In a direct assault on the constitutional rights of law-abiding Virginians, Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger signed a sweeping package of gun control measures, including a ban on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms and standard-capacity magazines.
Spanberger signed the legislation into law on Thursday, criminalizing the purchase, sale, manufacture, and importation of the AR-15 — the most popular rifle in America — along with a wide range of semi-automatic handguns and shotguns. The National Rifle Association responded immediately, filing a state lawsuit to block these unconstitutional mandates before the ink could even dry.
“Governor Spanberger has once again proven she has no concern for the right to keep and bear arms,” the NRA <a href="https://www.nraila.org/articles/20260514/virginia-spanberger-doubles-down-on-semi-auto-ban-nra-doubles-down-on-lawsuits">stated</a>.
While the governor attempted to frame her last-minute amendments as &#8220;technical changes,&#8221; the NRA has denounced them as a transparent attempt to rebrand blatant violations of the Second Amendment.
When she campaigned for governor, Spanberger <a href="https://virginiaindependentnews.com/elections/virginia-governor-2025-spanberger-earle-sears-gun-violence-safety-legislation/#:~:text=We%20need%20to%20strengthen%20Virginia's,officers%20safe%2C”%20Spanberger%20said.">studiously avoided</a> calling for the kind of ban she just signed, saying instead, &#8220;We need to strengthen Virginia’s safe storage laws, prevent the sale of large-capacity magazines, and crack down on criminals who manufacture and possess illegal, untraceable ghost guns — efforts that would keep Virginia’s kids, families, and law enforcement officers safe.&#8221;
The NRA’s lawsuit, Santolla v. Katz, filed in the Washington County Circuit Court, argues that the bans violate the arms guarantee in Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution. Because the Virginia Supreme Court has historically interpreted this provision as parallel with the Second Amendment, the NRA contends the state is barred from prohibiting firearms and magazines that are in common use for lawful purposes.
Joining the NRA as plaintiffs are the Virginia Shooting Sports Association (VSSA), local firearm dealers, and several Virginia citizens.
In addition to the firearm and magazine bans, Spanberger signed measures that prohibit the possession of weapons in hospitals providing mental health services, raise the age to purchase certain firearms to 21, and implement restrictive &#8220;safe storage&#8221; requirements that dictate how citizens must keep arms in their own homes.
The governor’s office cited &#8220;combat use&#8221; as a justification for the ban, but the NRA reminded the commonwealth that these firearms are used daily by millions of Americans for self-defense, hunting, and competitive shooting.
As the law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action said it is prepared to pursue every legal avenue to ensure that the fundamental rights of Virginians are not trampled by a hostile executive.
Along with the state lawsuit, the NRA also filed a federal lawsuit, McDonald v. Katz, with the Firearms Policy Coalition, the Second Amendment Foundation, and other individuals.

Abigail Spanberger Is Sworn In As First Female Virginia Governor

Democrat Governor Signs Sweeping Ban That Targets America’s Favorite Firearms

abigail spanberger

Guns

National Rifle Association (NRA)

Second Amendment

Virginia

A Jewish self-defense group is partnering with one of the nation’s most prominent gun rights organizations in a move its leaders say reflects a growing sense of urgency within the Jewish-American community.
National Rifle Association and Lox and Loaded will formally announce a new partnership this week — aimed at expanding firearms training, education, and community-based self-defense initiatives — according to a press release obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire.
The collaboration comes amid a dramatic uptick in antisemitism in the United States, particularly in the wake of ongoing tensions involving Iran and a broader spike in anti-Jewish incidents following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Leaders behind the initiative say the partnership is rooted in a belief that Jewish Americans must take a more active role in their own security.
“In a time when our communities face rising threats and antisemitism, responsible firearm ownership is no longer optional — it’s essential for self-defense and peace of mind,” said Gayle Pearlstein, co-founder of Lox and Loaded in a phone interview with The Daily Wire. “Partnering with the NRA allows us to bring world-class training resources to our members and chapters nationwide.”
Lox and Loaded, founded after the October 7 attacks and the subsequent rise in antisemitic incidents, has rapidly expanded to more than 48 chapters nationwide and over 1,000 members. The organization combines firearms training with community-building, operating under the slogan “Shoot and Schmooze,” while emphasizing safety, preparedness, and cultural connection.
Pearlstein noted that access to NRA-backed training and infrastructure could significantly expand the group’s reach. “Being partnered with the NRA … it’ll make Lox and Loaded’s mission more honorable and attractive to ranges and private gun clubs,” she said, adding that greater access to facilities could help lower costs and improve availability for members across the country.
Membership in Lox and Loaded costs $118 annually, with additional fees for range access and instruction. Pearlstein expressed hope that the NRA’s involvement could help streamline those barriers and lead to more affordable options. “It’d be great if the NRA could get more ranges available … make it easier for our members to find a chapter near them,” she said, adding that many ranges were initially wary of the group.
From the NRA’s perspective, the partnership represents an extension of its longstanding mission to promote firearms safety and training across all communities. “The NRA has always stood for the fundamental right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms,” said Doug Hamlin, CEO and Executive Vice President of the organization. “We are proud to partner with Lox and Loaded to support their important work in the Jewish community.”
NRA officials who spoke with The Daily Wire emphasized that the effort is about access. “We’re making the NRA’s resources available to them,” said Ed Friedman, editor-in-chief of the NRA. 
Friedman pointed to a noticeable cultural shift following recent global and domestic events. “This is becoming a focus of the Jewish community. At my synagogue … there was a lot of openness to carrying during services, but after October 7th it became more organized,” he said, describing a transition from informal conversations to structured planning around security.
Justin Davis, the NRA’s Director of Public Affairs, echoed that sentiment, calling the partnership a natural alignment of missions. “Success here is for every law-abiding citizen to be trained in the safe and effective use of firearms … the sky’s the limit with Lox and Loaded and the NRA,” he said. Davis added that the NRA sees itself as playing a supporting role. “We’re working together on this … we’re here as a resource to help in their mission. We’re here to make this mission go smoother,” he said.
Pearlstein also suggested the partnership could help reshape perceptions of gun ownership in communities that have traditionally been skeptical. “Having the NRA partner with Lox and Loaded shows they are aligned with our mission … it’s opening the door very gently to those more liberal people that would typically be very anti-gun,” she said. “They’re doing it in a very smart, savvy, and gentle way.”
At its core, both organizations say the goal is straightforward: preparedness and protection. “Making the community safer — that’s the goal,” Friedman said.
Pearlstein put it even more bluntly. “We’re very lucky and blessed to be partnered with the NRA,” she said. “They’re helping us save lives.”

