On Thursday, May 15th, the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary will hold several work sessions and votes on gun-related bills. In addition to these work sessions, they will also hold a hearing on a LD 1867, a critical pro-gun bill that protects the privacy of firearm purchasers. NRA members are encouraged to contact committee members NOW and urge them to OPPOSE all gun control measures and SUPPORT all pro-gun bills. To contact committee members, click the TAKE ACTION button below.
A list of bills of interest can be found below.
Work Session
Anti-Gun Bills
LD 1126, progressive politicians' so-called "ghost gun bill," redefines firearms under Maine law to include both finished and unfinished receivers. This definition change also explicitly requires that all finished and unfinished frames, receivers, and homemade firearms must be serialized at an FFL. This would hinder law-abiding Mainers' ability to build and repair firearms in their homes and require them to obtain expensive serialization on firearms and firearm parts. This "ghost gun" scheme does not address criminal activity in Maine. Instead, it serves a national agenda to ban homemade firearms, which have been part of our nation's history since its inception
LD 1379 requires all firearm dealers and gunsmiths to display anti-gun "public health" warnings at their establishments. This bill attempts to further the farce that firearms are a "public health crisis" and intimidate or dissuade first-time gun buyers.
LD 411 prohibits the state from selling forfeited firearms. If passed, this bill would ban the State of Maine from selling firearms and instead direct them to be destroyed.
LD 1821 mandates that all federal firearm licensees install costly and extreme "security measures" in their businesses and/or home. This bill seeks to create more unnecessary and cost-prohibitive requirements that would raise the cost of firearms in Maine and reduce the number of gun dealers throughout the state.
Pro-Gun Bills
LD 208 and LD 1230 seek to repeal Maine's 72-hour waiting period law. Maine's current waiting period law, which was passed by only one vote through the exploitation of an obscure Senate rule, has been mired in controversy. After going into law without Governor Mills' signature, state-level gun rights groups Gun Owners of Maine and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine challenged the law in federal court. Citing constitutional concerns, a preliminary injunction was ordered, and subsequent appeals by the State have been unsuccessful.
LD 1009 would create a legal process to restore the Second Amendment rights of non-violent offenders. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Chad Perkins (R- Dover-Foxcroft), establishes a process for non-violent felons to petition the State of Maine to restore their rights. This petition process allows the Maine Department of Public Safety to review these requests on a case-by-case basis and issue a judgment regarding whether or not the individual should have their rights restored.
Public Hearing
LD 1867 prohibits the assigning of a specific merchant category code to the sale of firearms, ammunition, or firearm accessories, and provides a civil penalty for violations. Introduced by leading pro-gun lawmaker Senator Matt Harrington (R-York), this critical legislation protects gun owners' privacy. In addition, it ensures that bad actors cannot use credit and debit card transactions to create a gun-registry or block cardholders from making gun-related purchases.
Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for updates.
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