By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—2025 Black Bear hunting in Florida; FoxBusiness.com reports on gun rights groups’ letter on debanking; The six groups—NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Gun Owners of America (GOA), National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) sent a letter; Government Shutdown: As of October 13, the federal government shutdown remains in effect; North Carolina: The veto override vote of SB50 has been rescheduled for Oct. 20. The votes for the override are shaky; U.S. Virgin Islands: Bill No. 36-0144, a proposal to make significant changes to gun laws in the U.S. Virgin Islands, was scheduled for consideration by the Judiciary Committee on October 9, 2025.
2025 Black Bear hunting in Florida
Anti-hunters in Florida are attempting to undermine the state’s first black bear hunt since 2015, scheduled to start Dec. 6, by applying for and potentially winning lottery tags without intending to use them.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the hunt in August 2025 to manage the growing bear population, now estimated at over 4,000 (possibly up to 7,000) from just hundreds in the 1970s. Hunters can apply for as many tags as they wish, at $5 per application entry. The more times you apply, the higher your chance of winning a tag.
Groups like Bear Defenders, Speak Up Wekiva, and the Sierra Club are urging supporters to purchase multiple $5 entries for the 172 available tags, aiming to secure about half and reduce opportunities for actual hunters. Chuck O’Neil of Speak Up Wekiva confirmed their significant participation in the lottery. After getting a permit, the hunting permit will cost $100 (residents) or $300 (non-residents). The total number of permits was initially proposed at 187, but was subsequently reduced. Now, with anti-hunters securing dozens to limit actual hunting, the total number of hunters is questionable.
FoxBusiness.com reports on gun rights groups’ letter on debanking
FoxBusiness.com reported: “A group of gun-rights organizations is calling some big banks onto the carpet for their systemic history of debanking and otherwise discriminating against companies in the firearms industry.
“According to a report at Foxbusiness.com, the Second Amendment groups are accusing some financial institutions of “revisionist history” in their attempts to whitewash past discrimination against gun and ammo manufacturers and retailers.
“The six groups—NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Gun Owners of America (GOA), National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA)—sent a letter to the heads of JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and the Bank Policy Institute confronting them over their anti-gun history.
“As the unified voice of the Second Amendment community and millions of gun owners across America, we write today to address your ongoing debate about the future of banking,” the letter stated. “As you know, our industry faced relentless attacks and discriminatory treatment for decades. We have been shut out of mainstream financial institutions, including by your banks and those your represent. The assault on gun manufacturers, retailers and aligned organizations has been a brazen and ideologically driven campaign to undermine the Constitutionally protected right of all Americans to keep and bear arms.”
Government Shutdown
As of Oct. 13, the federal government shutdown remains in effect. The Senate has voted to end the shutdown 7 times to no avail. To lift the shutdown, the Senate needs a two-thirds majority, or 60 votes, in favor of reopening the government.
State Legislature
The following states are still in SESSION:
California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin
North Carolina: The veto override vote of SB50 has been rescheduled for October 20, 2025. The votes for the override are shaky.
U.S. Virgin Islands: Bill No. 36-0144, a proposal to make significant changes to gun laws in the U.S. Virgin Islands, was scheduled for consideration by the Judiciary Committee on October 9, 2025, but no news is available yet.
