The next battleground for gun rights will likely be fought at the local level, and it’s going to be a tough fight.
Since the Gun Control lobby can’t seem to pass any gun control through Congress, they’ve taken two different but distinct pathways. The first is the Biden administration ruling by executive fiat and using the DOJ & ATF to push “regulations” that affect gun owners using existing laws on the books.
The second is something we have mentioned before, but now we are starting to see a pattern from anti-gun groups. There’s a heightened push for gun control at the local level, specifically about State Preemption.
Giffords, one of the largest anti-gun organizations, has been making a serious push for states to overturn their preemption statutes concerning gun laws. In 2021 they scored a significant victory when the Colorado General Assembly repealed the majority of its firearms preemption statute, making them the first state in the country to do so. According to Allison Alderman, senior counsel at Giffords, other states are looking to follow Colorado’s footsteps.
Let’s back up a second and get everyone caught up. If you’re unaware of what State Preemption is, it’s a law that says that no law at the local level can supersede state law. Forty-two states have preemption laws that specifically relate to firearms. Look no further than Montgomery County, Maryland, for an example of why state preemption laws are essential.
Montgomery County is constantly trying to make their own gun laws, with at one point making it illegal to have ammunition shipped to anywhere in the county. Because Maryland has State Preemption, Maryland Courts overturned this law. Even still, to this day, Montgomery County continues to attempt to pass its own gun control laws, with its most recent being a de facto ban on firearms throughout the entire county, which is currently being litigated.
Steph from TMGN Breaks Down State Preemption Laws and How They Affect You: