Pro-gun rights

Gun Owners of America Texas Announces Gun Owners Lobby Day at the Texas Capitol 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 March 7, 2025 

AUSTIN, TX — Gun Owners of America (GOA) Texas, in partnership with Patriot Mobile and coalition partners, proudly announces Gun Owners Lobby Day on March 11, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. This high-impact day of grassroots activism will unite gun rights advocates, legislators, and key voices in the Second Amendment community to stand strong in defense of constitutional freedoms during the 89th Texas Legislative Session. 

The event will take place at the Robert E. Johnson Conference Center at 1501 N Congress Ave for check-in and registration, starting at 10:00 a.m. The kickoff rally will follow at 10:30 a.m., featuring speeches from Erich Pratt, GOA Senior Vice President; Lt. Col. Allen West; Leigh Wambsganss of Patriot Mobile; Kyle Carruth, GOA Texas Legislative Director; Stephen Willeford, GOA Spokesman; Richard Hayes II and Emily Taylor, GOA Legislative Counsel; and several invited Texas legislators, including Sen. Bob Hall and Rep. Briscoe Cain, among others. 

At 1:00 p.m., the grassroots rally will take place at the Texas Capitol South Steps, with speakers including Pratt, West, Wambsganss, and bill authors. In case of inclement weather, the rally will remain at the REJ Conference Center. Following the rally, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., attendees will engage with lawmakers to advocate for pro-Second Amendment legislation and lobby for key bills to strengthen Texas gun rights. 

Key legislative priorities for the event include HB 162, which aims to ban red flag laws, SB 1065 and HB 1715, which would prohibit gun-free zones on public property, and HB 170, which seeks civil liability protection for the justified use of a firearm. 

The event is free and open to all Second Amendment supporters. Patriot Mobile Texas will provide buses from multiple Texas locations. To attend, register at https://txgunrights.org/gun-owner-lobby-days-2025/. 

Gun Owners of America is a grassroots organization dedicated to defending Second Amendment rights with a no-compromise stance, representing millions of gun owners nationwide. Patriot Mobile, America’s only Christian conservative wireless provider, proudly sponsors this event in support of constitutional freedoms and organizations like GOA. 

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA, stated:  

“The Second Amendment is a right that requires active participation. Now, more than ever, it’s critical for gun owners to step up and make their voices heard in Austin. If we don’t show up, our opponents will – and they’ll do everything they can to undermine our freedoms.” 

Leigh Gibson, GOA Texas State Director, added:  

“This is about more than just one day of lobbying – it’s about building an unstoppable movement. Gun owners in Texas have the power to make a real difference, but that power only matters if we use it. I encourage every patriot to join us in Austin and be a part of the fight to keep Texas a stronghold for our rights.” 

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center. 

-GOA- 

As our Maryland readers will surely be aware, the Maryland Handgun Roster Board (HRB) presides over the process of approving handguns for addition to the Maryland Handgun Roster, which is required before any handgun manufactured post-1984 can be sold in the state. Although the meeting minutes won't be available until June, I'm hearing that at … Continue reading Maryland Handgun Roster Board Denies or Tables Nearly Every New Petition, What Next? →



Back in January, we provided you with an update on the state of gun related legislation in New York. Since then, some of the original bills have advanced and an even larger list of bills have been added to the anti-gun pile. Gun grabbers in the State of New York are pushing exceptionally hard to strip you of your rights, the new bills that we are tracking which require immediate action can be seen below:

NY S 5952, Senator Parker, requires any firearm manufactured by a 3D printer to contain a unique identifying number and to be registered with the state police. This bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Consumer Protection Committee on March 4th.

NY S 5974, Senator Parker, requires firearm owners to obtain liability insurance of covering at least 1 million dollars in potential damages. This bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Insurance Committee on March 4th.

NY S 5813, Senator Sepulveda, and NY A 6024, Assemblywoman Simon, both bills relate to imposing excise taxes firearms and ammunition. S 5813 was introduced and referred to the Senate Budget and Revenue Committee on March 3rd, while A 6024 was referred to House Ways and Means Committee on February 25th.