new-york-jewish-gun-club-111871311.jpg

EXCLUSIVE: ‘They’re Helping Us Save Lives’: Jewish American Group Partners With 2A Powerhouse

antisemitism

Gun Rights

Jewish

Politics

Virginia Democrats are advancing a sweeping slate of gun control measures that critics say could dramatically reshape firearm ownership in the Commonwealth, with more than 30 proposed restrictions now moving through the legislature and toward the desk of Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Second Amendment advocates warn the legislation represents one of the most aggressive gun control pushes in the state’s modern history, and could serve as a template for similar policies across the country. 
“This is not just what’s going to happen in Virginia — this is the blueprint for D.C. and across the country,” said Justin Davis, director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, in a phone call with The Daily Wire.
Before the legislative session even began, Virginia Democrats had already pre-filed 18 gun control bills. That number quickly ballooned to more than 30 proposals covering a wide range of restrictions, including firearm bans, magazine capacity limits, taxes on gun purchases, and new regulations affecting shooting ranges and firearms businesses.
Among the most controversial is <a href="https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB749">SB 749</a>, introduced by Dan Helmer, which would ban certain semi-automatic firearms and impose new limits on magazine capacity.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Virginia Del. Dan Helmer (D), a major architect of the anti-gun bills that have swept the commonwealth, is running for U.S. Congress.
His gun confiscation agenda won&#8217;t stop in Virginia. Now he&#8217;s seeking to take guns from law-abiding citizens across the nation. <a href="https://t.co/eYo1g0IAK0">pic.twitter.com/eYo1g0IAK0</a>
— NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/2024604914370928686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The legislation has already undergone several revisions as lawmakers debated how broadly the restrictions should apply. At various points, the bill has included, and then removed, a grandfather clause allowing current gun owners to keep existing firearms. The proposed magazine limit has also changed during negotiations, shifting from a 10-round limit to a restriction on fixed magazines with a capacity of 15 rounds.
Another proposal, SB 727, would restrict carrying and transporting certain firearms on public property. Critics say the language leaves significant uncertainty about how gun owners could legally move firearms outside their homes. 
Additional bills, including SB 27 and HB 21, would impose new “responsible conduct” standards on firearm manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Critics say the proposals create vague liability standards that could expose gun businesses to lawsuits without clearly defining what constitutes compliance.
Small firearms retailers are already expressing concern about the legislation and what it could mean for their livelihoods. “Mom-and-pop gun shops are scared sh*tless,” Davis said, arguing that the uncertainty created by the proposed laws could devastate small businesses across the state.
Gun rights advocates say the proposals mark a dramatic shift for a state long known for its strong gun culture and constitutional protections.
In a statement obtained by The Daily Wire, John Commerford, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said, “Virginia serves as a stark warning to the rest of the country. Progressive politicians have hijacked the state and are attempting to turn the Commonwealth into California. Now, a once proud freedom-loving state is staring down the barrel of radical gun control measures, including bans on commonly owned firearms, standard capacity magazines, and a whole host of laws that further erode the constitutional rights of law-abiding Virginians.”
Commerford added that the NRA is preparing legal challenges should the measures become law.
“Our legal team is locked, loaded, and ready to challenge these unconstitutional laws in court,” he said. Gun rights groups also point to recent court rulings that could shape the outcome of future legal fights, including the landmark Supreme Court decision in <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/case-files/dc-v-heller/">District of Columbia v. Heller</a>, which affirmed that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms &#8220;unconnected with service in a militia.&#8221;
More recently, a federal court in Washington, D.C., <a href="https://x.com/gunpolicy/status/2029695613219012723">ruled</a> that certain magazine capacity restrictions violate the Constitution, a decision advocates say could bolster challenges if Virginia moves forward with similar bans.
With the legislation advancing through the General Assembly, the final decision will likely fall to Spanberger, who must determine whether to sign the measures into law, a prospect that seems nearly certain, according to Davis. For gun rights advocates, the stakes extend far beyond Virginia.

