules did not contain formal procedures for applicants who do not live in New York or applicants who are primarily employed in New York City.”
Notice the article says “to file carry applications,” no mention of if and when any applications will be granted.
