On September 28th, Rep. Rabb and ten cosponsors filed a bill that would pile security cameras, lost and stolen reporting, retail inspections and new penalties on Pennsylvania gun dealers. It’s been sent to the House Judiciary Committee with no hearing and no vote yet. Also this week: DOJ won’t appeal the Texas suppressor ruling, but Pennsylvania isn’t covered; the Supreme Court has 57 firearms cases waiting; and a federal judge blocked Connecticut’s “Glock ban.”
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Morning. Get the coffee going, because the biggest gun news this week came out of Washington, not Harrisburg, and it’s worth a few minutes of your weekend.
The week in 30 seconds
DOJ won’t appeal the suppressor ruling. The Supreme Court is sitting on a stack of gun cases. And Harrisburg Democrats filed a new bill aimed straight at your local gun shop.
WASHINGTON BLINKED ON SUPPRESSORS. HERE’S WHAT IT MEANS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer told Congress in a letter that went public Thursday that the Justice Department has decided not to appeal the Texas suppressor ruling. That’s the case where a federal judge found that, with the NFA tax at $0, the registration and transfer rules for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and AOWs go beyond Congress’s taxing power.
That’s a real crack in the NFA, and I’m glad to see it. But here’s the part the excited headlines skip. The order only protects the plaintiffs, their members and customers, and 15 plaintiff states. Pennsylvania isn’t one of them. It’s not a nationwide ruling, and the NFA Form 4 and background checks still apply. It’s still getting sorted out, too: the plaintiff states have asked the court to clarify how far the order reaches, and ATF hasn’t issued transfer guidance yet. So don’t run out and buy a can on a handshake. Not yet.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court held its long conference Monday with 57 firearms cases on the list, by one legal center’s count, on everything from “sensitive places” to 18-to-20-year-olds to reciprocity. They haven’t granted or denied a single gun case yet. The first full orders list is expected Monday, and the AR-15 ban cases the Court already took are set for argument December 2nd.
HARRISBURG: A NEW BILL GUNNING FOR YOUR LOCAL GUN SHOP
On Monday, September 28th, Rep. Rabb and ten cosponsors filed a new gun-dealer bill, and it went straight to the House Judiciary Committee. It would pile new requirements on licensed dealers: security cameras, lost and stolen reporting, inspections of retail shops, a dealer “safety” grant program and a fresh set of penalties.
Every one of those sounds harmless in a press release. In real life it’s more paperwork, more inspectors and more ways to trip up the small family shop down the road until it isn’t worth keeping the doors open. That’s how they go after your rights when they can’t win the vote outright. They go after the counter you buy from.
To be clear, it’s only been filed and sent to committee. No hearing. No vote. Both chambers were in session this week and no gun bill got a floor vote, good or bad. We’ll be watching Judiciary for the first sign they try to put it on an agenda.
Pennsylvania voting dates
Monday, October 19: last day to register.
Tuesday, October 27: last day to apply for a mail ballot.
Tuesday, November 3, 8 p.m.: mail ballots must be received by then.
There’s no statewide early-voting start date. Some counties are already offering mail and on-demand voting, so check with yours.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED
Congress is asking about ATF’s 1.4 billion records. Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas says ATF confirmed to him in July that it’s sitting on more than 1.4 billion records from gun dealers that went out of business. On Wednesday he called for an independent investigation and for destroying any records kept in violation of the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act. ATF keeps saying there’s no federal gun registry. Funny, it keeps finding more of one.
A judge stopped Connecticut’s “Glock ban.” Hours before it was set to take effect October 1st, a federal judge blocked Connecticut’s ban on so-called convertible pistols, finding the challengers are likely to win on the Second Amendment. It’s a preliminary ruling and it only covers Connecticut, but it’s a shot across the bow for every blue-state politician trying to copy it.
That’s the week. A federal win with an asterisk, a Supreme Court about to show its cards, and Harrisburg Democrats reminding you they haven’t forgotten where you buy your guns.
If this helped you make sense of the week, chip in $5 so PFA can keep a close watch on Harrisburg and Washington for you.
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For Freedom,
Rob Knisley
Pennsylvania Firearms Association
P.S. Monday is the day to watch. That’s when the Supreme Court’s first orders are expected. Whatever happens, I’ll tell you what it really means for Pennsylvania, not what the headlines want it to mean.