An anti-gun group expressed support in their newsletter for changing Maryland law to allow for regulated firearm transfers to be delayed indefinitely. This was prompted by the state’s background check system becoming temporarily inoperable recently. Maryland law allows firearm dealers to transfer regulated firearms after waiting seven days if Maryland State Police (MSP) does not make a determination on the background check. As a result, dealers transferred a number of regulated firearms after the seven day wait expired, exactly as allowed by law.

Despite the anti-gun laws passed by the General Assembly during the 2020 session having already taken effect on July 1st, anti-gun groups demanded and received a bill signing ceremony in Richmond. Governor Ralph Northam was more than happy to appease these groups backed by out-of-state interests to show a good return on their investment that put an anti-gun majority into the General Assembly. 

On July 8th, the veto override attempt in the House of Representatives for House Bill 652, the Second Amendment Preservation Act, received a vote of 66-48, failing to meet the 3/5 minimum needed. HB 652 previously passed both chambers of the General Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan majorities. Gov. Cooper erroneously claimed that the bill will allow guns in schools and threatens the safety of students and teachers. Instead, it would have only applied to churches that operate schools and simply would have allowed parishioners to carry when the schools are not in session, if the church chose to opt-in.

The NRA has endorsed Rep. Rick Tillis for re-election to the 92nd House district of Tennessee.

COVID-19's disruption of the legislative session, which ended last week, stalled efforts to pass NRA-backed House Bill 1215 by Rep. Shane Barnett (R-Greene, Perry & Wayne Cos.).  This legislation would have added state agencies to the existing preemption statute which limits the authority of cities and counties to pass arbitrary restrictions on firearm possession and also would have provided citizens a remedy for challenging unlawful gun restrictions imposed by these entities.  This is an especially important protection for enhanced and regular carry permit holders.  Preemption statutes protect gun owners by ensuring there is uniformity of laws across the state and not a "patchwork" of confusing and conflicting regulations.  NRA-ILA will continue to work to pass this key measure in 2021.

Click here to check out the 2020 NRA-ILA Summer Auction!

June 2020 set another all-time background check record. The FBI NICS office ran 3,931,607 total background checks last month, breaking the previous record by nearly two-hundred-thousand checks. 

In 2013, Colorado enacted House Bill 13-1224, which made it a crime, with some exceptions, to sell, transfer, or possess any “large-capacity magazine”after July 1, 2013. A “large-capacity magazine”meant any “fixed or detachable magazine, box, drum, feed strip, or similar device capable of accepting, or that is designed to be readily converted to accept, more than fifteen rounds of ammunition.”

Last month, Governor Ralph Northam called for the General Assembly to convene a special session in August. The central focus is likely to be budgetary concerns for the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. While there have not been any indications that Gov. Northam or the anti-gun majority will use this special session for a renewed push towards comprehensive gun bans, your NRA will be actively monitoring the session.

Tomorrow, the House of Representatives will consider overriding Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of the Second Amendment Preservation Act. Gov. Cooper erroneously claimed that the bill will allow guns in schools and threatens the safety of students and teachers. Instead, it only applies to churches that operate schools and simply allows parishioners to carry when the schools are not in session, if the church wishes to opt-in.

On July 2nd, Governor Roy Cooper vetoed House Bill 652, the Second Amendment Preservation Act, despite it passing the General Assembly with bipartisan supermajorities. He erroneously claimed that the bill will allow guns in schools and threatens the safety of students and teachers. Instead, it only applies to churches that operate schools and simply allows parishioners to carry when the schools are not in session, if the church wishes to opt-in. Gov. Cooper’s veto shows that he cares little about personal safety or private property rights. HB 652 will now go back to the General Assembly, where they may consider a veto override.

NRA is proud to announce their endorsement of John Stevens for re-election to the 24th Senate district of Tennessee.

NRA is pleased to announce their endorsement of Bill Powers for re-election to the 22nd Senate district of Tennessee.

NRA is proud to announce their endorsement of Paul Rose for re-election to the 32nd Senate district of Tennessee.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill that would allow churches that run schools to allow parishioners to carry firearms when schools are not in session. 

Firearm-related background checks reached 3.9 million in June, the most since the tracking system was created more than two decades ago amid multiple crises in the coronavirus pandemic, an economic downfall and protests over police brutality and racial injustice. The lastest numbers are the most since the FBI began tracking such checks in 1998.

Despite making a commitment to working on COVID-19 related legislation and budget issues only, anti-gun legislation continues to move forward in the Hawaii legislature. HB 1902 and HB 2744 were passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee and are now eligible for floor votes.

Starting today, sections of House Bill 1284 (2019) go into effect.

Last night, the Delaware General Assembly adjourned from its 2020 Legislative Session.

Tomorrow, July 1st, the anti-gun bills passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Ralph Northam will take effect. Though Gov. Northam was unable to get the General Assembly to pass his comprehensive gun ban during the 2020 session, he stated during his press conference at the bill signings that he will seek it again next year.