Category: Government

Youngkin Vetoes First of Many Gun Control Bills Across His Desk

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) has vetoed the first of a series of proposed gun control bills to land on his desk from the Democrat-led Senate and House. Among the legislation vetoed were two bills aimed at restricting gun rights on people accused of domestic abuse and one masked as firearm safety, but really a move to push anti-gun propaganda through the state’s public school system.

One bill, which sought to enforce stricter regulations on individuals accused or convicted of domestic abuse possessing firearms, was vetoed by Youngkin, not because Youngkin doesn’t agree that domestic abuse victims need to be protected, but in the arbitrary ways the law sought to restrict firearm’s possession by age and on those who were not even subject to a court order, according to the Virginia Mercury. Youngkin emphasized that while it is crucial to address domestic abusers appropriately, the proposed legislation failed to meet its intended goals and needed to be worked on more.

“Make no mistake, Virginia should ensure that domestic abusers are dealt with appropriately, and those who resort to illegal firearm use, especially, should face severe and harsh punishments,” Youngkin said in his veto. “The legislation fails to achieve its intended purpose and is unnecessary.”

Another piece of legislation targeted by Youngkin’s vetoes sought to require school boards to notify parents about gun risks and advocate safe storage laws. It is an echo of a similar recommendation by the Biden Administration earlier this year. The governor, recognizing there are a host of real-life threats the state’s families and young people face, many that the Democrats did not feel the need to be pushed, should be more equitable in what it covers.

The Governor proposed amendments to the bill that would expand the notification to include a broader range of parental “rights” and “responsibilities,” encompassing topics beyond firearms, such as protecting children from sexually explicit material as well as the extreme risks of drug use. These amendments necessitate the bill’s reapproval in 2025 before becoming effective, as reported by WJLA ABC 7.

Youngkin will need to decide on additional anti-gun bills that have been approved by the Senate and House, chief among them an assault weapons ban, restrictions on who can provide training for concealed carry permits and restrictions on carrying a firearm in any establishment that serves alcohol among others.

Youngkin’s actions are indicative of his stance on gun control legislation and suggest potential future vetoes on similar bills. The General Assembly, having concluded its session without addressing the governor’s amendments and vetoes, is set to revisit these issues in a reconvened session on April 17. However, any overrides of Youngkin’s vetoes appear unlikely due to the Democratic majority being too small to achieve the two-thirds vote necessary to counteract the governor’s opposition.

House Paves Way For Bost’s Veterans’ Second Amendment Provision To Be Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives approved a spending package that includes legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) to protect veterans from losing their Second Amendment rights without due process. Bost’s proposal, which restricts the Department of Veterans Affairs’ from automatically submitting veterans’ names for background checks when they need help managing their finances, is expected to pass the Senate this weekend and then be signed into law.

“For far too long, men and women who donned the uniform to protect our constitutional rights have had their own rights violated,” said Bost. “No veteran should lose their constitutional right to bear arms simply because they need help managing their finances. As a Marine and a proud gun owner, I can think of no Americans I’d trust more to responsibly own firearms than our veterans. And if a veteran is determined to be a danger to themselves or others, let a judge make that decision – not some D.C. bureaucrat. I am honored the House approved my legislation and look forward to it soon being signed into law.”

The House and Senate each previously approved an amendment sponsored by Bost to stop the automatic referrals without a court’s order. Bost’s effort has the support of the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mission Roll Call, National Defense Committee, Vets 4 Vet Leadership, Veteran Warriors, Catholic War Veterans, and National Association for Gun Rights.

It’s Official: Louisiana Becomes 28th State to Adopt Permitless Carry

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry campaigned on a pro-Constitutional Carry platform last fall, and the former Attorney General wasted no time at all to fulfill his campaign promise. Just a little more than two weeks after a permitless carry bill was formally introduced in a special session on crime and public safety, Landry put pen to paper today and officially made concealed carry licenses optional in the Sportsmans Paradise.