Biden Administration Cracks Down On Gun Dealers For Violations

Blue State Dems Plow Ahead With Dozens Of Gun Control Bills

Virginia Dems Plow Ahead With Over 30 Gun Restriction Bills

Democrats

Gun Control

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians could face prison time if they do not turn in their newly prohibited guns under a supposedly “voluntary” gun buyback program that is testing the strength of Canada&#8217;s bureaucratic regime.
Since May 2020, the Canadian government has attempted to institute a massive “assault-style firearms compensation program” that will purportedly trade cash for prohibited guns. If Canadians do not turn in a prohibited gun by October 2026, they could face up to five years in prison. The program has faced massive pushback from provincial leaders and gun rights organizations who say it will only disarm law-abiding Canadians.
<div id="attachment_1038193" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038193" class="size-full wp-image-1038193" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544.jpg" alt="HAMILTON,ON Oct 9,2025- Sgt. Massimo Guiliani, a use of force instructor with expertise in firearms on the Hamilton Police shooting range .Cathie Coward/ The Hamilton Spectator / Nicole O story (Cathie Coward/Toronto Star via Getty Images)" width="1024" height="448" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544-300x131.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544-768x336.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Cathie Coward/Toronto Star via Getty Images</div>
“We&#8217;re finding that they&#8217;re running into a lot of compliance issues,” Blair Hagen, an executive at Canada’s National Firearms Association, told The Daily Wire. “They have no idea where [the guns are] or who has them. So it&#8217;s proving to be a very, very difficult situation for the government.”
Due to the scope of the program, the government has extended amnesty three times for ownership of one of the thousands of banned so-called “assault-style” guns, with the latest one set to expire in October 2026.
<h3>We Can Thank Justin Trudeau</h3>
<div id="attachment_1038177" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038177" class="size-large wp-image-1038177" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-865x576.jpg" alt="Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, speaks during a press conference at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Monday, May 30, 2022. After banning 1,500 types of military-style assault firearms in 2020, Trudeau now announced new legislation to further strengthen gun control in Canada. Photographer: David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
An <a href="https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/05/01/prime-minister-announces-ban-assault-style-firearms">order in council</a> rolled out by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in May 2020 banned thousands of “assault weapons” and claimed to offer compensation to those who voluntarily turn in their weapons. According to Hagen, an order in council is a “non-democratic legal instrument” where the Canadian government can ban items like guns “without having to take legislation through parliament.”
Today, the government <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/firearms-buyback.html">describes</a> participation in the gun buyback program as “voluntary” but that compliance with the gun ban is required.
“While participating in the program is voluntary, compliance with the law is not. Businesses and individual firearm owners must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms before the amnesty period ends on October 30, 2026, or risk criminal liability for the illegal possession of a prohibited firearm,” the government says on its website.
Justin Davis, the public affairs director of the National Rifle Association, said that it made no sense to call the program voluntary.
“I mean, they call these things voluntary, but if the option is either turn them in or you&#8217;re going to jail, I would not consider that voluntary,” he told The Daily Wire. 
The government also doesn’t guarantee compensation for turning in the designated weapons, only saying that gun owners “who choose to participate in the program may receive compensation subject to availability of program funds.”
<h3>Carney Calls It Compensation, Not Confiscation</h3>
<div id="attachment_1038185" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038185" class="size-large wp-image-1038185" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-866x576.jpg" alt="Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, and Doug Ford, Ontario's premier, left, during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. Carney's government signed a deal with Ontario to remove duplication in environmental assessments as Canada pushes to develop resources and build projects more quickly. Photographer: James Park/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />James Park/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Prime Minister Mark Carney <a href="https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/forcing-people-to-hand-over-their-guns-isnt-a-voluntary-program">claims</a> that the program, which could penalize gun owners with jail time if they don’t comply, was not “confiscation.”
“This is not about confiscation. This is about voluntary return of firearms for compensation,” Carney said during a podcast in September 2025. “People aren’t going around confiscating guns. Anyone who says that, that is a mischaracterization, what it is is an opportunity for Canadians to return guns for compensation.”
In the same podcast, Carney claimed that the hunting rifles would not be impacted by the extensive gun ban.
“We are not talking about hunting rifles. We’re not talking sports shooting or anything like that. We’re talking about assault rifles,” Carney said.
However, this appears to ignore the fact that there is a specific carve-out for Native tribes that use prohibited rifles for hunting. The amnesty <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/news/2024/12/government-of-canada-extends-list-of-prohibited-assault-style-firearms-and-moves-forward-on-regulatory-changes-to-strengthen-gun-control.html">includes</a> “a temporary exception for Indigenous peoples’ exercising a right” under the Constitution and “as well as those who use firearms for sustenance hunting, which enables them to continue to use their newly prohibited firearms to hunt (if previously non-restricted) until a suitable replacement can be found.”
<h3>Not In Alberta</h3>
<div id="attachment_1038187" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038187" class="size-large wp-image-1038187" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-864x576.jpg" alt="Attendees during the Alberta Independence Town Hall event in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. A petition has been started by separatist activists in Alberta for a referendum on independence from Canada, driven in part by a belief that the government in Ottawa hasn't done enough to accelerate projects to expand oil production, such as new pipelines. Photographer: Leah Hennel/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Leah Hennel/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Many Canadian provinces, including Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, have indicated they will not assist the national government in enforcing the ban.
“We will have nothing to do with this program. We will not spend any Alberta taxpayer dollars on this program,&#8221; Teri Bryant, the chief firearms officer of Alberta, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-gun-buyback-program-9.7053027">told</a> CBC News last month. &#8220;We can&#8217;t block the federal government from setting something up, but they have to set it up and be appropriately licensed.&#8221;
Effectively, what this means is that the feds will be on their own for enforcing the gun ban throughout much of Canada without any assistance from local law enforcement.
“If the feds want to try and enforce it, they are going to have to do it themselves, and of course, the logistics get even more insurmountable and the price goes up,” Hagen said.
In the fall of 2025, the Canadian government ran a <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/firearms-buyback/pilot-lessons-learned.html">pilot program</a> of the buyback scheme that ran for six weeks and only yielded 25 guns. The government had <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-federal-gun-buyback-assault-weapons-program-9.7047872">reportedly</a> expected to confiscate some 200 weapons.
The government declared the program a success, saying that it showed that “factual, consistent information on how the program works, what individuals can expect if they choose to participate, and legal requirements to comply with the prohibition must be readily available and up-to-date.”
Hagen said that there was not much public appetite for the gun buyback program, but that it was pushed by leftists embedded in Canada’s federal bureaucracy. 
“That&#8217;s one of the biggest problems with firearms laws in Canada,” he said. “There is a civil disarmament agenda in that bureaucracy. It started many years ago. They&#8217;ve done everything they can to ensure that it continues.”
At the end of the day, Hagen sees the government&#8217;s efforts to stop crime and violence by taking law-abiding citizens&#8217; firearms as illogical.
“You can put all the laws and restrictions and prohibitions on the lawful acquisition and ownership of firearms that you want, but it&#8217;s not going to decrease or eliminate crime or tragedies because criminals and lunatics will always find a way,” he said.
<h3>American Leftists Want The Same Policy</h3>
That sentiment was echoed by Davis with the NRA, who warned that leftist politicians in the United States wanted to enact similar policies.
“The issue here is the idea that criminals would be turning in their firearms is just absolutely illogical,” he told The Daily Wire. “There&#8217;s no criminal in the world who&#8217;s going to turn in their firearm for a few dollars when instead they can use it for perpetuating crime.”
During her first run for president back in 2019, Kamala Harris <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/live-blog/gun-safety-forum-live-updates-las-vegas-n1060911#ncrd1061751">said</a> she supported a “mandatory” gun buyback program for so-called “assault weapons.”
“We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,” Harris said. “It’s got to be smart, we got to do it the right way.”
<div id="attachment_1038205" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038205" class="size-large wp-image-1038205" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-864x576.jpg" alt="US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event on gun violence in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 26, 2024. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images</div>
Davis said that the Second Amendment gave a layer of protection to gun owners that those in Europe and Canada didn’t have.
“Places like Europe and Canada and Australia do not have those type of protections, and you see political figures continue to push more and more gun control laws that, again, just disarm law abiding citizens and create more soft targets for criminals, and evil individuals in this world who want to do harm to innocent lives,” he said.
A 2024 challenge to Canada&#8217;s buyback program lost, but advocates for gun rights in Canada believe that the program will become too expensive to institute and will face a host of practical problems.
Hagen sees some parallels between the current ban on “assault-style” weapons and the effort to have all long guns registered. That requirement was repealed in 2012 by a Conservative coalition and was seen as a major victory for Canadian gun rights advocates. The policies could also be overturned if Carney&#8217;s Liberal Party loses power in Canada.
“It&#8217;s one thing to ban a bunch of guns and declare that they&#8217;re prohibited and state your intention to confiscate them,&#8221; Hagen said. &#8220;But it&#8217;s quite another to actually make that happen.”

