By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New— BATFE under President Trump removes “The Faces of Gun Violence” memorial; Federal Legislation introduced: H.R. 1041, H.R. 3033, and H.R. 3034; Pro-Second Amendment legislation signed in Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia; Legislatiures adjourned: Colorado, South Carolina
Iowa: Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 106 into law; Oklahoma: SB500 was signed by Governor Kevin Stitt; Tennessee: Governor Bill Lee signed SB1318/HB1332 and SB1360/HB873.
BATFE under President Trump removes “The Faces of Gun Violence” memorial
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the Trump administration has removed the “Faces of Gun Violence” memorial from the ATF headquarters in Washington, D.C.-a display that had been installed during the Biden administration in 2024. This memorial featured photographs and stories of individuals who were victims of gun violence, intended as both a remembrance and a statement about the impact of firearms-related crime.
As Second Amendment supporters know the term “gun violence” is a propaganda construct, equating it with terms like “knife violence” or “car violence,” and that the actions of criminals and “psychopaths” who use firearms illegally. We also remember that the BATFE under the previous administration focused primarily on finding and prosecuting technical infractions to gun laws rather than prosecuting violent criminal acts with guns.
Federal Legislation
H.R. 1041, The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act: On May 6, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, led by Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL-12), was considered and voted 13-11, along party lines, to report this bill to the the full U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. Now is the time to contact your Representative and ask for a Yes vote on this bill.
H.R. 3033, The Protecting the Mailing of Firearms Act, which will remove the arbitrary prohibition on the mailing of handguns and ammunition via the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been introduced. The transportation of firearms, ammunition and common accessories has become a burdensome task for law-abiding citizens and the firearms industry with many common carriers. Additionally, USPS prohibits the mailing of handguns and ammunition.
H.R. 3034: The No Frivolous Applications for Short-Barreled Shotguns (NFA SBS) Act was introduced on April 28, 2025 by Representative Sheri Biggs (R-NC). This legislation would remove short-barreled Shotguns from the NFA so that all shotguns would be treated the same under federal law and remove the $200 federal fee currently being charged.
State Legislatures
Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming have adjourned. Kansas and Maine are in recess.
Colorado: The legislature has adjourned, but not before it continued on its anti-Second Amendment path.
Connecticut: HB 7042 has passed the House. This bill is an anti-PLCCA bill that allows civil causes of action to be brought against firearm industry members.Two other bills passed favorably out of the Joint Judiciary Committee: HB7137 was amended to remove a specific Merchant Category Code (MCC) to be assigned to each firearms or ammunition retailer in the state. The bill still includes prohibitions for persons with certain misdemeanor crimes.
HB 7194 clarifies the provisions concerning the discharge of firearms in the case of self-defense or in lawful defense of another person. But it was amended to remove the language allowing the legal transfer of “assault weapons” and “large capacity magazines”, between people who can own them at the current time.
House Bill 7052, increasing the magazine restriction limit from 10 rounds to 15 rounds, passed favorably out of the Public Safety and Security Committee and now goes to the Judiciary Committee.
Maine: Although there was much discussion on the following bills they barely made it out of committee and should be voted down on the floor of the Senate: LD 677, banning “modification” of firearms is so badly written that it could ban modifying a trigger. Also, LD1120 and LD1299, that seek to define so-called “ghost guns”, are badly written bills.
LD953, defines machine gun to match the federal definition, received an “Ought-to-Pass” vote, while LD1062, a bill reviving the background check proposal that was defeated at the ballot box has received an “Ought-Not-To-Pass”, but will have a vote in the House of Representatives.
Missouri: HB 328, expanding self-defense opportunities for people utilizing public transportation, has been working its way through the legislative process. It passed out of the House on April 10th, and passed the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on April 24th. Now it only has one week left to be passed in the Senate before the session ends.
New Hampshire: SB54, was amended on Friday, May 9 in the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. The members passed an amendment to SB 54 that would require the NRA’s Hunter Education, Eddie Eagle GunSafe, or equivalent programs to be taught in New Hampshire schools. The bill now heads to the floor of the House of Representatives, where it will receive a vote. LD551, a bill to remove licensing of FFLs from local governments, is still awaiting a Senate vote.
Iowa: Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 106 into law.
Oklahoma: SB500 was signed by Governor Kevin Stitt. .
South Carolina: The legislature has adjourned.
Tennessee: Governor Bill Lee signed SB1318/HB1332 and SB1360/HB873.
Texas:Legislative deadlines are almost upon us so we need held in passing HB1403, HB1794, and HB3053. HB1403:Prohibits child placement agencies from requiring foster parents to disclose the specific types or quantities of firearms kept in their home. HB1794, stops the confusing local ordinances by making Texas law consistent when it removes the prohibition on licensed handgun carriers from possessing firearms on the premises of polling places during early voting and Election Day. HB3053. Stops gun “buy-back” programs from using taxpayer money.
West Virginia: A press release from NSSF: “The Firearm Industry Trade Association, praises West Virginia’s Gov. Patrick Morrisey for signing three bills into law that bring added protections to the firearm industry and Second Amendment rights in the Mountain State. The bills were passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by the West.”
