The names of nearly a hundred Democrat state legislators from 39 states who attended the Dec. 13 White House conference held by the Office of Gun Violence Prevention amounts to a roster of gun control advocates to which Second Amendment activists should cling in preparation for the 2024 elections.
This correspondent twice requested the list from the White House, but there was no reply either time. However, the liberal-oriented website News From the States has posted the complete list online.
It comes as the Bangor, Maine Daily News is reporting that only 16 of that state’s 185 lawmakers responded to a newspaper survey that asked how they would use their influence to “make reforms” to Maine gun laws in reaction to the Lewiston mass shooting in October. However, several Maine legislators attended the White House event. They are Reps Kristen Cloutier, Margaret Craven, Victoria Doudera, House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, House Majority Leader Maureen Terry, and Sens. Anne Carney, Peggy Rotundo and Joe Rafferty.
The Biden-Harris administration had invited 100 state legislators to the event, which outlined Joe Biden’s goals for 2024 at the state level. Translation: the gun prohibition movement, even with Biden in the Oval Office, has stalled on Capitol Hill and is not faring well in the courts. So, it is back to the various state legislatures.
The administration’s eight-page “Safer States Agenda” includes the following recommendations, which will likely be showing up in one form or another as legislative sessions begin or resume in January:
- Establish a State Office of Gun Violence Prevention
- Invest in Evidence-informed Solutions to Prevent and Respond to Gun Violence
- Strengthen Support for Survivors and Victims of Gun Violence
- Reinforce Responsible Gun Ownership
- Strengthen Gun Background Checks
- Hold the Gun Industry Accountable
Here’s the full attendance roster, as posted by News from the States:
- Arizona: Rep. Analise Ortiz, Rep. Jennifer Longdon and Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton
- California: Rep. Cottie Petrie-Norris and Sen. Aisha Wahab
- Colorado: Sen. Tom Sullivan
- Connecticut: Rep. Steven Stafstrom, Rep. Matt Blumenthal and Sen. Herron Gaston
- Delaware: Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend and Rep. Cyndie Romer
- Florida: Rep. Dan Daley
- Georgia: House Minority Leader James Beverly and Rep. Michelle Au
- Hawaii: Sen. Chris Lee
- Illinois: Rep. Justin Slaughter, Rep. Bob Morgan, and Rep. Maura Hirschauer
- Indiana: Rep. Maureen Bauer, Rep. Ragen Hatcher and Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn
- Iowa: Rep. Lindsay James
- Kansas: Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, Rep. Brandon Woodard, Rep. Christina Haswood and Rep. Jo Ella Hoye
- Kentucky: Rep. Keturah Herron
- Louisiana: Rep. Mandie Landry
- Maine: Rep. Kristen Cloutier, Rep. Margaret Craven, House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, House Majority Leader Maureen Terry, Rep. Victoria Doudera, Sen. Anne Carney, Sen. Peggy Rotundo and Sen. Joe Rafferty
- Maryland: Sen. William Smith and Sen. Jeff Walkstreicher
- Massachusetts: Rep. Michael Day and Sen. James Eldridge
- Minnesota: Rep. Kelly Moller, Rep. Dave Pinto, Sen. Alice Mann, Sen. Bonnie Westlin and Sen. Ron Latz
- Nevada: Assembly member Sandra Jauregui and Sen. Dallas Harris
- New Hampshire: Rep. David Meuse and Rep. Alexis Simpson
- New Jersey: Speaker Craig Coughlin and Speaker Pro Tem Benjie Wimberly
- New Mexico: Rep. Pamelya Herndon
- New York: Sen. Brian Kavanagh
- North Carolina: Rep. Julie von Haefen
- Ohio: Rep. Darnell Brewer
- Oklahoma: Rep. Amanda Swope, Rep. Forrest Bennett, Rep. Jason Lowe and Sen. Jo Anne Dossett
- Oregon: Rep. Jason Kropf, Rep. Lisa Reynolds, Rep. Ricki Ruiz and Sen. Janeen Sollman
- Pennsylvania: Rep. Lindsay Powell, Rep. Jennifer O’Mara, Rep. Danilo Burgos and Sen. Art Haywood
- Rhode Island: Rep. Jason Knight, Rep. Jennifer Boylan, Rep. Justine Caldwell, Sen. Pamela Lauria and Sen. Dawn Euer
- South Carolina: Sen. Deon Tedder
- South Dakota: Rep. Linda Duba
- Tennessee: House Minority Leader Karen Camper, Rep. Gloria Johnson, Rep. Justin Jones, Rep. Justin Pearson, Rep. Yusuf Hakeem,. Rep. Bo Mitchell, Sen. Raumesh Akbari and Sen. London Lamar
- Texas: Rep. Vikki Goodwin and Sen. Roland Gutierrez
- Utah: Rep. Sahara Hayes and Rep. Brian King
- Vermont: President Pro Tem Philip Baruth
- Virginia: Sen. Adam Ebbin, Sen. Jennifer Boysko and Sen.-elect Russet Perry
- Washington: Rep. Liz Berry
- Wisconsin: Rep. Shelia Stubbs
Second Amendment grassroots activists should start paying attention now to pre-filed gun control bills and compare the names of the sponsors to the names on the above list. For example, as Ammoland News reported back on Dec. 12, Washington State Rep. Liz Berry is sponsoring House Bill 1902, mandating a permit-to-purchase firearms with a proof-of-safety-training requirement.
Political fireworks are already happening. The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Burlington, challenging the state’s new gun control law known as Act 45, alleging in the complaint that the law violates the Second Amendment. According to the Seven Days news website, the lawsuit spans 50 pages. The measure became law earlier this year. It includes a 72-hour waiting period on gun purchases and limit on magazine capacity.
In Nebraska, KETV News is reporting that the Nebraska Firearms Owners Association has sued the cities of Omaha and Lincoln for adopting local gun control ordinances banning firearms on city property, including parks and libraries. This comes a week after Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued a legal opinion that such a ban city-owned property is illegal.
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About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.