Weekly Spotlight 3/1/24 – 3/7/24
U.S. House Members Introduce Legislation to Stop Credit Card Tracking of Gun Purchases
Last week, U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) introduced the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act alongside Representatives Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Andy Barr (R-KY). The bill would ban the use of a Merchant Category Code (MCC) to track lawful purchases at gun stores.
The introduction comes on the heels of major credit card companies American Express, Visa, and Mastercard announcing their plans to require MCCs on all firearms and ammunition purchases in California. By requiring these codes, they could track and monitor the purchases of law-abiding gun owners seeking to exercise their Second Amendment rights, including what items were bought and how much was spent.
Proponents of MCCs argue that it is a preventative measure aimed at curbing mass shootings, though there is scarce evidence supporting the claim. In reality, MCCs represent a form of commercial gun control pushed by corporate executives who often feel pressured by anti-gun politicians. In turn, this will jeopardize the privacy and Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.
According to a recent report on the issue, credit card companies state that they “would not reveal information about the customer purchasing the gun or individual items purchased.” However, the intent behind such purchases remains to help identify and hinder bad actors before they can commit acts of mass violence, which would require credit card companies to compile and pass along personal data to law enforcement – an inherent disconnect.
Additionally, there is no reason to suspect that MCCs will have any impact on the decision-making processes of individuals who set out to hurt innocent citizens. With the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in place, criminals are already blocked by federally licensed firearms dealers, and the MCCs would have no impact on already illegal transactions.
MCCs would infringe upon the privacy of law-abiding citizens and represent a step towards government monitoring of law-abiding gun owners with no criminal history. This must be stopped, and we’re glad to see elected officials on Capitol Hill taking this issue seriously.
Join us in advocating for sensible legislative solutions that will help save lives!
OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
A local news outlet accused Colorado Democrats of pushing a “backdoor gun tax” through legislation that would require firearm owners to purchase liability insurance. Three state Democrats — two representatives and one senator — on Feb. 13 introduced the legislation, which would require gun owners to maintain insurance that covers anyone injured from an accidental shooting. Failure to buy the extra coverage would face a $500 fine for the first offense and $1,000 for the second.
Louisiana will likely become the twenty-eighth state to restore Constitutional Carry (permitless carry). South Carolina is in the process of rectifying versions of a (permitless) Constitutional Carry bill in a conference committee. There is a good chance South Carolina will pass a bill acceptable to both the South Carolina House and Senate. Louisiana already passed a Constitutional Carry bill in 2021. The bill passed with veto-proof majorities, but Governor Bel Edwards (D) was able to sustain a veto with a combination of arm-twisting and promises.
Blue cities and gun-control advocates have had remarkable success in going after the nation’s most high-profile seller of homemade gun kits in court of late. Most recently, Baltimore announced that Nevada-based unfinished firearm parts manufacturer Polymer80 had agreed to pay $1.2 million in a suit accusing the company of fueling gun violence in the city with its business practices. The settlement will not only permanently bar Polymer80 from marketing or selling any of its products to Maryland residents, but it will also require the company to provide Baltimore city officials with quarterly reports disclosing all of its sales to customers in the surrounding states like Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia.
- Richmond Times-Dispatch: Henrico bans firearms and ammunition from public buildings
The Henrico Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday night to pass a firearms ban affecting over 100 county buildings including libraries and recreational buildings. The ordinance does not include public parks or public roadways. Specifically, members of the public are barred from the “knowing possession” of “firearms, ammunition, and components” from “certain” public sites. The ordinance says that signage will be posted at locations where the bans, which went into immediate effect, are enacted.
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