Weekly Spotlight 8/18/23-8/24/23
Status Check: State Gun Laws On The Move
Over the past year, many states have passed or are moving forward with legislation concerning firearms and the right to bear arms. Many of them have taken steps to restrict law-abiding citizens’ access to firearms despite the Supreme Court affirming the right to own firearms and concealed carry on numerous occasions. It’s vital for our community of Second Amendment supporters to understand which states are diminishing the right to self-defense and which states are affirming it.
We’ve broken down some recent developments in the states below.
- Illinois: The Illinois Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s new law banning so-called “assault weapons” was constitutional and could therefore be enforced. Despite millions of Americans owning these common types of rifles, which are used in a tiny fraction of murders based on data from Pew Research Center, Illinois is pressing forward with the new law. The next step is for the law to come under federal review, with an appellate court hearing oral arguments this past June but no clear timeline for their action. The USCCA-FSL will continue to monitor.
- Massachusetts: A chief of police in the birthplace of the American Revolution recently called out a gun control proposal by Massachusetts lawmakers that will seriously curb Second Amendment rights. Ware Police Chief Shawn Crevier said, “I was shocked by some of the aspects of the bill that they want to enforce,” which includes expansion of their “red flag laws,” a gun and magazine registration requirement, and more red tape for firearms instructors and dealers. The bill will likely be voted on this fall, and it’s vital that people speak out to stop it.
- Hawaii: A federal judge ruled that the Aloha State may not ban guns on beaches. This ban was a provision in a recently passed gun control package that increased the number of so-called “gun-free zones.” This ruling is a victory for those who understand the reality that criminals do not follow the law nor adhere to gun-free zones, and that keeping communities truly safe requires allowing law-abiding citizens to carry in public.
- Florida: On a brighter note, Florida’s new constitutional carry took effect last month, meaning that law-abiding gun owners do not have to traverse government red tape in order to concealed carry their firearm in public. This was a huge victory for the Second Amendment and self-defense proponents in the Sunshine State. It has been nearly two months since the law took effect, and Florida is likely safer than ever, not the “Wild Wild West” as opponents of constitutional carry suggested it would become.
Come back soon for more 2A updates from the states!
What about Washington? See what 2A legislation is moving on Capitol Hill.
OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
- Fox News: Armed woman turns the tables, fatally shoots daughter’s ex-boyfriend who held husband at gunpoint: police
An Indiana woman shot and killed a man who drove into her front yard and held her husband at gunpoint, according to police. The incident unfolded last Monday at about 6:30 p.m. in Salem, when Michael Chastain, 45, allegedly drove through the front yard of a couple’s home. Chastain allegedly grabbed the male homeowner upon exiting his car, forced him to the ground and held a gun to his head, WDRB reported. Inside the house, the homeowner’s wife witnessed the situation, retrieved her own handgun and shot Chastain.
President Joe Biden’s campaign is preparing to make gun safety a central issue of his reelection campaign, and that will start with the official approval soon and big rollout of a new executive action to massively expand background checks for gun purchases, multiple aides involved tell CNN. Long sought by gun safety advocates, the executive action, which Biden set in motion in March, would expand the definition of which gun sellers are required to comply with federal licensing and background check requirements.
Two armed robbers thought they had the upper hand when attempting to rob a rideshare driver until he drew his concealed carry gun and returned fire. A Chicago man driving for Uber was dropping off a passenger around 1 AM this past Saturday. A man and woman approached the driver announcing that it was a robbery. They took the driver’s cell phone, and as they attempted to flee, the male suspect fired shots at the driver.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal for a Right to Safety Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was introduced Monday as a joint resolution in the California Legislature. According to Newsom’s office, the Right to Safety Amendment, which Newsom initially introduced in June as the 28th Amendment, would leave the Second Amendment intact and would: Raise the minimum age to buy a gun from 18 to 21; Mandate universal background checks; Institute a waiting period for all gun purchases; Ban assault rifles for civilians; and Affirm Congress, states and local governments can enact common-sense gun safety laws that save lives.