Late this afternoon, with less than a week to go in the legislative session, the Senate Judiciary Committee posted an agenda announcing it will consider AB 291 tomorrow, May 29th, at 8AM. As previously reported, it is anticipated that tomorrow’s hearing will be limited in scope to potential amendments that will include “red flag” laws. However, amended language has not been made available, leaving the public in the dark on issues impacting their constitutional rights. It is imperative that you contact your state Senators, committee members, and Governor Sisolak immediately to express your opposition to AB 291! Click the "Take Action" button below to contact your state Senator and call the phone numbers below to contact members of the committee.
Senate Judiciary Committee
Chair: Nicole Cannizzaro (D-6), (775) 684-1475
Vice Chair: Dallas Harris (D-11), (775) 684-6502
James Ohrenschall (D-21), (775) 684-6503
Marilyn Dondero Loop (D-8), (775) 684-1445
Melanie Scheible (D-9), (775) 684-1421
Scott Hammond (R-18), (775) 684-1442
Ira Hansen (R-14), (775) 684-1480
Keith Pickard (R-20), (775) 684-1481
Governor Steve Sisolak (775) 684-5670
Assembly Bill 291, introduced by Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D-41), is omnibus anti-gun legislation that is a threat to both law-abiding gun owners residing in Nevada and those who are visiting. Most notably, AB 291 would:
- Allow Local Gun Control Laws: Nevada's firearm preemption laws have been on the books since 1989 and have been improved over the years to ensure consistency in firearm laws throughout the state, by occupying the field of firearm related regulations with the State Legislature. With the amendments to AB 291, the legislature would cede authority to the counties to pass stricter gun control laws without limitation. This move could result in a confusing patchwork of laws for both residents and visitors to navigate while subjecting Nevadans in one county to a different set of rules and regulations regarding their constitutional rights than to a person in a neighboring county.
- Criminalize Certain Firearm Modifications: With the amendments, this legislation remains broader than existing federal regulations, and would criminalize certain modifications on semi-automatic firearms. Violations of this section would result in felony penalties.
- Expand the Ability for Localities to Create “Gun-Free Zones:” These arbitrary boundaries would only disarm law-abiding citizens and leave them defenseless against the criminals who ignore such restrictions.
Possible Amendments may remove the preemption section from the bill and include the following below. Please keep in mind these are rumors, given that amended bill language is not available at this time:
- Red Flag/Pre-Crime Protective Orders, which differ and no language is available at this time. Generally, the orders are issued not because a person has been convicted of a crime or adjudicated mentally ill, but instead on third party allegations. This legislation lacks strong due process protections and contains low evidentiary standards that fall well below the norm for removing fundamental constitutional rights.
- AB 153 language that would expand Nevada's current law regulating firearm storage by imposing a one-size-fits-all government standard that requires firearms to be made unavailable for self-defense.
Again, please click the “Take Action” button above to contact your state Senator and call the phone numbers above to contact members of the committee and the Governor and urge them to OPPOSE AB 291.
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