NY S 744, Senator Hoylman-Sigal, a “Rapid-fire modification device” ban that includes any bump stock, trigger-crank, binary trigger system, burst trigger system, “pistol converter,” or any other device designed to accelerate a firearms rate of fire. This bill passed the Senate and was referred to the House Codes Committee on February 3rd.

NY S 5818, Senator Sepulveda, allows anyone (excluding state or local government officers and employees) to bring civil action against those who manufacture, distribute, or sell “assault weapons” or “ghost guns” or their parts within the state, including those who aid or abet or intend to do so. The bill also goes as far to explicitly state that defendants cannot use defenses such as ignorance of the law or belief in the unconstitutionality of the requirements. This bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3rd.

NY A 544, Assemblywoman Paulin, requires police officers to take temporary custody of firearms when responding to reports of family violence. As always, these bills are infringements on due process rights. This bill was amended and recommitted to the House Codes Committee on February 28th.

NY A 6113, Assemblyman Benedetto, prohibits the issuing of firearms licenses to individuals on the federal no-fly list or terrorist screening database. This bill is also a violation of due process rights, and these lists have a long history of abuse attached to them. It was only last year that Tulsi Gabbard was placed on a domestic terror watchlist without any form of recourse, despite that fact that she had committed no crimes. The action itself coming as a form of political retribution from the Biden administration. NY A 6113 was introduced and referred to the House Codes Committee on February 26th.

NY S 5279, Senator Sepulveda, directs the state police to develop regulations regarding bulk purchase of firearms or ammunition and investigating those purchases for potential criminal activity. This bill is a direct infringement on gun owners’ privacy rights. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on February 20th.

NY S 4790, Senator Sanders, requires a purchaser of any firearm, rifle or shotgun to submit to a mental health evaluation. This bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Codes Committee on February 12th.

NY S 4277, Senator Kavanagh, .50 caliber firearm ban. this bill was referred to the Senate Codes Committee on February 3rd.

The status of the legislation that we alerted you about in January can be seen here:

NY S 418, Senator Gianaris, prohibits the purchase of more than 1 firearm during any period of 30 days and its companion bill, NY A 1774, from Assemblywoman Rosenthal. Both of these bills remain in their respective House and Senate Codes Committees.

NY A 2228, Assemblywoman Rajkumar, requires background checks in order to purchase a 3D printer. This bill remains in the House Codes Committee.

NY S 2158, Senator Comrie, establishes a database of information relating to the sale or use of micro-stamped guns. (Micro-stamped referring to firearms with firing pins that imprint unique markings onto cartridge casings.) This bill remains in the Senate Codes Committee.

NY S 2089, Senator Kavanagh, expands background checks to include juvenile delinquency records for persons under age 30 when purchasing a firearm. This bill remains in the Senate Children and Families Committee.

NY S 1455, Senator Kavanagh, allowing the division of criminal justice services to certify the technological viability of “personalized handguns” and to establish requirements related to the sale of “personalized handguns,” along with its companion bill, A 1191, from Assemblyman Bores. (Personalized handguns referring to pistols or revolvers that could be programmed to function only when activated by the firearm’s lawful owner or other authorized user.) NY S 1455 remains in the Senate Codes Committee, while A 1191 was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee on January 28th.

NY S 1358, Senator Serrano, would require all pistols to be equipped with a permanent “Child Proofing Device.” This bill remains in the Senate Codes Committee.

NY A 437, Assemblyman Dinowitz, suicide warning signs would be required on-site at any establishment that sells, displays, or delivers firearms. This bill was reported from the House Rules Committee on January 22nd.

NY A 346, Assemblywoman Paulin, under 21 purchase ban. This bill remains in the House Codes Committee.

NY A 2060, Assemblywoman Rajkumar, requires any firearm manufactured by a three-dimensional printer to contain a unique identifying number and to be registered with the state police. This bill remains in the House Codes Committee.

