What’s Going on in the States?

Rifle & Scope

In truth, there are so many bills running, I can’t keep track of them all. In Vermont, it looks like a bill is running, S.141 to replace the failed private transfer ban. This looks like a straight up NICS Improvement Amendment Act compliance, but NRA is still saying “S.141 remains a solution in search of a problem,” and asking people to call their State Senators to urge them to vote against it. It would be bad for Bloomberg to be able to declare victory in Vermont. Also in trouble is Oregon, which is looking to pass a transfer ban as well.

Constitutional Carry was doing very well in West Virginia, until it met Governor Tomblin’s veto pen, a bold move in a state that keeps getting redder. Constitutional Carry is still alive in Kansas, and is headed for a floor vote in the House. It has already passed the Senate there. It’s also looking like it might not be so dead in Idaho, as they are looking to pass Montana Carry (no permit required outside of cities). Utah’s Senate passed Constitutional Carry, but it faces an uphill battle in the House, and the Governor has vetoed it before. Tennessee tried to pass permitless open carry, but failed. Tomorrow, there will be a hearing for Constitutional Carry in New Hampshire.

Nebraska has a preemption bill in the works.

Missouri is running three pro-gun bills.

Arkansas is repealing its prohibition on green card holders from obtaining licenses to carry, and also passing a “shall sign” measure.

In Virginia, Governor McAuliffe signed two pro-gun bills into law, but still has another six sitting on his desk.

Iowa is trying to repeal their handgun purchase permit requirement, prompting Mom’s Demand to try one of their lame stroller jams. It didn’t work. The House passed the bill.

Bloomberg has launched a campaign to stop constitutional carry’s momentum, which is evident from all the opposition pieces in the media using their poll showing people don’t want it. If you read how the poll was asked, there is probably a lot of confusion about whether support for the permit system is a pro or anti-gun position. I would argue their poll results are useless for supporting their position.

Campus carry is doing pretty well in Florida and Texas. Marion Hammer, NRA’s lobbyist for Florida, is arguing the opposition is using taxpayer money.

And this is hardly a comprehensive list. Overall, we’re doing pretty well, though we do risk going backwards in Oregon. There are a lot of blue states that are unfortunately probably lost causes over the long term.

13 thoughts on “What’s Going on in the States?”

  1. Watching the fight in other states that are a lot redder than ours, leads me to believe I really won’t be seeing Constitutional Carry here, at least during my lifetime. Not that I intend to live in PA for the rest of my life.

  2. Texas is likely going to pass open carry for license holders and concealed campus carry. Also a bill to fine govt agents for posting bogus “no carry” signs, a bill to require LEO sign off on NFA items, and a few other items. Also a constitutional amendment to guarantee hunting and fishing “rights”. Our once every 2 years session ends in May.

  3. Oops, “Mom’s Demand” should be “Moms Demand” (no apostrophe) since it’s plural not possessive.

  4. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of meltdown is going to precede the (inevitable) veto of federal forced reciprocity.

    The sort of ironic thing? If every Senate delegation from a state that has Shall-Issue voted for federal reciprocity, the Senate would overturn a veto. (I’m not up to reading the tea leaves for the House delegations, but I suspect something similar there). Bit of a shame that they won’t

  5. Here in NH, constitutional carry has been torpedoed by Bloomberg lobbyist John Hohenwarter, an anti-gun Fudd who double-dips as an NRA-ILA lobbyist.

    Why ILA is paying a guy to lobby antigun positions is beyond me. (Life member here).

    1. I know John, and while there are sometimes when I think he zigs when he should have zagged, classifying him as anti-gun is ludicrous. There are a lot of criticisms that could be legitimately leveled against him, but suggesting he’s anti-gun makes me take your arguments far less seriously.

      I’d also point out he has the most difficult legislatures in the country for guns.

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