Washington, D.C. – Today, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) joined a federal lawsuit filed today challenging Illinois’s latest ban on so-called “assault weapons.” The Second Amendment Law Center and the Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois are also lead plaintiffs in this suit, along with others as well.

As of today, the law prohibits the sale or transfer of specific sporting rifles or those based on features, as well as prohibits the sale of rifle magazines over 10 rounds or handgun magazines capable of carrying more than 15 rounds. Current owners of weapons meeting standards under this law will be required to register their lawfully owned products with the Illinois State Police by January 1st, 2024, or face possible felony charges.

This law, which was hastily passed on the very last day of the legislative session earlier this month, has received significant blowback from prosecutors and sheriffs across the state, with over 90% of sheriffs statewide issuing statements pledging not to enforce the law. Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, praised Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton’s determination that Citigroup’s antigun discriminatory policies of refusing to conduct business with Constitutionally-protected firearm businesses violates state law.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 19, the Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act, into law in 2021, which requires corporations competing for municipal contracts in The Lone Star State to certify they do not hold discriminatory policies against lawful firearm businesses. Citigroup submitted a certification letter attesting they do not hold such policies. Their own website, however, demonstrates that the corporate bank refuses business with firearm businesses that do not comply with their unconstitutional restrictions, including age-based gun bans, unlawful magazine restrictions, and bump stock bans (which was recently ruled unconstitutional in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.)

“The firearm industry is grateful for Attorney General Paxton’s steadfast commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of Texans and his refusal to bow to the corporate ‘woke’ agendas that seek to eliminate the Constitutional rights of all Americans,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Attorney General Paxton’s determination that Citigroup is, in fact, unlawfully discriminating against firearm businesses tells these corporate entities that the Second Amendment is not for sale.” Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

I haven’t heard much about our State’s end run around the Second Amendment, but the entire House Bill 6544 is included below.  I’ve been surprised that some outdoors people I’ve talked to didn’t have a clue this was in the works.  The secret is out.

House Bill 6544

A bill to ban the manufacture, possession, purchase, and sale of assault weapons; to provide certain powers and duties for certain state and local officials and agencies; to provide for the promulgation of rules; and to provide penalties.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

Sec. 1. As used in this act, “assault weapon” means a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has 1 or more of the following characteristics:

(i) A pistol grip or thumbhole stock.

(ii) Any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand.

(iii) A folding or telescoping stock.

(iv) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned, but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel.

Sec. 2. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, beginning January 1, 2024, a person shall not manufacture, possess, purchase, or sell an assault weapon in this state.

(2) A person may continue to possess an assault weapon that the person legally possessed before the effective date of this act if both of the following apply:

(a) The person registers the assault weapon with the department of state police in compliance with rules adopted for that purpose by the department of state police.

(b) The person renews the registration of the assault weapon every 5 years.

(3) A person who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years.

Sec. 3. The department of state police shall promulgate rules pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, to implement this act.

The Second Amendment Foundation and Defense Distributed today filed briefs in federal court in Texas supporting their motions for a preliminary injunction and summary judgment in VanDerStok v. Garland which challenges the ATF’s final rule on unfinished gun receivers and parts kits.

The brief supporting SAF’s summary judgment motion may be read here. The SAF brief supporting the motion for a preliminary injunction may be read here.

The briefs were filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. The case was initially brought by two Texas residents, a retailer and manufacturer. SAF and Defense Distributed intervened and contend the rule was adopted in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). Named as defendants are Attorney General Merrick Garland, Steven Dettelbach, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of Justice. Read more

For more information contact:
Mark Oliva 202-220-1340

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, welcomed the introduction of H.R. 53, the Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act, into Congress by U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.). The bill has 55 original co-sponsors. This vital legislation will end the ability of corporate entities to profit from taxpayer-funded federal contracts while discriminating against a Constitutionally-protected industry at the same time.

“This legislation will help put an end to ‘woke’ corporations profiting from taxpayer-funded contracts while denying those same taxpayers access to their Second Amendment rights by using their financial might to deny essential services to members of the firearm industry,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Corporations, in particular financial institutions, have been improperly dictating public policies from boardrooms that throttle Constitutionally-protected firearm businesses. The entire firearm industry thanks Congressman Bergman for his leadership to ensure fairness in business, reasserting Congress’s role in setting public policy and ensuring the federal government isn’t picking winners and losers in the marketplace based on politics. This legislation protects the ability of a lawful industry to compete for services without artificial and agenda-driven barriers.”

Congressman Bergman’s FIND Act does not tell companies with whom they must do business. However, just as companies can choose who they wish to do business with, so can the government when it spends taxpayer money. This bill ensures corporations cannot benefit from contracts and subcontracts funded by taxpayers only to use their financial strength to unfairly discriminate against the firearm industry. For far too long, corporations have engaged in “boardroom gun control” to force firearm businesses to adopt measures that would restrict Americans’ Second Amendment rights. Corporations are free to hold these anti-Second Amendment policies if they choose but would forfeit access to lucrative federal contracts.

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a similar law in Texas in 2021 and similar legislation is being considered in other state capitols. Congressman Bergman’s legislation would bring those same fair business protections to the federal government to ensure corporate entities are not forcing policies that deny American civil liberties through the benefit of taxpayer-funded federal contracts. Read more

Contact:
Mark Oliva 202-220-1340

H.R. 38 Would End Patchwork of Confusing Gun Law for CC Permit Holders

GW: Please! Sure not to pass. Again. The votes won’t be there, dang it.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, wholeheartedly welcomes U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson’s (R-N.C.) introduction of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2023, H.R. 38. The legislation was introduced with bipartisan support and 118 original co-sponsors, demonstrating the wide-ranging support for protecting law-abiding concealed carry permit holders from navigating a patchwork of varying gun control laws when crossing a state line.

The bill aims to eliminate the confusion of varying state laws and provide protection for Second Amendment rights for permit holders. The legislation would allow handgun owners who are legally permitted and authorized by their home state to lawfully carry a concealed firearm in other states provided they comply with the law in other states – much in the same way a driver’s license is recognized. Read more

Learn the facts, or you will get what you pay for.