Weekly Spotlight 5/2/25 – 5/9/25
Federal Court Ruling on California Concealed Carry Decision Underscores Need for National Reciprocity
This week, a federal judge ruled that out-of-state residents must be allowed to apply for concealed carry permits in California. This decision is long overdue and marks a significant step towards restoring the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans in a state that has historically had some of the most restrictive self-defense laws in the nation.
In part due to organization and activation from responsible gun owners and 2A advocates across the country, law-abiding Americans can tout a monumental victory for our Second Amendment rights and the fundamental right to self-defense in California.
The right to defend oneself should not end at the state line. Furthermore, law-abiding, responsible Americans should not be subject to losing their Constitutional rights simply because of the zip code in which they live or because of their interstate travel. Moreover, the right to self-defense is even more crucial in a state like where violent crime has been steadily increasing.
While critics continue to argue that this change will make California less safe, in fact the contrary is true. Data consistently has illustrated that concealed carry permit holders are among the most law-abiding Americans and actually make their communities safer. Additionally, the presence of a concealed carry holder, in many cases, can deter criminals that would otherwise prey on a vulnerable population that would otherwise be able to defend itself.
This latest ruling also underscores the need for concealed carry reciprocity nationwide, so that gun owners traveling through California are not stripped of their rights at the state line. Law-abiding citizens should not have to navigate a patchwork of inconsistent laws to protect themselves and their families. The House of Representatives recently marked up in Committee H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would ensure that concealed carry permits are recognized nationwide, and provide a federal framework that will clarify where and when law-abiding gun owners can exercise their rights as they cross state lines.
In a time when government overreach continues to threaten individual liberties, this ruling is a positive step forward, and one that gun rights advocates, and all Americans, should celebrate while continuing to push for reciprocity nationwide.
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OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
ProPublica: Gun Owners Group Calls For Federal Inquiry Into Firearms Industry’s Secret Sharing Of Customer Data
A group representing firearms owners has asked three federal agencies to investigate how the gun industry’s main lobbying group secretly used the intimate details of weapons buyers for political purposes. In making the request, Gun Owners for Safety cited a ProPublica investigation that detailed how the National Shooting Sports Foundation turned over sensitive personal information on gun buyers to political operatives while presenting itself as a fierce advocate for the privacy of firearms owners. The letter — sent last week to the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — called the NSSF’s secret program that spanned nearly two decades “underhanded.”
The Truth About Guns: Federal Measure Would Protect Second Amendment Rights Of Renters, Tenants
A measure introduced in the U.S. Congress on April 17 is designed to secure the Second Amendment rights of Americans who live in rental properties whose landlords receive financial assistance from the federal government. The Preserving Rights of Tenants by Ensuring Compliance to (PROTECT) the Second Amendment Act, HR 2930, was introduced by Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa. In a nutshell, it would ensure that landlords and rental property managers cannot unlawfully restrict tenants’ firearm ownership, which is currently a common problem.
AXIOS Boulder: Gun Law Creates Staffing Concerns For Boulder Sheriff
Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson told Axios he’s unsure whether his office can enforce the state’s new gun law without additional staffing. Why it matters: Colorado’s pending requirement for buyers to take a safety course before purchasing certain semi-automatic firearms has drawn the ire of many of Colorado’s county-level officials charged with carrying out the system to permit gun owners. Catch up quick: Colorado Senate Bill 3 (SB 25-003) bans the manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale or purchase of specified semiautomatic firearms unless individuals get a “firearms safety course eligibility card” after completing a safety course.
The Truth About Guns: Tennessee Bill Would Strengthen Protection For Firearm Industry In The Volunteer State
A measure that is on the move in the Tennessee Legislature would significantly strengthen legal protections for those in the firearm industry in The Volunteer State. SB1360 has passed both chambers with overwhelming majorities and is headed for Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature. Of course, the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passed in 2005, was designed to protect gunmakers and sellers from frivolous lawsuits targeting their legally made, lawfully sold products. But many states have also passed state protections, also, to further bolster that protection.