Canadian Prime Minster Carney Makes National Defense And Security Announcement

Canada’s Massive ‘Voluntary’ Gun Buyback Program Comes With Prison Time

Alberta

Assault Weapons

Canada

Hunting

Mark Carney

Ontario

The National Rifle Association (NRA) filed a lawsuit against California over a “first-of-its-kind” law that effectively bans one of the most popular handguns in America.
On Friday, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a new bill that bans the sale and transfer of Glock and Glock-style handguns in the state beginning January 1. In a suit filed on Monday, the NRA argues that the law blatantly violates the Second Amendment rights of Californians.
“Our message to Governor Newsom is simple: we will see you in court,” NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director John Commerford said. “Gavin Newsom and his gang of progressive politicians in California are continuing their crusade against constitutional rights.”
“Once again, they are attempting to violate landmark Supreme Court decisions and disarm law-abiding citizens by banning some of the most commonly owned handguns in America. This flagrant violation of rights cannot, and will not, go unchecked,” he added.
California’s <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1127&amp;showamends=false">law</a> says that gun sellers “shall not sell, offer for sale, exchange, give, transfer, or deliver any semiautomatic machinegun-convertible pistol.” That kind of pistol is defined as “any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted by hand or with common household tools,” which applies to Glock and Glock-style pistols.
Democrats say the law is intended to crack down on the conversion of Glock-style handguns for use as a machine gun. That action is already illegal under federal law and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
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The suit, against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, was joined by two members of the NRA, the Firearms Policy Coalition, and the Second Amendment Foundation. It noted that Glocks were among the “most popular firearms in the nation.”
Commerford told The Daily Wire that the lawsuit shows that the NRA “will not stand by while a rabid anti-gun governor dictates from their office how individuals can exercise their Second Amendment rights. The Supreme Court has opined that you cannot wholesale ban handguns, and that&#8217;s exactly what Governor Gavin Newsom just did.”
The Supreme Court ruling referred to by Commerford is the District of Columbia v. Heller case, where the court ruled that the right to own a handgun for self-defense was protected.

