Latest news with #gunrights
Al Jazeera
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
US attorney general paves way for more convicted criminals to own guns
Washington, DC – United States Attorney General Pam Bondi has begun a process to make it easier for individuals with criminal convictions to own guns. The move on Friday comes amid a wider push by the administration of President Donald Trump to make good on campaign promises to gun rights groups, which criticise restrictions on firearm ownership as violations of the Constitution's Second Amendment. Trump ordered a review of government gun policies in February. Gun control advocates, meanwhile, have voiced concerns over the administration's ability to adequately assess which convicted individuals would not pose a public safety risk. In a statement released on Friday, Bondi said individuals with serious criminal convictions have been 'disenfranchised from exercising the right to keep and bear arms — a right every bit as constitutionally enshrined as the right to vote, the right to free speech, and the right to free exercise of religion — irrespective of whether they actually pose a threat'. 'No longer,' she added. Under the plan, Bondi seeks to return the power to determine which individuals convicted of crimes can own firearms directly to her office. That exemption process has currently been overseen by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. However, Congress has, for decades, used its spending approval powers to stem the processing of exemption requests. The Department of Justice said the proposed change 'will provide citizens whose firearm rights are currently under legal disability with an avenue to restore those rights, while keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals and illegal aliens'. The US attorney general would have 'ultimate discretion to grant relief', according to the department. It added that, 'absent extraordinary circumstances', certain individuals would be 'presumptively ineligible' for the restoration of their gun rights. They include 'violent felons, registered sex offenders, and illegal aliens'. The plan was outlined in a 'proposed rule' submitted to the Federal Register on Friday. It will undergo a final public comment period before it is adopted. In Friday's statement, US Pardon Attorney Edward Martin Jr said that his team was already developing a 'landing page with a sophisticated, user-friendly platform for Americans petitioning for the return of their gun rights, which will make the process easier for them'. When details of Bondi's plan initially emerged in March, the gun control group Brady was among those who voiced opposition. 'If and when gun rights are restored to an individual, it needs to be through a robust and thoughtful system that minimizes the risk to public safety,' the group's president, Kris Brown, said in a statement. She added that Trump's restoration of gun rights to those who were convicted — and later pardoned — for their role in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, raised concerns over how the administration would exercise its discretion. 'This would be a unilateral system to give gun rights back to those who are dangerous and high risk, and we will all be at greater risk of gun violence,' she said.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
An ‘Amazon of guns'? Welcome to the ‘parallel economy'
It's almost US Independence Day. What better moment to promote a business that unabashedly celebrates the right to bear arms? In just a few
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine House and Senate cast votes on slew of gun bills
Tim Russell of Sydney was among the gun rights proponents who attended a day of action for gun safety at the Maine State House on Jan. 3, 2024. (Jim Neuger/Maine Morning Star) Maine lawmakers took up more than a dozen bills related to firearms late last week, covering a variety of issues including concealed carry laws, safe storage and the definition of a machine gun. While many have already been killed, some proposals are still waiting for further action to determine if they will make it to Gov. Janet Mills' desk. Here's a closer look at what happened with the legislation. Following recommendations from the Judiciary Committee, the chambers rejected four proposals introduced this session to amend the state's concealed carry laws. This included LD 1049, which sought to eliminate the requirement that someone carrying a concealed weapon without a valid permit needs to inform law enforcement immediately during routine traffic stops, arrests or detainment. During discussion on the House of Representatives floor, Rep. Adam Lee (D-Auburn) said that removing that requirement would 'disrupt the balance' that allows Maine to be a constitutional carry state. 'I wanted to stress again that all of the testimony that we heard from law enforcement was supportive of the 'ought not to pass' in this bill, and that the current law as it exists is the product of a compromise that brought us constitutional carry in the state of Maine,' Lee said. The House and Senate rejected a proposal (LD 829) from Sen. David Haggan (R-Penobscot) that he said would clean up confusion in existing law by making it clear that someone can carry a concealed firearm in a state park, so long as they are not otherwise prohibited from possessing one. Lawmakers in both chambers also voted down a proposal to reduce the age limit that a person can carry without a permit (LD 424) and LD 998, which would have removed the requirement that an employee have a valid concealed carry permit to store a firearm in their vehicle at work. Lawmakers in both chambers opted to kill LD 1109, which started as a proposal to ban the possession of large-capacity magazines. Before it hit chamber floors, the bill divided Democrats on the Judiciary Committee. Some opted to amend the bill to focus on the trafficking of those items while others backed an amendment to limit magazines to 10 rounds for long guns and 15 for handguns. Committee chair Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cumberland) asked the Senate to pass the amendment that would address