On Thursday, November 16th, Mayor Jean Stothert signed a city ordinance prohibiting the possession of “bump stocks” and other “trigger activator devices” within Omaha city limits, adding yet another anti-gun ordinance in the wake of LB 77’s passage earlier this year. The ordinance passed through the city council by a vote of 6-1, with only Don Rowe voting against its implementation. This ordinance was tabled briefly during a city council meeting in October where unfinished firearm kits were banned within the city, but Second Amendments advocates present at the meeting were able to delay that vote. Unfortunately, Omaha City Council President Pete Festersen, who introduced and championed all the latest gun control ordinances, and Mayor Stothert have elected to ignore these advocates’ testimony in favor of arbitrary ordinances targeting law-abiding citizens.
Mayor Stothert’s initial Executive Order to implement “gun-free zones” on city government property was issued on August 30th following the city council’s decision to strike all firearm prohibition ordinances to comply with the statewide preemption and constitutional carry law LB 77, which went into effect on September 2nd. As with any “gun-free zone” ordinances, the implementation of this executive order is a clear assault on all law-abiding citizens who wish to take their safety into their own hands. Citizens who previously could take a walk on trails while legally armed will no longer be able to do so under this executive order, leaving them vulnerable to criminal elements operating with the knowledge that law-abiding citizens will now be disarmed in these areas.
The NRA encourages all members and other Second Amendment advocates to contact the City Council and the Mayor’s Hotline by emailing [email protected] or calling 402-444-5555 to express your concern with the city’s gun control actions and the impact they will have on law-abiding citizens. Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for further updates regarding the ongoing challenges in Omaha.