US-POLITICS-HEALTH-CHILDREN-NEWSOM

California Challenged Over Ban On One Of The Most Popular Guns In America

California

Gavin Newsom

Social Issues

U.S.

Plenty of ink has been spilled on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the sweeping piece of budget reconciliation legislation that cuts taxes, creates “Trump accounts” for newborns, and grants an unprecedented new surge of funding in support of mass deportation and border security efforts.
But one of the law&#8217;s biggest impacts may be its unfurling of a longstanding gun law that firearms enthusiasts and Second Amendment advocates have long had in their sights.
The government has imposed a tax on suppressors, tools that are used to dampen the sound of a gunshot, ever<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-republican-budget-proposal-has-removal-gun-silencer-tax-its-sights-2025-05-14/"> since</a> 1934, when the National Firearms Act was passed. Thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, that tax will be dropped in January, and its elimination could tee up massive victories for Second Amendment supporters.
The Daily Wire team had the chance to learn from firearms experts and gun rights advocates during a day at the range, firing both suppressed and unsuppressed AR-15s. Their utility became clear as the day went on, and as thousands of rounds were fired.
“Millions of Americans use them to protect their hearing,” Knox Williams, Executive Director of the <a href="https://americansuppressorassociation.com/">American Suppressor Association</a>, said of suppressors. “Gunshots are loud to the point that when you don’t have hearing protection, any exposure to an unsuppressed gunshot can and will lead to permanent and irreversible hearing damage … if you lose it, there is no coming back.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ybRNYFVBSY4?si=9Spl_fUZhMME-dSp" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Suppressors, often referred to colloquially as silencers, work in the same way as a muffler on a car — with a tube that traps, cools, and dissipates the hot gas that comes out of a barrel after a round is fired. In fact, the suppressor and the muffler were developed by the same American inventor in the early 1900s. Both inventions prevent the rapid contact of the hot gas with the cooler surrounding atmosphere, which is one of the main causes of the noise that is generated when a gun is fired.
Suppressors reduce the noise of a gunshot by anywhere from 20 to 35 decibels, making their effect roughly equivalent to earplugs and earmuffs in their ability to protect one’s hearing.
Americans’ impression of suppressors comes primarily from James Bond films and video games, where the devices are used to sneakily assassinate a target in a crowded setting, allowing the shooter to escape undetected.
The reality, as was apparent after a day at the range, is that even a suppressed firearm is still loud enough to cause hearing damage if used without hearing protection, and far too noisy to allow one to pull off a Bond-style operation, especially when used indoors. Instead, a silencer is a valuable tool to protect your hearing, and it works best when used in conjunction with earplugs or earmuffs.
The removal of the tax on suppressors, Williams says, is a victory that could build momentum in the service of a broader goal.
“The primary thing that we want is to remove these things from the National Firearms Act entirely. In the House version of the Big Beautiful Bill, that actually passed. It was full removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act, which meant no tax and no registration requirement,” the American Suppressor Association Executive Director explained.
That version of the bill did not pass in the Senate, but the removal of the tax is an initial victory for Second Amendment advocates, and one that could beget bigger wins.
Williams explained that the tax wasn’t just an added financial burden to those looking to buy suppressors, but also created a registry of Americans who paid the tax, in effect resulting in a federal registry of Americans owning suppressors.
The removal of the tax, Williams says, has “set us up for being able to challenge the constitutionality of these items in the National Firearms Act in court.”
A new lawsuit from the American Suppressor Association, the National Rifle Association, and other pro-Second Amendment organizations aims to do just that. The suit contends that the registry is no longer Constitutional, given that the tax that justified its existence is being eliminated.
“The National Firearms Act has been a weight around the neck of law-abiding gun owners for nearly a century,” Williams charged. “Our lawsuit challenges the NFA as an unconstitutional registry of now untaxed firearms. Common sense and the law are on our side, and we look forward to fighting on behalf of all Americans in Federal Court.”

Suppressed AR-15

The Big Beautiful Bill Quietly Shot Down One Of America’s Dumbest Gun Laws

firearms

A clip of Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> went viral this week that showed remarks she made as San Francisco&#8217;s district attorney in which she said that police had the right to &#8220;walk into&#8221; people&#8217;s homes and inspect their legally-owned firearms.
The Democrat presidential nominee made the remarks while speaking to reporters during a press conference in 2007 about a law that was being introduced that she helped write.
Harris said, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to require responsible behaviors among everybody in the community, and just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn&#8217;t mean that we&#8217;re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you&#8217;re being responsible and safe in the way you conduct your affairs.&#8221;
Fox News reported that the anti-gun bill was ultimately signed into law by then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
&#8220;It was bundled with other gun control provisions, including a new requirement for legal gun distributors to submit an inventory to the chief of police every six months, and a ban on possessing guns – even legally – in public housing,&#8221; the report said.
The NRA said in a post that included the video: &#8220;Kamala Harris wants mass gun confiscation, and she’s willing to weaponize the government to enter your home and seize your legally owned guns.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Kamala Harris wants mass gun confiscation, and she’s willing to weaponize the government to enter your home and seize your legally owned guns:
“Just because you LEGALLY possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn&#8217;t mean that we&#8217;re not going to walk into that home… <a href="https://t.co/4ET5m7ToSx">pic.twitter.com/4ET5m7ToSx</a>
— NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1836422943644983481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
The Trump campaign called her an &#8220;anti-gun RADICAL.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kamala: “Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn&#8217;t mean that we&#8217;re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you&#8217;re being responsible.”
She’s an anti-gun RADICAL. <a href="https://t.co/CTcyGgrJEf">pic.twitter.com/CTcyGgrJEf</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1836411228710662355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2024</a></blockquote>

