{"id":117109,"date":"2026-06-01T19:11:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T00:11:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/?p=117109"},"modified":"2026-06-01T19:11:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T00:11:59","slug":"117109","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesfortis.com\/?p=117109","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"

Grassroots Legislative Report\u2014June 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

By Tanya Metaksa<\/strong><\/p>\n

What<\/em><\/strong>\u2019s New\u2014Trump Administration: Department of the Interior:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>On May 26, the Department of the Interior announced significant steps to expand hunting and fishing access on lands and waters it manages;\u00a0House Oversight Subcommittee Hearing:\u00a0<\/strong>ATF Director Robert Cekada testified at a House Oversight subcommittee hearing on May 14 about ATF oversight;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Oregon Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), officially titled the\u00a0PEACE Act: Extreme:\u00a0<\/strong>Anti-hunting initiative to ban all cruelty to animals.\u00a0<\/em>As of late May 29, backers have submitted more than 120,000 signatures for the hunting ban referendum;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

State Legislation: Arizona:<\/strong>\u00a0Governor Kathie Hobbs vetoed\u00a0SB1058; <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

California:\u00a0<\/strong>Four bills are awaiting Senate action;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Connecticut:\u00a0<\/strong>On May 26th, Governor Ned Lamont signed\u00a0<\/em>H5043<\/a>;<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Florida:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>HB 7031-E<\/a>\u00a0includes holiday sales tax exemptions for ammunition, firearms, and firearm accessories (including suppressors);\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

New Hampshire:<\/strong>\u00a0HB609:<\/strong> The bill is scheduled for votes in both houses on June 4, 2026;<\/em><\/p>\n

New York:<\/strong>\u00a0Governor Kathy Hochul signed the budget bill that included more gun restrictions on May 27;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

South Carolina: H3872\u00a0<\/strong>was signed by Governor Henry MacMaster;\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Virginia: HB1525\u00a0<\/strong>included immediate effective date, and ten Virginia prosecutors have publicly stated they will not enforce Governor Abigail Spanberger\u2019s new\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>\u201c<\/em>assault firearm\u201d\u00a0<\/em>restrictions,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Trump Administration<\/strong><\/p>\n

Department of the Interior<\/strong><\/p>\n

On May 26, the Department of Interior announced major steps to increase hunting and fishing access on lands and waters under its management. These include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s proposed largest expansion of hunting and sport fishing opportunities in the agency\u2019s history, along with actions by the National Park Service to remove unnecessary hunting restrictions on units of the National Park System where hunting is permitted by law.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerica\u2019s public lands belong to the American people, and they should be able to access them without unnecessary bureaucracy standing in the way,\u201d said\u00a0Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum<\/strong>. \u201cUnder President Donald J. Trump\u2019s leadership, we are expanding opportunities for hunters and anglers, reducing duplicative restrictions, and making federal land management more practical, consistent, and accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of today\u2019s announcement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to open or expand more than 1,450 hunting and sport fishing opportunities across 111 stations in 32 states, including 107 national wildlife refuges and four national fish hatcheries.<\/p>\n

The proposal would open more than 92 million acres, or over 95% of\u00a0National Wildlife Refuge System<\/a>, for\u00a0hunting<\/a>. It also includes the first-ever hunting and sport-fishing opportunities at 14 refuges and three hatcheries.<\/p>\n

House Oversight Subcommittee Hearing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Newly appointed ATF Director Robert Cekada testified before a House Oversight subcommittee on May 14 about ATF oversight and the Tiahrt Amendment. His testimony and attitude signaled a shift in the agency\u2019s stance on Second Amendment issues, as lawmakers examined past practices.<\/p>\n

He acknowledged that the Tiahrt Amendment limits the ATF from widely sharing firearms trace data, with the goal of protecting investigations, informants, and gun owner privacy. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Clay Higgins argued that the ATF had previously violated both the letter and spirit of the law, citing disclosures of protected trace data through FOIA responses, including one that allegedly helped gun control groups and another that led to litigation with Gun Owners of America. Higgins also criticized earlier enforcement policies, including a \u201czero-tolerance\u201d approach toward federal firearms licensees (FFLs) and an expansive interpretation of who qualifies as \u201cengaged in the business\u201d of dealing firearms.<\/p>\n

Cekada emphasized that the ATF is entering a \u201cnew era of reform,\u201d aimed at rebuilding trust with law-abiding gun owners and the firearms industry while prioritizing public safety. He confirmed that the zero-tolerance policy has been rescinded in favor of a framework that emphasizes fairness and transparency. He also highlighted ongoing rulemaking efforts aligned with Second Amendment protections.<\/p>\n

Cekada addressed concerns about data handling, explaining that the ATF does not keep an illegal firearms registry and that any past improper disclosures of trace data were unintentional. He stated that new internal systems are being implemented to prevent future violations.<\/p>\n

Regarding enforcement priorities, Cekada opposed regulatory approaches that target lawful owners, asserting that violent crime is best addressed by prosecuting offenders. He previously highlighted past failures to pursue trafficking cases and mandatory sentencing as factors that weaken deterrence, and noted that new trafficking prosecutions are now underway.<\/p>\n

Overall, the hearing highlighted ongoing concerns about ATF accountability. However, even the NRA, in reporting on the hearing, stated, \u201cYet Cekada\u2019s testimony and actions to date provide reasons to be optimistic that ATF is being steered toward a culture and mission more respectful of the Second Amendment, with enforcement focused on actual violent offenders and the traffickers that supply them with guns, rather than on law-abiding licensees and gun owners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oregon Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), officially titled the\u00a0<\/strong>PEACE Act<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oregon Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), officially called the\u00a0PEACE Act<\/strong>\u00a0(People for Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions), is a proposed ballot measure to remove statutory exemptions in Oregon\u2019s animal cruelty laws that currently protect hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, and animal research from criminal charges. The initiative aims to criminalize the deliberate injury of protected animals, including nonhuman mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.<\/p>\n

To qualify for the November 2026 ballot, IP28 supporters must gather\u00a0117,173 valid signatures by July 2, 2026<\/strong>. As of May 29, they have submitted over 120,000 signatures to the state, just exceeding the required threshold. If those signatures are verified, the measure will probably appear on the Nov. 3, general election ballot.<\/p>\n

Legislative History<\/strong><\/p>\n

IP28 is the third version of this proposal\u2014initially called IP13 in 2020 (which failed to qualify), then IP3 for the 2024 ballot (which was blocked), and now reintroduced for 2026. All versions aim to eliminate legal exemptions that allow intentional harm to animals.<\/p>\n

Activities That Would Be Criminalized:<\/strong><\/p>\n