As more anti-gun bills continue to pour into the legislature, we need you to remain steadfast alongside GOA in TAKING ACTION against them. Reach out to your legislators immediately in the form above and urge them to OPPOSE these anti-gun bills.

According a memorandum he published to X, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has ordered the Assistant U.S. Attorneys (prosecutors) in his district to pursue every firearm related charge referred to them, and to seek pretrial detention (imprisonment) and appeal every denial of pretrial detention for a wide swath of charges. While … Continue reading Acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. Instructs AUSA’s to Prosecute All Referred Firearms Charges →

The Attorney General’s report on how to save the Second Amendment is almost due to President Trump’s desk.

This is the FINAL chance for gun owners like you to tell the White House what MUST be done to restore our 2A rights.

So, for our final letter, we are calling attention to the three MOST important action items:

1. Abolishing the ATF’s illegal gun registry
2. Repealing the Frame and Receiver rule that restricts your right to make homemade firearms – or “ghost guns” as anti-gunners like to call them
3. Holding ATF & FBI officials accountable for exceeding the law to violate the 2A rights of law-abiding Americans

Please add your name to our pre-written letter to be part of our FINAL grassroots campaign to tell the White House what items MUST be included in the 2A action report. With the deadline looming, we need to make this final push our biggest one yet!

Upon reviewing the tens of thousands of responses we’ve received from our surveys, it’s clear that gun owners consider abolishing the ATF’s illegal registry to be a TOP priority.

Not only is a federal gun registry simply illegal on its own, but it can also be used as a weapon for tyrants to confiscate your guns.

Additionally, it’s imperative that the Trump Administration withdraw the Frame and Receiver Rule immediately, which was set in place by the Biden-Harris Administration to wage war on so-called “ghost guns” by restricting your right to make your own firearm. This rule also establishes that every 4473 form will eventually get sent to the ATF.

Unfortunately, no one expects the Supreme Court to do the right thing in the upcoming VanDerStok case that challenges the ATF’s regulation of homemade firearms – so gun owners need the Trump Administration to step in and take executive action.

Finally, there is no question that the ATF has operated as a rogue criminal organization that bypasses Congress, tramples on the Constitution, and will gladly resort to violence to assert its power.

They’ve shut down gun dealers for mere clerical errors, they’ve surveilled pro-gun message boards, they’ve used facial recognition to spy on gun owners, they’ve been caught stealing money from taxpayers… and they’ve even killed gun owners.

In one such example, ATF agents killed a man named Bryan Malinowski in a pre-dawn raid all because they suspected he was “engaged in the business” of dealing firearms.

The ATF agents – who conveniently “forgot” to wear their body cameras that day – covered Bryan’s doorbell camera with tape and killed him in his own home.

And the FBI is certainly also guilty of preying upon gun-owning Americans, as we’ve seen with their coercing law-abiding gun owners to sign away their right to purchase firearms.

ATF and FBI officials must be held accountable for exceeding the law to violate the God-given rights of gun owners.

These three action items absolutely MUST be included in the final report – and GOA needs your help to ensure they make it in.

So please, add your name to our pre-written letter to tell the White House what items MUST be included in the 2A action report.

NEW YORK (March 5, 2025) – Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced that it filed its answering brief with the federal Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Christian v. James, an FPC Law case that challenges New York’s laws banning firearms on all publicly accessible private property without the express consent of the owner. 



Ask the Governor to Uphold Second Amendment Protections

Thank you so much for taking action on our alerts!

Our Legislative victories, like passing the Repeal of Gun-Free Zones just last week, prove that Legislators are listening to you in Cheyenne.

Now we need you to contact the Governor once again!

Before I tell you about the latest critical issue, please let me explain where we’ve been in order to explain what we need to do now. 

In 2022, GOA fought to pass Wyoming Statute 9-14-203 which imposed a Criminal Penalty of imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, and a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), for state or local officials who infringe on your Second Amendment Rights.

No law is perfect, but many Second Amendment experts believe this law is the nation’s strongest Criminal Second Amendment Protection Act (SAPA) because it is a serious deterrent for officials who would infringe on your Rights!

