By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New— Politics – 2024: NRA-PVF endorses President Donald Trump for another term in 2024; Congress: Another anti-Second Amendment introduced; Alaska: The Alaska legislature has adjourned; Delaware: Governor Carney has signed Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2, Hawaii: The legislature passed HB2342, which Governor Josh Green signed on May 13, 2024. Louisiana: On May 15, Governor Jeff Landry signed SB 194: Maine: The Maine legislature has adjourned; Maryland: Governor Wes Moore signed three anti-Second Amendment bills; Minnesota Senate DFL Majority Leader Erin Murphy says the safe storage gun bill is DOA; New Hampshire: On May 15, 2024,the Senate voted 14-20 to pass HB118; Vermont: The legislature passed S209 and sent it to Governor Phil Scott.
Politics – 2024
At the NRA Annual Meeting over the weekend, the NRA-PVF announced its endorsement of former President Donald J. Trump for election as President in November.
“On behalf of NRA members, the NRA’s Political Victory Fund is proud to endorse President Donald J. Trump’s re-election campaign,” said Randy Kozuch, Chairman of NRA-PVF. “A second term for President Trump is a victory for the Second Amendment. NRA members recognize that we are the torchbearers for liberty, and we are in a generational fight for freedom. With President Trump, we had a powerful champion in the White House who always fought for our constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and come November, we will return him to the Oval Office.”To learn more about this endorsement visit nrapvf.org
Federal Legislation
According to a tweet posted by Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) @RepEscobar, @RepMaxwellFrost, and I are teaming up on a new bill to stop U.S. guns from arming the cartels. According to the Austin Statesman, the bill seeks to ban the private sales and ownership of .50 caliber rifles. Although three House Democrats have reported that they sponsored this bill, it is not yet listed on congress.gov. Another tweet by @unlimited_ls goes into detail that cannot be corroborated. A Senate bill, S.2926, with the same name but introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D. IL) on September 26, 2023, does exist. That bill would require the registration of any .50 caliber firearm in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
State Legislation and local communities
States that did NOT hold legislative sessions in 2024: Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas,
States that are still in session: Arizona, Alaska, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin
Alaska: The Alaska legislature has adjourned. During the 2024 session, a “red flag” bill was defeated, and HJR3, a resolution encouraging Congress to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, was sent to Governor Mike Dunleavy for his signature.
Delaware: Governor Carney has signed Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2, mandating a “handgun qualified purchase card” before purchasing a handgun.
Hawaii: The legislature passed HB2342, which Governor Josh Green signed on May 13, 2024. The law allows the open carrying of non-firearm weapons such as swords, butterfly knives, halberds, axes, etc.
Louisiana: On May 15, Governor Jeff Landry signed SB 194, which enhances state preemption and requires political subdivisions to repeal offending ordinances.
Maryland: Governor Wes Moore signed HB583, which CBS News called the First-of-its-kind statewide gun violence prevention center; HB810, which redefines trigger activators and could affect many common factory-installed triggers; and HB947, which allows civil cases against the firearms industry in Maryland.
Maine: The Maine legislature has adjourned.
Minnesota: According to reporter Rochelle Olson, @rochelleolson, of the Star Tribune, the fate of HF4300 \Minnesota Senate DFL Majority Leader Erin Murphy says the safe storage gun bill is DOA. House passed, but Senate won’t consider it.
HF2609, redefining trigger activators that could affect many common factory-installed triggers, passed the conference committee and will now go to the House and Senate for votes.
New Hampshire: On May 15,the Senate voted 14-20 to pass HB1186 with amendment, while the House voted 203-174 to pass the bill. HB1186 will prohibit payment processors from using firearm-specific merchant category codes for firearms, ammunition, and components
Vermont: The legislature passed S209 and sent it to Governor Phil Scott. SB209 prohibits the ownership of firearms, firearm frames, and receivers without serial numbers and turns voting locations into gun-free zones.
