By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—Indiana: The House Judiciary Committee passed HB1235, a bill to prohibit local governments from suing firearms manufacturers frivolously; Kansas: Constitutional Amendment introduced and scheduled for a hearing on January 23; Maine: LD1696, a bill designed to circumvent the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.(PLCAA) was voted OUGHT NOT TO PASS in the Maine Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary; Nebraska: LB1269, a stand your ground bill, has been introduced; New Mexico: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s ban on guns and magazines, HB137, was introduced on Jan. 18, 2024; Pennsylvania: The Democratic leadership pushed 5 bills through the House Judiciary Committee on 14-11 party line votes; Vermont: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary held two hearings this week: Virginia: House Public Safety Committee on Jan. 18, 2024 held a hearing on several bills; Washington: Both Judiciary Committees have held hearings to consider more anti-Second Amendment bills.
Legislation and local communities
States that do NOT hold legislative sessions in 2024: Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas,
States that begin their sessions in January: Arizona, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Indiana: The House Judiciary Committee passed HB1235, a bill to prohibit local governments from suing firearms manufacturers frivolously. Additionally the House Financial Institutions Committee held a hearing on HB1084, the Second Amendment Privacy Act, that bans the use of firearm-related Merchant Category Codes. Another hearing on this bill is scheduled for January 25.
Kansas: Constitutional Amendment introduced and scheduled for a hearing on January 23 before the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. If the legislature passes the amendment it would then go to a vote in November 2024.
Maine: the Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary voted OUGHT NOT TO PASS on LD1696, a bill designed to circumvent the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.(PLCAA).
Nebraska: LB1269, a stand your ground bill, has been introduced.
New Mexico: The legislature convened on January 16, 2024. This is a 30-day session thus bills will move quickly. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s ban on guns and magazines, HB137, has been introduced on Jan. 18, 2024. This bill is very similar to the GOSAFE Act that failed in 2023. It is entitled the “Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearms Exclusion Act.” HB 137 bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of gas-operated firearms with detachable magazines; magazines that are capable of holding more than 10 rounds; bans handguns with fixed magazines that can hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition and long guns with fixed magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition; bans parts or combinations of parts from which such firearms can be assembled; and attempts to supersede federal law by banning certain NFA items outright.If any citizen owns any of the listed firearms they will have to register them with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety by Jan. 1, 2025, or face criminal charges. Future transfers could only be done legally to an immediate family member, an FFL or sent out of state. Additional bills that have been introduced: In the Senate; SB5, prohibiting firearms within 100 feet of a polling place; SB69, creating a 14-day waiting period prior to transfer of firearm; and SB90, adding a firearms excise tax of 11%. In the House: HB27, an expanded Extreme Risk Protection Act that allow health care professionals and law enforcement to request such orders and immediate seizing of firearms; HB46, increasing penalties for felons in possession of firearms; HB47, creating new penalties for carrying a firearms while trafficking in controlled substances; HB78, constitutional carry; HB127, raising the minimum age for purchase of firearms, ammunition and accessories; and HB168, banning undocumented persons from owning firearms.
Pennsylvania: The legislature returned on Jan. 16 and the House Judiciary Committee voted to pass several anti-gun bills. The new bills that passed on 14-11 party line votes were: HB335, banning “accelerated trigger activators”, sometimes called “bump stocks”; HB336, a ban on Semi-automatic firearms;HB777, a ban on making firearms, HB1157, a very poorly written bill dealing with mental health adjudications, and HB1190, a ban on 3D printed firearms, which includes banning software. Two bills that had been on the agenda did not pass: HB483, creating a Gun Violence Task Force, and HB1859, would expand the number of gun ownership prohibitions beyond state and federal law. This committee passed two anti-Second Amendment bills last fall—HB941, which would hold gun owners liable if their firearms and ancillary property were stolen and then used improperly, and HB1629, mandating that gun owners keep all firearms in their homes under lock and key.
Vermont: The Senate Committee on the Judiciary held two days of hearings on S209, a “ghost gun” ban.
Virginia: The following bills were heard before the House Public Safety Committee on Jan. 18: HB2, ban on so-called “assault firearms” and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds (passed committee on to House floor); HB46, a gun owner who is the object of a protective order must turn their guns over to someone living at a different address and at least 21-years-old (passed committee on to full committee); HB113, removes right to own a handgun for second misdemeanor DWI (passed committee on to full committee); HB173, prohibits the manufacture of firearms without serial numbers—(passed committee on to full committee); HB454, bans carry in public higher education building (passed committee on to full committee); HB466, tightens the current standard for the recognition of out of state Right-to-Carry Permits(passed committee on to full committee); HB390, allows an individual to carry a concealed firearm for up 45 days before needing a Right-to-Carry Permit if that person has a protective order in place(failed in committee) and HB395, institutes an enhanced Right-to-Carry Permit that allows the holder to carry in locations that are currently prohibited (failed in committee).
Washington: The legislature convened on Jan. 8 and already more anti-Second Amendment bills are scheduled for hearings. Jan. 15: A hearing before the Senate Law and Justice Committeeon SB5444 expanding “sensitive places,” another euphemism for “gun-free zones,” which passed out of committee on Jan. 18. The new “sensitive places” include public parks, public transit, state and governmental buildings, public libraries and zoos/aquariums. Jan. 16: Another hearing before the Senate Law and Justice Committee on SB5985, codifying last year’s ban on so-called assault weapons. The committee is scheduled on Jan. 19 to hold an executive session and possibly vote on these bills. The House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee was held on Jan. 16 to consider HB1902, that would require a permit to purchase requiring live-fire training, and HB1903, requiring gun owners to report missing or stolen firearm within 24 hours. Also heard during that session was testimony on HB 2054, which would limit firearm purchases to one during any 30-day period. Dave Workman, communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, testified against 1902 and 2054.
Wisconsin: SB466 passed both the Senate and the Assembly and now goes to Governor Tony Evers. These bills ban the use of merchant codes by banks and other payment entities.