Since the passage of the 2022 law, GOA has worked in Cheyenne every year to add a process allowing citizens to take Civil Action against a governmental entity that infringes on our Second Amendment Rights.

Sadly, some dishonest groups and legislators have played political games with these facts and misrepresented these issues to the people of Wyoming for four years!

Click here for an article from the publication Ammoland that gives a national perspective on the truth about Wyoming SAPA over the last four Legislative cycles.

At the beginning of this 2025 Legislative Session, 8 Wyoming Legislators, with the backing of the dishonest group exposed in Ammoland, proposed SF0196, and a House mirror bill HB0283, that would have destroyed the criminal penalty in Wyoming law for Wyoming officials who infringe on your Second Amendment Rights.

Without reason or evidence, they falsely claimed this was “advancing Second Amendment Rights.”

To verify what we are saying, download the Introduced Versions of the identical bills, as first proposed in the Legislature (HB0283 and SF0196), and look at the language on page 4 striking the Criminal Penalty that many around the country call America’s best!

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!

Due to pressure from GOA’s members, Legislators heard the voice of GOA, and during a February 3rd Senate Committee Meeting, SF0196 was amended by the Committee to reinstate the criminal penalties!

THIS WAS A GREAT WIN FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT!

Also, due to the work of GOA, additional Amendments were made to SF0196 in the Wyoming House. These include: better definitions of “public officers” and “peace officers” in order to ensure there are no loopholes for Agencies to use in hiring “Officers” who would not be subject to this law. 

With these positive changes from GOA, SF0196 has now passed both chambers of the Wyoming Legislature and sits on the desk of Governor Mark Gordon.

Thanks to the hard work and influence of GOA’s members and supporters, this Legislation now protects the 2022 Criminal Penalties in Wyoming law and establishes a process allowing Citizens to sue Agencies and Departments when Rights are violated!

Sadly, the fight is far from over. The next battle is to address the possibility of a veto by Wyoming Governor Gordon!

Please click TAKE ACTION HERE, or in the graphic at the top, and contact the Governor to tell him not to veto this important Legislation.

GOA will continue to fight for this legislation until the deadline expires for a Governor’s veto (late March), so please stay tuned for more information soon regarding how you can help strengthen Second Amendment Protections in Wyoming.

P.S. Ask the Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon to support SF0196 and protect our Rights!

Last week anti gunners in Vermont introduced a large group of bills that could affect your Second Amendment rights. The list of bills that need to be OPPOSED can be seen below:

H 45 — Prohibits the possession of firearms on premises where alcohol is licensed to be served. This bill would create gun-free zones in many restaurants and bars around the state. It’s already obvious that gun-free zones strip law-abiding citizens of the right to self-defense, but this wrongful legislation has already been tried before.

In 2023, Maryland tried to pass a similar bar and restaurant handgun ban within SB1 – the Gun Safety Act of 2023, but the portions of that bill restricting carry in bars and restaurants was struck down by a Federal Judge the following year. H 45 was read first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary on January 21st.

H 264 — Expands Vermont’s mandatory firearm storage laws. This bill was read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary on February 19th.

H 418 — Imposes an 11% excise tax on licensed firearm dealers and ammunition vendors on the sale of firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition. As always, these taxes end up affecting gun owners in form of rising prices at point of sale. This bill was read first time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means on February 27th.

H 383 — Establishes a voluntary firearms licensing system in Vermont. It includes provisions for exempting a person who has obtained a license from being subject to the 72-hour waiting period upon purchase of a firearm. This bill includes provision for collecting data on finger printing, mental health records, medical records, and other persona data. It is nothing more than a backdoor database and registry on firearm owners and should be opposed.  This bill was read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary on February 26th.

H 381 — A semi-automatic firearm ban specifically pertaining to gas-operated firearms. This bill was read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary on February 26th.

Amongst all of the anti-gun bills listed above, there is a sole pro-gun bill that we can report on:

H 150 — Exempts firearms purchased at guns shows from the 72-hour transfer waiting period. While GOA supports this step in the right direction, our position is that this bill should be amended to remove ALL waiting periods on firearm transfers in Vermont. This bill was read first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary on February 6th.

