By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New— Congressional: Republicans once again elected Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House on the first ballot after two holdouts, Reps. Keith Self and Ralph Norman, switched their votes, handing Johnson the win. Only Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky held out; State legislatures: By the end of January all states except for NV, OK, AL, FL, and LA will convene; Colorado: gun laws expected to be a priority again in the 2025 legislature;
Odds and Ends from 2024
North Dakota: Fargo, the most populous city in the state, passed its ban on gun stores in residential areas in 2001. The ordinance specifically prohibited the sale of firearms and ammunition from homes within residentially zoned areas. This ban was part of a broader set of zoning regulations limiting other home-based businesses like vehicle repair, dispatch centers, mortuaries, and animal care services in residential zones. In 2023, the state legislature passed HB1340, enhancing North Dakota’s preemption law by giving the legislature the sole authority to regulate firearms. As a result, the city of Fargo filed a lawsuit in June 2023 against the legislature challenging the law. In June 2024, District Judge Cherie Clark ruled against Fargo, dismissing the city’s lawsuit. This decision was appealed to the North Dakota Supreme Court, which struck down the Fargo ordinance prohibiting the sale of firearms and ammunition in residential zones on December 19, 2024.
Ohio: SB58, which prohibits the requirement of fees or firearms liability insurance for firearm possession, passed the Ohio House on December 12, 2024. However, it was never considered in the Senate, and the Ohio legislature has adjourned.
State Legislatures/Local communities
All states will be in session this year
States convening the week of January 9: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming
Texas: The list of bills for the legislative session beginning in January 2025 is extensive. It includes anti-Second Amendment measures such as red flag laws, confiscation schemes, bans on firearm transfers, prohibitions on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, and efforts to repeal all laws that enable law-abiding Texans to own and carry firearms.
Washington: Anti-gun Democrats have pre-filed several gun control measures, including House Bill 1132, to limit the amount of ammunition a person can buy in a single 30-day period, 100 rounds of .50-caliber and 1,000 rounds of any other caliber/gauge. It also imposes a one-gun-per-month purchase limit. This one is sponsored by Democrat Reps. Darya Firavar of Seattle, Timm Ormsby of Spokane and Cindy Ryu of Shoreline.
Senate Bill 5098, sponsored by Senators Javier Valdez and Rebecca Saldaña, both Seattle Democrats, would expand areas where open carry of firearms would be prohibited, including public parks and recreational facilities.
Senate Bill 5099, sponsored by Senators John Lovick and Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen would add new restrictions on firearms dealers.
Meanwhile, House Bill 1139, sponsored by Rep. Sam Low (R-Lake Stevens) would add certain offenses to the list of “violent crimes.”
And House Bill 1118, offered by Democrat Senators Tarra Simmons and Joel McEntire, would restore gun rights to certain convicted criminals, allowing them to petition for rights restoration.