US-VOTE-POLITICS-HARRIS

Harris Says Authorities Can ‘Walk Into’ Homes And Inspect Guns In Resurfaced Clip

Donald Trump

Elections

Kamala Harris

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/national-rifle-association-nra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Rifle Association</a> on Tuesday launched a more than $2 million ad campaign targeting Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), whose seat is one of the most hotly contested going into November. 
The seven-figure ad buy will target Tester over his stance on the Second Amendment and feature a TV spot that will air throughout <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana</a> on satellite and cable networks. The NRA said the campaign was part of the gun rights group&#8217;s effort to influence competitive battleground races.  
Tester, who has been in the Senate since 2007, faces a<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-poll-indicates-longtime-senate-democrat-could-be-toast-in-november" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> tough challenge</a> from Republican Tim Sheehy. The outcome could determine control of the Senate, as the Democrats have a slim two-seat majority. 
&#8220;This November gun owners can&#8217;t afford to sit on the sidelines,” said NRA Political Victory Fund Chair Randy Kozuch. “The NRA is mobilizing considerable resources to support strong pro-Second Amendment candidates for Congress and the White House to ensure that Americans will be able to continue to exercise their right to keep and bear arms.”
The ad features a woman living in rural Montana preparing to defend herself as robbers break into her home. 
“Where I live you can&#8217;t wait for 911. My family&#8217;s safety is in my hands alone but gun grabbers who&#8217;ve never been to Montana let alone out here want to take my rights away. My gun is in my pocket but my Senator is in theirs. Jon Tester failed to protect my right to self-defense and that&#8217;s why moms like me can&#8217;t wait to fire him in November,” the woman says in the ad. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW AD🚨
Democrat Jon Tester supports radical gun control and failed to protect Montanans’ right to self-defense.
The NRA is launching a $2 million ad buy in Montana to warn of the danger <a href="https://twitter.com/jontester?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonTester</a> poses to the Second Amendment and our essential liberties. <a href="https://t.co/3ZflAy0xHl">pic.twitter.com/3ZflAy0xHl</a>
— NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1833482214912213005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tester, who has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-jon-tester-campaigns-against-his-own-record-in-montana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempted to distance</a> himself from the Biden-Harris administration, has <a href="https://www.tester.senate.gov/about/issues/civil-liberties/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he “strongly” supports the Second Amendment and doesn’t support banning AR-15-style rifles. In 2022, Tester backed a bill called the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-signs-most-expansive-gun-control-bill-in-decades-into-law-following-republican-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most expansive gun</a> control law passed in decades and signed by President Joe Biden.
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Kozuch questioned Tester’s positions on the Second Amendment, pointing to his record in the Senate. 
“Though Tester likes to portray himself as a friend of gun owners, his voting record in the Senate makes clear he is not on the side of Montanans who support the 2nd Amendment,” he said. “He has voted to spend taxpayer dollars to promote state-level red flag laws, which are ripe for abuse, and deny gun owners basic due process protections. And he&#8217;s voted multiple times to criminalize private firearms transfers while supporting government blacklists.”
According to the average of polls taken in the state so far, Tester is trailing Sheehy by about five points.

2023 JDRF Children’s Congress, Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing

NRA Launches 7-Figure Campaign To ‘Fire’ Vulnerable Senate Democrat

2024 Election

Montana

U.S. Senate

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wayne-lapierre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wayne LaPierre</a>, the longtime CEO of the National Rifle Association, announced his resignation Friday, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/wayne-lapierre-announces-resignation-nra-chief" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News.
LaPierre worked for the organization for nearly five decades, joining in 1977, and has served as its executive vice president and CEO since 1991, Fox noted. His resignation will be effective January 31, and NRA President Charles Cotton said that Andrew Arulanandam, head of general operations, will step in as interim CEO.
&#8220;With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,&#8221; LaPierre said in a press release obtained by Fox News. &#8220;I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.&#8221;
“On behalf of the NRA Board of Directors, I thank Wayne LaPierre for his service,&#8221; Cotton said in the press release. &#8220;Wayne has done as much to protect Second Amendment freedom as anyone. Wayne is a towering figure in the fight for constitutional freedom, but one of his other talents is equally important: he built an organization that is bigger than him.&#8221;
LaPierre, 74, attributed his resignation to concerns about his health.
LaPierre&#8217;s resignation comes as a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against the NRA is set to go to trial next week, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/us/wayne-lapierre-nra-resigns/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNN. The suit alleges that the NRA violated laws concerning non-profits and accuses its leaders of using the non-profit&#8217;s money for personal use. The suit seeks to dissolve the organization.
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“The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” James said after she announced the suit in August 2020.
After James filed the suit, then-NRA President Carolyn Meadows <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/politics/ny-ag-announcement/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told CNN</a> it was a &#8220;baseless premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend. It’s a transparent attempt to score political points and attack the leading voice in opposition to the leftist agenda.&#8221;
James has been highly critical of the NRA since before she was attorney general, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/08/19/nra-lawsuit-ny-ag-letitia-james-past-comments/5606437002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling</a> it a &#8220;criminal enterprise&#8221; and a &#8220;terrorist organization&#8221; during her 2018 campaign for the position.
&#8220;The NRA continues its defense of a lawsuit by the New York Attorney General, and LaPierre is an individual defendant in that action. It is well-known that the NYAG vowed to pursue the NRA when she was candidate for her office and, upon being elected, filed a lawsuit to dissolve the Association in August 2020. Trial proceedings in that case begin Monday,&#8221; the NRA said in its <a href="https://home.nra.org/statements/nra-evp-wayne-lapierre-announces-resignation-from-nra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> announcing LaPierre&#8217;s resignation.

