By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New: HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE has legislative markup; Senate needs to schedule vote on John Sauer as Solicitor General; Politics: WI critical state Supreme Court election; Alaska: two bills prohibiting payment processors from using firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components are introduced; Arkansas: The House passed HB1509; Colorado: SB25-003 still on path to vote; Connecticut: HB7052, which raised the magazine limit from 10 to 15 rounds, passed the Public Safety and Security Committee; Florida: HB759, restoring the rights of young adults to exercise theirSecond Amendment rights; HB6025 and SB952, protect Second Amendment rights during a state of emergency, passed the House Judiciary committee; Maine: Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary is holding public hearings on gun bills; Michigan: SB111 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee; New Jersey: several bills passed the Assembly Juiciary Committee; New Mexico: SecondCommittee passed SB318 and GOSAFE Act still being considered; New Mexico: On March 20, the House Judiciary Committee heard and recommended a Do Pass on SB318: Washington: HB1163, establishing a firearm permit before purchase, passed the House; on March 25,
Congress
Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) scheduled a legislative markup before the House Judiciary Committee on March 25, 2025. The Committee will work on H.R. 38, the Constitutional Carry Reciprocity Act, which has 177 cosponsors in the House. Additionally, they might consider H.R. 2184, the Firearm Due Process Protection Act, which provides a remedy for law-abiding Americans who were improperly denied due to errors in their background checks.
Trump Administration
Department of Justice
The Trump Administration is awaiting his nomination of John Sauer to be confirmed as Solicitor General at the Department of Justice. The Senate confirmation hearing for John Sauer, nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Solicitor General, took place on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, and the Senate Judiciary Committee has yet to schedule a vote in the committee. This appointment is essential because the Solicitor General, the President’s lawyer, argues cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Politics
Wisconsin: On April 1, there will be a critical state-wide election for a seat in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Attorney Mark W. Smith of The Four Boxes Diner channel on Youtube.com has a compelling video. Send the URL to all your Wisconsin friends and urge them to vote.
All 50 state legislatures are in session in 2025
Additional states convening in March: Florida, Louisiana, and Maryland.
Utah and Wyoming have adjourned.
Alaska: Two companion bills thatprohibit payment processors from using firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components, SB136 and HB143, have been introduced.
Arkansas: The House passed HB1509, a poorly drafted bill that bans payment processors from using firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components. A more effectively written bill, HB1443, currently before the House Insurance and Commerce Committee, is preferable but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
Colorado: SB25-003 was originally a sweeping semi-automatic firearm ban, has now morphed into a Firearm Owner Identification (FOID)-like “permit-to-purchase” scheme, and this new version passed the House Judiciary Committee and the House Appropriations Committee. The bill now mandates training—4 hours for concealed carry or hunter safety holders, 12 hours for others—plus sheriff vetting and a firearms safety course eligibility card, all to buy common semi-autos like AR-15s or handguns with detachable magazines. Here is the summary by Rocky Mountain Gun Owners on X.com on 3/21/25:
“CO Gun Control Bill Update: SB25-003 advanced on 2nd reading in the House by a vote of 38-27. The bill has NOT passed yet. We’re expecting a final 3rd reading vote on Monday. Many @COHouseDem reps came up to us and told us they KNOW this bill is crap, but they’re too afraid to upset their party bosses. Dems were all over the place on Amendments. Plenty of reasons for them to vote NO on final passage. We’ve now got the weekend to pressure just 6 more to do the right thing and vote NO. Then we go to the Senate (again) if it comes to that. Well fought @COHouseGOP. WE ARE NOT DONE YET.”
Connecticut: HB7052, which raised the magazine limit from 10 to 15 rounds, passed the Public Safety and Security Committee.
Florida: On March 20, the Judiciary Committees passed pro-Second Amendment bills: HB759, restoring the rights of young adults (18 to 20 years of age) to exercise their Second Amendment rights, and HB6025, protecting Second Amendment rights during a state of emergency.
Maine: The Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary is holding public hearings on gun bills:
Anti-gun bills: LD1109: banning all magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.
LD677: Redefines a machine gun to include semi-automatic firearms that include parts that can “increase the rate of fire. A poorly drafted bill that should be defeated.
LD1126: Redefines Maine law to include finished and unfinished receivers, stopping people from repairing and building firearms.
Pro-gun bills: LD424: Lowers the age for Right-to-Carry from 21 years of age to 18.
LD 829: Allows Mainers to carry firearms in Maine State Parks without a Right-to-Carry. LD953: Changes Maine’s current definition of machine guns to match the federal definition.
LD998: Prohibits employers from denying employees from storing firearms in their vehicles.
LD716, an act restricting the Hunting of Coyotes, received a unanimous “ought not to pass.” It is hoped that the House of Representatives will defeat it.
Michigan: SB111 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 18. It can be voted on at any time in the full Senate.
New Jersey: Bills that passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee are before the Assembly Appropriations: A.4974 penalizes the sale and possession of “machine gun conversion devices;” A.4875, possessing digital instructions to manufacture firearms or components is a crime; A. 4976 establishes a crime of reckless discharge; A.1389. domestic violence restraining orders will lead to confiscation of ammunition and firearms components, and A.5345, requiring payment processors to use firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components,
New Mexico: On March 20, the House Judiciary Committee heard and recommended a Do Pass on SB318 after it passed the Senate on March 18. This legislation will massively expand penalties and legal liabilities for the firearm industry. This legislation will promote frivolous lawsuits and crippling legal fees to highly regulated firearms businesses by extending the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act and allowing private lawsuits with the New Mexico Attorney General acting as a party to the lawsuit as the bill gives the AG the power to pursue civil penalties.
Washington: HB1163, establishing a firearm permit before purchase, passed the House; on March 25, it will be before the Senate Committee on Civil Law and Justice for a public hearing.