These bills are moving very quickly, so contact your State Representatives immediately in the form above and urge them to OPPOSE these bills.

Last week we came to you with an alert on the current state of gun legislation in New Hampshire. As of this week, two bills related to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System are moving and require action:

HB 506 — Allows for a background check to be conducted on an individual who is entitled to the return of seized firearms and ammunition upon the termination or expiration of a court order. This means someone who has had their firearms and ammunition seized after a restraining order or bail order, for example, could potentially undergo a background check just to receive property that has already been ordered by the court to be returned to them.

The bill does not mandate background checks, but it allows courts to request a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check before returning the firearms.

On February 20th the majority of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee voted that this bill “Ought to Pass With Amendment.” Following this vote, the bill was referred to the Finance Committee and a work session was scheduled for March 7th.

HB 159-FN — Undermines due process rights by allowing confidential mental health data to be used by the state to confiscate firearms without guaranteed legal representation or a fair hearing. Using confidential mental health data for background checks infringes on personal privacy.

Another fault of this bill is that due to someone being involuntarily committed during an earlier time of their life, including those who have recovered and moved on with their lives, may never pass a NICS again, ultimately permanently barring them from firearm ownership. HB 159FN has a work session coming up very shortly, potentially as soon as next week.

Again, these two bills are being heard next week in committee. So, contact your State Representatives immediately in the form above and urge them to OPPOSE these bills.

GREAT NEWS!

IN A HISTORIC WIN FOR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, the GOA-backed “Repeal of Gun Free Zones Bill” (HB0172) became law last night, without the Governor’s signature, as time expired for a veto!

Thanks to the hard work and support of our members, we have finally achieved the goal of removing dangerous Gun-Free Zones in K-12 Schools, Colleges, most public buildings, the State Capitol, and most public places in Wyoming!

GOA fought hard to pass this bill in 2022 and 2023, and we ultimately got it over the finish line in 2024, only to have Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon veto it.

Now we have finally been successful in returning Second Amendment Rights that should have never been taken away!

While he did not veto the Legislation, in comments made just before the veto deadline, the Governor did make a number of negative and disturbing comments about the legislation.

One particular comment again cited the concept of “Local Control” and seemed to imply Legislators somehow violated some unwritten law regarding the sanctity of this concept.

As we pointed out last year, in an Op-Ed in Cowboy State Daily, there should never be “Local Control of Constitutional Rights.” That is a concept that is very dangerous to our Constitutional Republic.

Fortunately, the majority of the Wyoming Legislature agreed, and GOA wants to extend a heartfelt thank you to the steadfast commitment of Bill Sponsor, Representative Jeremy Haroldson (R – Wheatland), who has worked on this legislation for four years.

The repeal of most of Wyoming’s publicly-funded gun-free zones represents a historic restoration of Second Amendment rights and the end of many areas where only law-abiding citizens have previously been disarmed.

GOA members and supporters can rightly celebrate this monumental win for both Constitutional Rights and public safety, and we hope it can serve as an example for many other states across America!

P.S. Join GOA in fighting for your Second Amendment Rights.



As Connecticut’s legislative session kicks into full gear, there are many proposed bills that could affect your Second Amendment rights. GOA remains committed to tracking these bills and keeping you informed on the pro and anti-gun measures moving forward. The current list of bills can be seen here.

Oppose:

HB 7042 — Allows for civil lawsuits to be brought against firearm industry members “who fail to exercise ‘reasonable control’ over their product.” What this language means is that firearm industry members can be deemed responsible for the actions of other people outside their company, who commit crimes with a firearm they’ve manufactured or sold. This bill was referred to Joint Committee on Judiciary on February 20th.

HB 6180 — Would require family childcare home operators to notify parents and guardians if firearms are stored in the home. Requiring childcare operators to disclose the presence of firearms is an infringement on their privacy rights and opens the door to other individuals and businesses being required to disclose their firearms as well. This bill was referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis on February 24th.