“Today, we join 27 other states in passing Constitutional Carry. I promised the folks of Louisiana that I would champion Constitutional Carry into law, and within two months, I have honored that commitment,” Republican Gov. Jeff Landry told Fox News Digital.

“It’s fundamentally clear — law-abiding citizens should never have to seek government permission to safeguard themselves and their families. Today, we have secured an incredible victory for liberty in Louisiana. I want to thank Louisiana’s NRA members for their great work.”

Landry signed the NRA-backed Senate Bill 1 into law Tuesday, which allows eligible residents 18 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.

SB 1’s primary author, Republican state Sen. Blake Miguez exclusively told Fox News Digital that the governor’s signature “marks a key milestone in our enduring quest for liberty.”

“Today, Louisiana asserts its unwavering commitment to the Second Amendment by enacting Constitutional Carry, a move that embodies the absolute right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms. Governor Landry’s pivotal role, combined with the steadfast support from legislators across both chambers, has been crucial in reaffirming our dedication to the rights of law-abiding citizens. Our success owes much to the tireless efforts of NRA members and Second Amendment defenders throughout the state, whose advocacy has been indispensable,” Miguez said.

Second Amendment advocates never gave up in their quest to enshrine Constitutional Carry into law, even after then-Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed a similar bill in 2021 and a handful of lawmakers flipped their votes in an override session, allowing the governor’s veto to stand. Most of the flip-floppers are no longer in the legislature, but it was Landry’s embrace of the measure that ensured this would be the year that Lousiiana joined more than half the country in removing a needless barrier to the right to bear arms.

Elections have consequences, and in this case good ones for Second Amendment supporters. Starting this Independence Day, if you can lawfully possess a firearm in the state you’ll be able to lawfully carry without the need for a state-issued license. This applies to everyone 18 and older, even those who live outside the state, so folks won’t have to worry if their state has reciprocity with Louisiana.

Will we see a 29th state adopt Constitutional Carry this year? The jury’s still out in South Carolina, where a conference committee is trying to come up with a bill that’s amenable to both the House and Senate, which have passed competing measures rejected by the other chamber. The conference committee comprised of six lawmakers is currently holding meetings, and if they can craft a bill that they support it will be sent to the House and Senate for an up-or-down vote without the possibility of making any changes.

Louisiana has shown the Palmetto State the way forward. In just a matter of weeks, lawmakers in Baton Rouge made more progress than their counterparts in Columbia have made in a year. Now’s the time for South Carolina legislators to follow the lead of their Louisiana colleagues and to adopt a clean Constitutional Carry bill of their own.

Congratulations to gun owners and 2A activists in the Pelican State, who never gave up even when the state’s good-old-boy politics was used to subvert the legislative process. The passage and adoption of this year’s legislation may have been quick and painless, but Landry’s signing is still the culmination of a years-long fight to restore the right to carry to its rightful status, and today’s signing ceremony wouldn’t have taken place without their efforts.

Constitutional carry bill receives final approval in legislation and heads to governor’s desk

BATON ROUGE – A bill that would remove the permit requirement for concealed handgun carry in Louisiana has received final approval from the legislature and is heading to Governor Jeff Landry’s desk for signing.

The bill allows any law-abiding citizen over 18 to own and concealed carry a weapon without the need for a permit or training.

Proponents of the bill, one of whom being Governor Landry himself, say the bill will allow gun owners to defend themselves “with crime running rampant” in Louisiana.

Those who oppose the bill say the removal of a need for a permit would hinder police investigations where guns are used as evidence.

South Dakota Lawmakers Push To Protect Gun Owners’ Rights.

While gun owners in many states face a legislature hostile to their rights, pro-freedom lawmakers in South Dakota are pushing to protect gun owners’ rights in the Mount Rushmore State.

In the past week, lawmakers have passed two pro-gun bills—House Bill 1035 and Senate Bill 39—and the measures now go to Republican Gov. Kristi Noem for her consideration.

