This week, a number of pro-gun bills have continued to advance in Arizona.
On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 2414 by a vote of 31-27. It allows law-abiding citizens to store their loaded firearms in their locked personal vehicles while parked on school grounds. This ensures that parents are able to pick-up and drop-off students without first having to stop and unload their firearms before driving onto school grounds, or deviating from their route to park off-campus. So-called “gun-free zones” are arbitrary boundaries that only disarm law-abiding citizens and leave them defenseless while doing nothing to deter criminals. HB 2414 has been transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.
The House Ways and Means Committee passed House Bill 2166. It exempts firearms and firearm safety equipment, such as gun safes and gun locks, from state transaction privilege and use taxes. This recognizes that the government should not be placing additional cost barriers on citizens who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights, and who wish to safely store their firearms. HB 2166 will next be considered in the House Rules Committee.
The House Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 2473. It prohibits public entities from entering into contracts worth $100,000 or greater with businesses, unless they certify that they do not discriminate against firearm businesses. Anti-gun banks and their executives have expressed interest in denying services to the firearm industry as a way to further their political agenda and impose gun control by making such business impossible when legislatures won’t bend to their will. Banks should evaluate firearm businesses like any other business and consider financial risk, rather than ideology, in their decisions on providing services. This ensures that Arizona taxpayer money does not go to such businesses. HB 2473 will next be considered in the House Rules Committee.
The House Military Affairs & Public Safety Committee passed House Bill 2448. It requires school districts to offer age-appropriate firearm safety instruction to students in grades six through twelve. This legislation will help empower youths with this basic knowledge of respecting firearms “from a qualified individual with a focus on safety rather than from popular culture and various forms of media.” HB 2448 will next be considered in the House Rules Committee.
Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates.
