Gun legislation is swinging wildly from state to state. Some states are seeking to restrict or ban certain classes of firearms; others are expanding gun-ownership rights in ways we wouldn’t have thought possible just a few years ago. And the Supremes have taken up a 2nd Amendment case that has the possibility of striking down a gun ban — whodathunkit? Here’s a roundup of some of the legal efforts that qualify as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (hat tip to director Sergio Leone).
The Good:
- Constitutional Carry legislation has passed in Oklahoma;
- According to the New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association, 29 counties are working to become Second Amendment Sanctuary counties in which any new restrictive statewide gun rules won’t be enforced;
- The Supreme Court will review a New York City gun law that limits residents from transporting their guns outside their homes, the first Second Amendment case in nearly a decade.
The Bad:
- U.S. House Democrats may have already passed a measure that mandates federal background checks on all gun sales, including private transactions;
- House Democrats have also scheduled a vote on legislation to extend the deadline for federal background checks from three business days to as many as 20.
The Ugly:
- Look no further than California for a cornucopia of horrible anti-gun laws under consideration, including Assembly Bill 18, which would impose an excise tax on handguns and semi-automatic firearms;
- Assembly Bill 879, which would require precursor firearms parts (barrels, ammunition feedings devices and upper receivers) to be sold/transferred through a licensed precursor parts dealer in a similar process to the new laws regarding ammunition purchases; and
- Assembly Bill 1602, which would prohibit an insurer from either selling or advertising liability coverage for bodily injury or property damage resulting from the insured’s discharge of a personal firearm.
And take note of this wisdom from the movie, spoken by Blondie (Clint Eastwood): You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.