House Bill 1035, introduced by Rep. Kevin Jensen, extends the renewal period for those holding enhanced carry permits. The enhanced permit is an optional permit that allows approved permit holders the ability to present the permit to a retailer when purchasing a firearm, in lieu of undergoing a background check through NICS.

According to the bill’s language: “A person who holds an enhanced permit to carry a concealed pistol may renew the permit through the sheriff of the county in which the person resides. The period for renewal begins 12 months before the permit expires and ends 30 days after the permit expires.”

Previously, enhanced carry permit holders couldn’t begin the renewal process until 180 days before the permit’s expiration date.

Senate Bill 39, introduced by state Sen. Michael Rohl, would, if signed by the governor, place restrictions on homeowners’ associations (HOAs) regarding their regulation of firearms.

According to the measure’s language: “A homeowner’s association may not include or enforce a provision in a governing document that prohibits, restricts or has the effect of prohibiting or restricting the lawful possession, transportation or storing a firearm, any part of a firearm, or firearm ammunition, or discharge of a firearm.”

Sen. Rohl says the bill would help residents who live under homeowner associations better protect themselves.

“A sign doesn’t keep out bad guys with guns,”  Sen. Rohl said. “We want good guys with guns.”

Both measures are likely to be signed by Gov. Noem, who is a strong Second Amendment supporter. In fact, at last year’s NRA Annual Meetings, Noem, who spoke at the convention, signed an executive order on stage blocking state agencies from contracting with large banks that discriminate against firearm-related industries.

“It’s not just the media and big government that are attacking our rights,” Noem said at the time. “Now we’ve seen banking institutions go after industries that they disagree with. None have been more impacted than those who support the Second Amendment. Well, not on my watch: I won’t stand for it—not in South Dakota.”

No tax on bullets? Why one SC lawmaker wants to eliminate sales tax for some ammunition

If you’re a South Carolina gun owner, there’s a chance you could be able to buy ammunition without a sales tax in the future, if a new proposal becomes a law.

State Rep. Ashley Trantham, R-Greenville, filed a bill ahead of the legislative session that begins in January that would eliminate the sales tax on small arms ammunition. This would include ammunition for any “portable firearm,” which could include “rifles, shotguns, pistols and revolvers with no barrel greater than an internal diameter of .50 caliber or a shotgun of ten gauge or smaller,” the bill reads.

Small arms ammunition is normally what gun owners keep in a purse, by their bedside or in their vehicle, Trantham said. These weapons are used for personal protection, she added, which is why she is pushing to eliminate the sales tax only for for small arms ammunition and not bigger guns used for hunting or other uses.

“We have open borders, and more than ever, we just don’t know who we’re going to come across,” Trantham said. “When we’re out shopping, when we’re even in our homes. I’m seeing cases where there’s home invasions, things like that happening, more rapid than I can remember in the past ever seeing it.”

Trantham said she filed the bill based on a request from a constituent. South Carolina, Trantham said, should “definitely” not pursue gun control laws that she said would make it harder for people to protect themselves.

“This was specifically just to make sure that people that obviously can legally own a firearm have access to it, and it can be a little bit more affordable,” Trantham said. “I honestly don’t believe that we should be taxing a constitutional right.”

The South Carolina state sales tax rate is 6%. Dozens of items are exempted from sales tax in the state, from hearing aids to erectile dysfunction medication to materials used to assemble missiles.

In the past year, another state sales tax exemption was proposed: feminine hygiene products, including menstrual pads and tampons. Advocates for that proposal argued that those items are medical necessities and should not be taxed in South Carolina. That bill passed the House and remains sitting in the hands of the Senate finance committee.

Trantham, who is a S.C. House Freedom Caucus member, said she believes eliminating the tax on small arms ammunition is a “no-brainer,” but it’s not yet clear whether the General Assembly will choose to make the bill a priority.

“I would think that it would be easy,” Trantham said. “But then again, when you have people in Columbia that campaign one way and then vote another, it’s hard to say what they’ll grab a hold on. If the people decide it’s priority, they have the power, which is beautiful. That’s that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”