the trafficking of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, which is defined as accepting more than 20 rounds of ammunition. However, they rejected that 15-20 before opting to kill the bill. The House voted 67-81 and the Senate voted 16-19 against passage of LD 1120. That proposal sought to expand current firearm storage laws so someone would be liable if their negligent storage led to a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm gaining access to one. The Senate also voted down an amended version of LD 1299, which would prohibit a person from storing a handgun in an unoccupied vehicle, unless it is out of view and locked specifically in a hard-sided container with the car locked. The House still has yet to take up the bill. Both chambers supported an amended version of LD 1174, which would limit the liability on gun shops that enter into firearm hold agreements. That bill was initially more narrow and sought to give a gun shop immunity when taking possession of a firearm owned by a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or first responders. Though a majority of the Judiciary Committee did not support that proposal, the amended version that won over the chambers was backed by most Republicans on the committee and one Democrat. The bill also received an enactment vote from the House Friday. It needs final approval from the Senate before it can be sent to Mills. After the House rejected it, the Senate narrowly supported a bill that would allow municipalities to adopt policies prohibiting firearms within municipal buildings and polling places. LD 1743 was also supported by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who told the Judiciary Committee that towns should have the option to regulate firearms in polling places because there is often anxiety over threats to election workers that data collected by her office shows persist. Haggan said during the floor debate that creating this sort of patchwork policy in the state could cause firearm owners to unintentionally be in violation. The House has yet to revisit the bill, leaving it still in nonconcurrence. Lawmakers in the House voted 77-70 to support an amended version of LD 1126, which would require serial numbers for so-called ghost guns that are assembled at home or those made with a 3D printer. It would also prohibit undetectable firearms, meaning those that can't be spotted with a metal detector — which is the case for many 3D printed guns. Rep. Sam Zager (D-Portland), the bill's sponsor, said it is 'crucial' for enhancing public safety and supporting law enforcement amid the growing prevalence of 'ghost guns.' However, opponents of the bill argued it would infringe on the rights and traditions of Mainers. The Senate originally supported the bill, as well, but then moved to reconsider on Friday leaving it in limbo. On Thursday, the House and Senate rejected the version of LD 411 that was backed by Democrats on the committee, instead opting for the version backed by Republicans. The proposal asks the attorney general to update the rules relating to the disposition of forfeited firearms so that the majority of proceeds from auctioning those guns goes to the state's Safe Homes Program. That program supports the safe storage of firearms, prescription drugs and other dangerous weapons. The bill also received its second vote of approval from the House Friday. The Senate still needs to give its final approval before the bill can head to Mills. Without discussion on the floor, the House voted 76-72 to reject LD 1062, which sought to roll back background checks on the private sales of firearms. Essentially, it would have repealed a law that was part of a slate of reforms introduced last year by Mills in response to the Lewiston shooting that expanded background checks to advertised sales. The Senate also voted down the measure 18-15 on Friday. LD 1867, which prohibits financial institutions and merchants from using firearm codes to track purchases, initially passed the Senate 20-15, but then the upper chamber reconsidered its decision and tabled the bill to be taken up again later. On the Senate floor, Sen. Matthew Harrington (R-York), who sponsored the bill, described it as prohibiting financial institutions from creating a 'de facto gun registry.' The House still has yet to take up the bill. Carney said during the Senate floor debate that LD 677 addresses a 'glaring gap' in statute by essentially banning bump stocks or other accessories that turn semi-automatic firearms into machine guns. However, Haggan argued the change could 'leave the door wide open for banning all firearm modifications,' including those used by people with disabilities. Mills made a similar argument when she vetoed a proposal Carney put forward last session to update the statutory definition of machine gun. In her veto message, Mills said she worried the bill would have unintentionally banned weapons that responsible gun owners use for hunting or target shooting. Carney said she took those words to heart when drafting her bill this session; however, the Senate and House still rejected it. But that wasn't the final word on the state's definition for a machine gun. LD 953, which seeks to align Maine's definition with the federal definition, was tabled in the Senate after it narrowly failed passage. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Washington Post
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Republicans hit major setback in their effort to ease regulations on gun silencers
WASHINGTON — Republican efforts to loosen regulations on gun silencers and short-barreled rifles and shotguns have been dealt a big setback with the Senate parliamentarian advising that the proposal would need to clear a 60-vote threshold if included in their big tax and immigration bill. Gun rights groups had been lobbying aggressively for the measure, which would essentially treat silencers and the short-barreled firearms like long guns. Gun-control groups celebrated the parliamentarian's ruling, saying the items have been regulated for nearly 100 years for good reason — they are a threat to first responders and communities.
