North Dakota: Pro-Gun Bills Advance to Senate and House Floor

This week, three important pro-gun bills received “Do Pass” recommendations in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

House Bill 1457, sponsored by state Representative Karen Karls (R-35), would require state agencies to sell off seized, abandoned or forfeited firearms at auction if the owner cannot be located or does not reclaim the firearm and it is in safe and operable condition. 

House Bill 1241 and House Bill 1450 are both concealed carry reform bills that focus on expanding opportunities for permitted individuals.  The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee amended some of HB 1450’s original provisions into HB 1241.  As amended, HB 1241, sponsored by state Representative Roscoe Streyle (R-3), now does the following:

• Expands your right to carry in more areas such as musical concerts, political rallies or functions
• Recognizes the right to carry in public rest areas and restrooms
• Recognizes the right to carry in stores that sell liquor
• Allows hunters to utilize legally owned short-barreled rifles to take any game for which a rifle is allowed
• Recognizes that class 1 and class 2 permits are equally valid in North Dakota

HB 1450, sponsored by state Representative Ben Koppelman (R-16), clarifies what is considered legally unloaded for rifles and handguns, and now contains a provision which allows employees of universities to store firearms in their vehicles while parked on campus.

HB 1457, HB 1241 and HB 1450 are all expected to be heard on the Senate floor early next week.  Please contact your state Senator immediately and encourage him or her to vote in SUPPORT of these three important pro-gun bills.

Also this week, the House Judiciary Committee gave a “Do Pass” recommendation to Senate Bill 2274, NRA-backed “shall sign” legislation.

Sponsored by Senator Kelly Armstrong (R-36), SB 2274 would require that a chief law enforcement officer (CLEO) sign an application for the acquisition or transfer of any item regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA), including short barreled rifles/shotguns and suppressors, within 30 days, so long as the applicant is not prohibited by law from receiving it.

SB 2274 would impose reasonable deadlines and ensure that individuals who are lawfully seeking to transfer an NFA item are able to do so in an expeditious manner.  Some CLEOs simply refuse to sign such forms, and nothing in current law prohibits this, even if the applicant’s receipt of the NFA item would not be contrary to law and the CLEO has no information that the applicant intends to use the NFA item for an unlawful purpose.  SB 2274 will prevent an arbitrary personal bias from determining North Dakota firearm policy and ensure that qualified, law-abiding North Dakotans will not be denied their ability to legally own NFA items.  The reforms in SB 2274 benefit law-abiding Second Amendment supporters by ensuring that the process to obtain NFA items already legal in North Dakota remains consistent, fact-based and objective.

SB 2274 is expected to be heard on the House floor early next week.  Please contact your state Representative and encourage him or her to vote in SUPPORT of SB 2274 when it comes before them.