Leading Conservatives Gather For Annual CPAC Event In National Harbor, Maryland

Wayne LaPierre Resigns As NRA CEO

Wayne LaPierre

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/national-rifle-association-nra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Rifle Association</a> on Wednesday moved to intervene in a legal challenge to the pistol brace rule being implemented under the Biden administration by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/firearms-and-explosives-atf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives</a> (ATF).
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/second-amendment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Second Amendment</a> rights organization filed a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/2023.06.06-NRAs-Brief-ISO-Motion-to-Intervene-file-stamped.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legal brief</a> in a pending case in Texas to shield NRA members from the new policy that seeks to regulate pistols with stabilizing braces, according to a filing first obtained by The Daily Wire. The braces can allow a person to shoot a handgun one-handed more easily. The NRA is seeking a preliminary injunction against the regulation, known as the “Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached ‘Stabilizing Braces,’” which went into effect on June 1.
“The NRA has consistently opposed this arbitrary attack on law-abiding gun owners on multiple fronts,” said NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre. “The NRA is a leader in the largest and most aggressive legal challenge to this action, and now aims to intervene in the Texas lawsuit. We are pursuing relief to protect our members – and bring a halt to this attack on their freedom.”
The NRA is intervening in a suit brought by the Second Amendment Foundation and others who sued the ATF, Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Department of Justice, and ATF Director Steven Dettelbach over the new regulation.
&#8220;Because of the Final Rule, the millions of Americans, including NRA members, who own a pistol and a stabilizing brace, regardless of style or caliber or type of brace, must either dispose of, alter, or register their firearms. If they guess wrong, they face the prospect of felony prosecution, 10 years in prison, and large fines,&#8221; the NRA said in its <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/06/NRA_Complaint-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaint</a>.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, the filing marks the latest move by the NRA to challenge the ATF’s pistol brace ruling, which came on the heels of President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unacceptable-attack-biden-admin-slammed-after-doj-announces-news-pistol-brace-regulation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden’s request</a> to regulate the use of pistol braces. Biden said such braces could turn pistols into short-barreled rifles. 
The NRA eventually hopes to get a permanent injunction against the rule. The organization previously backed a lawsuit in North Dakota filed in February challenging the ATF&#8217;s pistol brace rule. 
“President Biden and his rogue regulators are on notice: the NRA will continue to defend its members and their constitutional freedoms – fighting this rule and the anti-Second Amendment agenda in every forum available,” said NRA President Charles Cotton.
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According to the NRA, disabled veterans are among the many individuals who use braces for safety when using a pistol. 
“As explained in the NRA’s Complaint in Intervention, many of its members are being irreparably harmed by the Final Rule,” the group said in a press release.
Other gun owners have already <a href="https://thereload.com/third-injunction-issued-against-biden-pistol-brace-ban-on-eve-of-enforcement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">been shielded</a> from complying with the ATF’s new rule, with members of the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and Texas state employees previously winning a preemptive injunction against the policy.
“The courts have already recognized other gun-promotion groups should be afforded protection from this rule,” Cotton added. “The NRA now seeks to intervene – to extend the protections to the Association.”

Attorney Gen. Garland Meets With Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin At Dept. Of Justice

‘Arbitrary Attack’: NRA Moves To Shield Members From Biden Admin’s Pistol Brace Crackdown

NRA Moves To Shield Members From Biden Admin’s Pistol Brace Crackdown

Biden Administration

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)

