By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—California: On March 25, the California Department of Justice published an emergency rulemaking package to allow NRA Certified; instructors to be eligible to teach qualifying concealed carry classes; Colorado; On March 25, the General Assembly passed HB24-1292, the mandatory storage bill. It now goes to Governor Jared Polis; Hawaii: SB2845, a bill prohibiting young adults under 21 years of age from purchasing or possessing ammunition, is awaiting a vote in the House; Georgia: The Georgia legislature has adjourned; Iowa: Several pro-gun bills are still eligible for floor votes in the final weeks of the legislature; Kansas: On March 27, an attempt to remove SB551, a firearms storage bill, from the Committee on Federal and State Affairs Committee failed on a 9-28 vote; Kentucky: Governor Andy Beshear allowed HB357 to become law without his signature; Louisiana: Since the regular session of the legislature has begun more gun bills are being considered; Maine: The Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary advanced not only a newly introduced Red Flag Bill, LD2283, but a host of other bills; Minnesota: Three bills were passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 22; Oregon: The Oregon legislature has adjourned; Pennsylvania: HB777, banning unserialized firearms parts, and accessories, passed the House 104-97; Washington: On March 27, Governor Jay Inslee signed several anti-Second Amendment bills into law; Wyoming: Governor Mark Gordon signed Senate File 105.
State Legislation and local communities
States that do NOT hold legislative sessions in 2024: Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas,
States that are in session: Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Vermont
California: OnSept. 25, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB2 that did not include NRA-certified firearms instructors as those able to teach firearms safety courses. On March 25, the California Department of Justice published an emergency rulemaking package to allow NRA Certified instructors to be eligible to teach qualifying concealed carry classes. On April 2, the Senate Public Safety Committee is hearing two more anti-gun bills: SB1160, requiring all firearms owners to register their guns annually with the CA DOJ and pay fees. All firearms would have to be registered by July 1, 2025, and SB1253, requires a valid Firearm Safety Card, for all firearms owners that would be renewable every five years.
Colorado: On March 25, the General Assembly passed HB24-1292, the mandatory storage bill. It now goes to Governor Jared Polis. HB24-1292, a semi-auto ban, that passed the House Judiciary Committee, has been removed from the calendar, but that does not mean it is dead for the session. Committee meetings: House Business Affairs & Labor Committee (March 27) hearing SB24-066, mandating the use of firearm-specific-merchant category codes by payment processors for firearms, ammunition, and components, and HB24-1353, a new state permitting system for already federally regulated firearms dealers.
Hawaii: SB2845, a bill prohibiting young adults under 21 years of age from purchasing or possessing ammunition, is awaiting a vote in the House.
Georgia: The Georgia legislature has adjourned.
Iowa: Several pro-gun bills are still eligible for floor votes in the final weeks of the legislature: HF2464, Prohibiting the use of firearm-specific-merchant category codes by payment processors for firearms, ammunition, and components. HF2556 provides for penalties for non-compliance to the state’s firearms preemption law, and HF2586, requiring security officers in large schools,; and allowing staff to carry with a special permit.
Kansas: On March 27, an attempt to remove SB551, a firearms storage bill, from the Committee on Federal and State Affairs Committee failed on a 9-28 vote.
Kentucky: Governor Andy Beshear allowed HB357, prohibiting the use of firearm-specific-merchant category codes by payment processors for firearms, ammunition, and components, to become law without his signature.
Louisiana: Now that the regular session of the legislature has begun more gun bills are being considered.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed two bills clarifying language regarding law-abiding citizens’ rights to carry firearms: SB152 and SB214, both bills have also passed the Senate 27-11. Additionally, SB194, expanding state preemption and requiring political subdivisions to repeal offending ordinances has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, while SB203, creating an office of gun violence prevention, was deferred and SB256, a “red flag” measure failed.
Maine: The Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary advanced not only a newly introduced Red Flag Bill, LD2283, but a host of other bills. A hearing is to be held, but no date has been announced.
Minnesota: Three bills were passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 22: SF606, a mandatory reporting of lost or stolen firearms with penalties for failure, SF4312, a firearms storage requirement law with criminal penalties included, and SF5153, a badly written law to ban certain firearm triggers that was modified before being passed. All these bills have been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
Oregon: The Oregon legislature has adjourned.
Pennsylvania: HB777, banning unserialized firearms parts, and accessories, passed the House 104-97.
Washington: On March 27, Governor Jay Inslee signed the following anti-Second Amendment bill into law; HB1903, penalizes law-abiding gun owners if they fail to report missing or stolen firearms within 24 hours; HB2021, expands required firearms’ destruction by state and local governments, HB2118, putting costly requirements on FFLs, SB5444 expanding “sensitive places,” another euphemism for “gun-free zones,” and SB2985, a ban on so-called “assault weapons”.
Wyoming: Governor Mark Gordon signed Senate File 105. This law protects the privacy and sensitive financial information of people purchasing firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition in Wyoming. However, he vetoed HB125, the Repeal Gun Free Zones Act, which would have allowed people to carry concealed firearms at government meetings, public schools, and public colleges.
