By Tanya Metaksa
What’s New—Government failures—Nevada; IT cyberattack: womenslaw.org; Two interesting videos from The Four Boxes Diner on YouTube.com; California: AB1078 on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom; North Carolina: The veto override vote of SB50 is scheduled for the House floor on Sept. 22; U.S. Virgin Islands: Bill-38-0144: This bill would make the ownership of firearms by law-abiding gun owners almost impossible; Pennsylvania: A package of gun control bills has been scheduled in the House Judiciary Committee for 11:00 a.m. on Sept. 22.
Government failures
On Aug. 24 in Nevada, a ransomware cyberattack targeted Nevada’s state IT infrastructure, knocking out the Brady Firearms Unit’s background check system.
As the point of contact for federal NICS checks, Nevada relies on this system for most firearm purchases. Thus, this breach of state data effectively halted sales statewide for nearly three weeks. A prospective buyer could pay for the firearm, but not take possession until approvals were cleared. Gun shops reported major revenue losses (thousands of dollars for smaller dealers), customer frustration, and walkouts, with managers criticizing the state’s slow communication amid efforts to mitigate the problem. A workaround allowed concealed carry permit holders to bypass the outage and complete purchases immediately.
It wasn’t until three weeks later, on Sept. 15, 2025, that the system was fully restored. At that time, citizens who were unable to take their purchases home at the point of purchase were able to collect their firearms. Some state officials, including Governor Joe Lombardo, hailed the fix while emphasizing the need for improved cybersecurity measures to safeguard public safety and Second Amendment rights.
As a former Nevadan, I know that Lombardo is a supporter of the Second Amendment, and he was not the governor who signed the law that kept law abiding citizens from being able to exercise their Second Amendment right but at the same time, all the murders that occurred between Aug. 24 and Sept. 15 in Nevada were not deterred in the least bit by this law. Unfortunately, criminal gun transactions still occurred while legitimate businesses lost money, and probably some will fail after this three-week forced shutdown. People have been killed, and all this to satisfy the illusion that gun laws, like the Nevada law, will stop or deter assaults and killings.
Readers of thegunmag.com should remember Nevada’s three-week forced gun sales shutdown when other states attempt to pass more restrictive gun laws during the 2026 legislative session.
Two interesting videos from The Four Boxes Diner
Bloomberg’s support for “sensitive places” gun bans:
I have mentioned Mark Smith’s Four Boxes Diner’s YouTube.com episodes before, but usually in my Wednesday Judicial Reports. His Sept. 17 video critiques a recent Bloomberg article discussing federal appeals courts upholding firearm bans in so-called “sensitive places” like Taylor Swift concerts and other crowded venues. In this video Smith questions this trend and the legitimacy of using “crowded space” as a constitutional justification for gun bans, emphasizing both historic context and Supreme Court precedent.
He notes that Bloomberg’s article describes a developing judicial consensus among conservative and liberal appellate courts: bans on firearms in crowded public spaces are being upheld using a historical analysis mandated by the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. This history-focused test bases Second Amendment challenges on analogies to 18th- and 19th-century regulations. Just recently the Third Circuit cited modern mass gatherings in support of New Jersey’s firearms ban, arguing that public safety and peace of mind justify such restrictions.
However, Smith rejects the idea that a large crowd alone justifies a constitutional gun ban. He argues that only specific, historically recognized “sensitive places” such as courthouses, legislative chambers, and polling places have notable, comprehensive armed security. He contends that the presence of a crowd alone, without such security, is insufficient to remove rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment.
Smith also highlights a crucial passage from Bruen: the Supreme Court explicitly rejected New York’s attempt to define any public congregation or police-protected place as “sensitive.” The Court cautioned that doing so would allow entire cities to be exempted from the Second Amendment, a result it flatly opposed.
The necessity for Jennifer Mascott’s confirmation:
The video from Four Boxes Diner focuses on a pivotal moment in gun rights litigation in New Jersey and its national implications. Smith emphasizes the importance of the Oct. 15 date when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit will hear an en banc challenge to New Jersey’s ban on AR-15 semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines.
He calls for the urgent confirmation of Professor Jennifer Mascott to the Third Circuit, as her appointment could shift the court’s Republican-majority from 8-6 to 9-6, reducing the risk of a deadlock. A tie would uphold the district court’s pro-ban ruling, except for a narrow exception for the Colt AR-15.
Mascott, an originalist scholar, is expected to support gun rights based on constitutional interpretation. Smith stresses the procedural complexities of Senate confirmations, noting GOP control but Democratic opposition, and stresses the urgency of expediting Mascott’s confirmation to influence the case’s outcome. After all, this case could set a precedent for future challenges to “assault weapon” bans, and could be a critical test for applying Supreme Court doctrine in jurisdictions with strict gun laws.
Gun Law Information
Many pro-gun groups provide information about gun laws in states and localities to their members and others who inquire. But there are many people who do not know about them or are uncomfortable communicating with them. During some internet searches, I discovered a website that seems to have good information for people who are victims and survivors of domestic violence and are seeking information on firearms and the law—womenslaw.org. This website appears to cover the subject in a fair and reasoned manner. If you know someone who is in need of basic information, pass it on.
State Legislature
The following states are still in SESSION:
California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin
California: AB 1078 is on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom; AB 1127, has passed the Senate and needs concurrence with the Assembly; and AB 1263, passed in the Senate and needs concurrence with the Assembly.
North Carolina: The veto override vote of SB50 is scheduled for the House floor on September 22, 2025
Pennsylvania: A package of gun control bills has been scheduled in the House Judiciary Committee for 11:00 a.m. on September 22, 2025. These politicians are trying to hold law-abiding gun owners responsible for the acts of criminals. If these bills pass the committee, they could be considered in the House during the last week in September. The following bills will be considered:
HB1593 would mandate so-called “universal” background checks, even though all dealer transactions in the country are required to pass a federal background check. The current Commonwealth’s PICS check is notorious for lengthy delays, denying purchasers who have an urgent need for self-defense.
HB1859 creates emergency protection orders, called “red flag” laws. There are no due process considerations, which can lead to abuse with no repercussions for making false accusations.
HB1866 would ban “machine gun conversion” devices, which are already illegal under both federal and state law. This bill is especially problematic due to definitions that do not match existing federal law.
HB837 creates a gun rationing scheme, limiting the ability to purchase more than one handgun a month – legislation which does not reduce violent crime, as criminals will circumvent this law just as they do with others, acquiring firearms criminally.
U.S. Virgin Islands: On Sept. 4, the Committee on Homeland Security, Justice, and Public Safety held a hearing on Bill No. 36-0144, a proposal to make significant changes to gun laws in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The bill passed out of the committee and is now going to be heard in the Committee on Rules and Judiciary.
This bill would make the ownership of firearms by law-abiding gun owners almost impossible. Those gun owners would have to give up or sell their guns. Additionally just owning a rifle or shotgun, one would have to take a safety training course. Using a rifle or shotgun to protect your home, you would need government permission first. The bill also bans owning or having suppressors and standard capacity magazines. In other words, only single shot firearms are legal..