Courts

Texas

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington</a> state is facing at least two lawsuits from gun rights groups after Democratic Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jay-inslee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jay Inslee</a> signed into law a ban on so-called assault weapons on Tuesday.
Inslee signed into law three gun control bills. One of those pieces of legislation, House Bill 1240, took effect immediately and banned the manufacturing and sale of dozens of types of semiautomatic rifles.
“This new law is blatantly unconstitutional. The Supreme Court long-ago ruled that states cannot ban firearms that are in common use,” Aoibheann Cline, director of the NRA’s lobbying operations in Washington state, told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nra-sues-democrat-governor-washington-states-new-blatantly-unconstitutional-gun-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
Cline called H.B. 1240 the “worst of such schemes in the country” that bans “nearly every modern semiautomatic rifle.”
“AR-15-style firearms are the most popular rifles in America. In fact, AR-15s outsell America’s most popular truck, the Ford F-150, and there are more privately owned AR-15-style firearms than subscribers to all daily newspapers nationwide, combined,” Cline said.
“It’s outrageous that states continue to pass these unconstitutional bans. But rest assured, the NRA will continue to fight each one,” Cline said. “[The] people of Washington deserve better.”
Inslee signed two other pieces of gun control legislation on Tuesday alongside the extensive ban targeting semiautomatic rifles: H.B. 1143 and Senate Bill 5078. H.B. 1143 mandates that all new gun owners take a safety and training course that teaches how to properly store firearms and about Washington’s self-defense laws. Senate Bill 5078 gives Washington’s attorney general the authority to punish gun manufacturers for criminal misuse of their product.
Inslee <a href="https://tvw.org/video/governor-jay-inslee-bill-signing-2023041342/?eventID=2023041342" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the bill signing marked a “monumental day” of victories against “weapons of war” and gun manufacturers.
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“It is a victory over weapons of war, to not expose children for weapons of war in our streets and in our classrooms. It is a victory against impetuous gun violence for people who could buy a gun and then create violence without a second thought. It is a victory over irresponsible gun manufacturers that have been responsible for gun violence,” Inslee said.
Inslee’s laws are facing another legal challenge from the Second Amendment Foundation, which also filed a lawsuit against the state on Tuesday.
“The state has enacted a flat prohibition on the manufacture, sale, import and distribution of many types of firearms, inaccurately labeled as ‘assault weapons,’ which are owned by millions of ordinary citizens across the country,” Second Amendment Foundation founder and executive vice president Alan Gottlieb <a href="https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/state-politics/washington-ban-sale-assault-weapons/281-7bee1dd8-8a96-4930-a02f-9d87c148591d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. “In the process, the state has criminalized a common and important means of self-defense, the modern semiautomatic rifle. The state has put politics ahead of constitutional rights, and is penalizing law-abiding citizens while this legislation does nothing to arrest and prosecute criminals who misuse firearms in defiance of all existing gun control laws. It is absurd.”

Jay Inslee

‘Blatantly Unconstitutional’: Gun Rights Groups Sue Washington Over Assault Weapons Ban

Washington

New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul signed a 10-bill package of gun laws on Monday that included raising the age to legally purchase a semiautomatic rifle from 18 to 21 following several recent mass shootings nationwide.
Hochul signed the package to immediately strengthen the state&#8217;s gun laws and close &#8220;critical loopholes&#8221; as lawmakers seek to decrease shootings. The governor signed the bills at the Northeast Bronx YMCA with New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D), Speaker of the New York State Assembly Carl Heastie (D), partners in the legislature, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), and victims and survivors of gun violence in attendance.
&#8220;Gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing our country apart. Thoughts and prayers won&#8217;t fix this, but taking strong action will,&#8221; Hochul said in a <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-landmark-legislative-package-strengthen-gun-laws-and-protect-new-yorkers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
&#8220;In New York, we&#8217;re taking bold steps to protect the people of our state. I am proud to sign a comprehensive bill package that prohibits the sale of semiautomatic weapons to people under 21, bans body armor sales outside of people in select professions, closes critical gun law loopholes and strengthens our Red Flag Law to keep guns away from dangerous people—new measures that I believe will save lives,&#8221; she added.
Hochul also spoke out regarding gun violence nationwide, urging Congress to enact additional gun control measures.
&#8220;While we are taking expedient action to enhance New York State&#8217;s nation-leading gun laws, we recognize that gun violence is a nationwide problem. I once again urge Congress to follow our lead and take immediate action to pass meaningful gun violence prevention measures. Lives depend on it,&#8221; Hochul stated.
Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado (D) also shared a statement regarding the need for &#8220;common-sense&#8221; gun safety legislation.
&#8220;There is a scourge of gun violence in our country due to the pervasiveness of illegal firearms. Year after year, our neighborhoods are flooded with illegal guns and ghost guns, tormenting families and law-abiding citizens every day, but yet the national response does not change,&#8221; Delgado said.
&#8220;In New York, we just passed common-sense gun safety legislation and more kids will live to see their high school graduation because of it. In the fight to save lives, New York is leading the way,&#8221; he added.
Hochul also wrote about the new gun legislation in a Twitter post on Monday.
&#8220;For our neighbors in Buffalo and across the country, we cannot grow complacent, we cannot grow numb and we cannot tolerate inaction on common sense gun reform any longer,&#8221; she tweeted. &#8220;The 10 bills I signed into law today are the start of our work to stop these tragedies — not the end.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
For our neighbors in Buffalo and across the country, we cannot grow complacent, we cannot grow numb and we cannot tolerate inaction on common sense gun reform any longer.
The 10 bills I signed into law today are the start of our work to stop these tragedies — not the end. <a href="https://t.co/awokEF8Ec3">pic.twitter.com/awokEF8Ec3</a>
&mdash; Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1533849616319451139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Not everyone agrees with the new gun legislation. The decision to raise the minimum age of gun purchases of semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 is likely to face legal challenges from those who see the move as infringing on Second Amendment rights.
&#8220;While exploiting tragedy to pass their gun ban agenda, they have completely turned their backs on New Yorkers. They have left thriving cities to decay. Even more incredible, there is not one, single school safety bill in the mix. That is disgraceful!&#8221; the National Rifle Association said in a <a href="https://www.nraila.org/articles/20220531/new-york-massive-ten-bill-gun-control-package-introduced-by-albany-democrats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> last week ahead of Hochul signing the package of gun laws.

Kathy Hochul

New York Governor Kathy Hochul Signs Law Raising Age To Buy Semiautomatic Rifles To 21

New York

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