Last week, Democrats on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee advanced several extreme gun control initiatives, despite Maine’s reputation as the safest state in the country. Both the House and the Senate will vote on these proposals in the coming weeks.
It is now time to take the fight to save your Second Amendment rights to the halls of the State House in Augusta. The NRA and Gun Owners of Maine are calling on all members to join fellow gun-rights supporters at the Maine State House on Tuesday, May 30th, at 9:00 A.M. to talk to lawmakers about the importance of protecting Maine’s heritage of gun ownership. Please meet in the Cross Building Lobby (111 Sewall Street, Augusta, ME) prior to the event to receive your materials for the event.
To RSVP for this event please CLICK HERE or email Justin Davis, State Director at JDavis@NRAHQ.org.
Below are just a few of the extreme bills advanced in committee last week, with more dangerous anti-gun bills coming soon:
LD 22 is an overly broad bill that puts Maine out of alignment with federal law regarding the sale of antique firearms. This bill classifies antiques in the same class as all other firearms, resulting in a conflict with how these sales are processed.
LD 60 delays Second Amendment rights by imposing a three-day waiting period before an individual may receive a firearm that they lawfully purchase, with limited exemptions. There is no evidence that waiting periods reduce violent crime. Instead, this simply denies someone the ability to buy a firearm for urgent self-defense.
LD 168 requires background checks for all private sales of firearms, including those at gun shows or resulting from advertising, with very limited exceptions. It applies to a private sale between two parties – including friends, neighbors, and coworkers, regardless of where the sale takes place. All such transfers – even if the seller knows the recipient is not a prohibited person – would have to be conducted through a federal firearm licensed dealer (FFL), with extensive federal paperwork, payment of an undetermined fee, and approval from the U.S. government.
LD 1011 requires law-abiding gun owners who are victims of theft, to report the stolen firearm within 72 hours of when the owner knew or “should have known” it was lost or stolen. Rather than deter fraudulent gun sales, this bill would turn victims of gun theft into criminals and make people whose guns have been lost or stolen hesitant to assist police for fear of prosecution.
LD 1340 bans legal “rapid-fire modification devices” that are already commonly owned and in use by Mainers. These devices include, but are not limited to, bump stocks and binary triggers that are used in a wide array of legal activities, including competitive and recreational shooting. Possession of such devices would be a Class D crime.
Again, please join fellow gun-rights supporters on Tuesday, May 30th, at the Maine State House for this important event.
About NRA-ILA:
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org