Al Arabiya
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Republicans Hit Major Setback in Their Effort to Ease Regulations on Gun Silencers
Republican efforts to loosen regulations on gun silencers and short-barreled rifles and shotguns have been dealt a big setback. The Senate parliamentarian advised that the proposal would need to clear a 60-vote threshold if included in their big tax and immigration bill. Gun rights groups had been lobbying aggressively for the measure, which would essentially treat silencers and the short-barreled firearms like long guns. Gun-control groups celebrated the parliamentarian's ruling, saying the items have been regulated for nearly 100 years for good reason–they are a threat to first responders and communities. The House version of the GOP's bill removed silencers–called suppressors by the gun industry–from a 1930s law that regulates firearms considered the most dangerous. In the process, it would have eliminated a $200 tax. The Senate kept the provision on silencers in its version of the bill and expanded upon it, adding short-barreled or sawed-off rifles and shotguns. Under the National Firearms Act, potential buyers of the regulated weapons must also undergo a fingerprint-based background check. There is no deadline for such checks. The process is arguably more thorough than the name-based background check completed for other firearms purchases. Lawmakers said the silencers provision was deemed by the Senate parliamentarian to be in violation of the Byrd Rule. This rule stipulates that the budget changes sought in the legislation cannot be merely incidental to the policy changes. The special rules are designed to deter provisions unrelated to spending or taxes from being included in the bill. 'It's no surprise that Republicans will jump at any opportunity to please the gun lobby by rolling back gun safety measures, but that kind of policy does not belong in a reconciliation bill,' said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Gun rights groups complained about the $200 tax and how the background check process often takes weeks and even months for silencers and short-barreled weapons. Larry Keane of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, who supports the legislation, said before the ruling that the proposed changes were aimed at helping target shooters and hunters protect their hearing. He argued that the use of silencers in violent crimes is rare. 'All it's ever intended to do is to reduce the report of the firearm to hearing-safe levels,' Keane said. John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, disagreed with the parliamentarian's ruling, noting that she was originally appointed by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat. 'Nevertheless, we remain committed to working with our allies on Capitol Hill to end the unjust tax burden on these constitutionally-protected arms,' Commerford said. Groups opposed to the measure included Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization co-founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was grievously wounded in a 2011 mass shooting in her district. Emma Brown, the group's executive director, said removing safeguards on gun silencers would have made it easier for violent criminals to escape, putting both law enforcement and civilians at greater risk. 'What's more, removing safeguards on short-barreled firearms would have only enabled more criminals to access these easily concealable weapons, which can be easily brought into large crowds,' Brown said. The gun language had broad support among Republicans and has received little attention as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., work to settle differences within the party on cuts to Medicaid and energy tax credits, among other issues. It is just one of hundreds of policy and spending items that were included to entice members to vote for the legislation and will have broad implications in the years to come.