Support:

SB 269 and its companion bill HB 5631 — Requires the state to pursue reciprocity agreements to allow Connecticut’s carry permits to be recognized in other states. SB 269 was referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security on January 8th. HB 5631 was referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security on January 21st.

SB 500 and its companion bill HB 5675 — Eliminates the restriction on the carrying of handguns in state parks and state forests for the purpose of self-defense. SB 500 was referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security on January 9th. HB 5675 was referred to Joint Committee on Environment on January 21st.

Lastly, there is a bill in the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security with a hearing tomorrow, February 27th, at 11am.

HB 7052 — Would raise the magazine capacity limit from 10 to 15 round and also allow shooting ranges to sell ammunition on site. GOA believes that HB 7052 should be amended to include the wording from HB 5717 — which completely eliminates magazine capacity restrictions, ends the requirement to declare firearm magazines, and requires the state to destroy the records of such declarations.

You can watch February 27th meeting of the Joint Committe on Public Safety and Security here: CGA – Public Safety and Security Committee – YouTube

Reach out to your State Legislators and urge them to take action on these bills. HB 7052 will be voted on tomorrow, and your voice needs to be heard!

As we told you a few weeks ago, Gun Owners of America has been working with pro-gun Tennessee State Senators and Representatives to update an important law which protects firearms manufacturers.

The Tennessee bill, titled the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act — and sponsored by Rep. Monty Fritts — is on notice for a House Civil Justice Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, March 5th, at 1:30pmCT.

Much like the federal law which was passed in 2005, Tennessee’s current PLCAA protects the firearm industry against the business-ending lawfare that anti-gun litigants had been waging against manufacturers and dealers alike.

This is a great law – but we believe it can be stronger, offering even better protections from anti-gun activists.

Here is what the update will do.

House Bill 873 would amend the Tennessee state version of the PLCAA by expanding protections to additional entities (like individuals who privately sell firearms) and add additional categories (like suppressors and firearm magazines) while also heavily restricting bad-faith “public nuisance” anti-gun litigants.

HB 873 will help not only protect the Second Amendment rights of manufacturers and citizens, but it will hold anti-gun lawfare activists accountable when they try to drag law-abiding companies and citizens through the court system in an effort to bankrupt them.

Again, that hearing this bill is on notice for a House Civil Justice Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, March 5th, at 1:30pmCT.

So please use the form above to contact the House Civil Justice Subcommittee and urge them to move HB 873 forward!

Biden Holdovers at DOJ Move to Stall GOA Victory in Ongoing Lawsuit Against ATF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

February 25, 2025 

Washington, D.C. — Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), alongside the states of Texas, Louisiana, Utah and Mississippi have filed an opposition to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) motion to stay our ongoing lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case, which seeks to block the Biden Administration’s unlawful “engaged in the business” rule, had already seen a victory at the lower court, where a judge granted a preliminary injunction in favor of the plaintiffs. But now, the DOJ is attempting to stall the case by asking for a stay, which could delay a resolution for an indefinite period of time. 

In our response filed today, GOA and the Texas Attorney General’s office made it clear that the DOJ’s request to stay the case only serves to further entrench the issue in a “quagmire of administrative process and serial litigation.” As the case is now on the brink of resolution, the DOJ’s actions seek to prolong the legal uncertainty, making it harder for gun owners to defend their rights. 

The DOJ’s request to stall this victory is not only baseless but also indicative of the entrenched anti-gun agenda within DOJ’s bureaucracy.  

This legal battle is part of a larger fight to protect the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. GOA and the Texas Attorney General’s office are working tirelessly to ensure that the ATF’s overreach is held in check, demanding that the DOJ cease its efforts to derail the court from deciding our case. On the campaign trail, President Trump said: “Biden is trying to ban all private gun transfers in the United States with a stroke of a pen. Under a Trump administration, all of those Biden disasters get ripped up and torn out my first week.” 

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA, issued the following statement: 

“We’ve already won a preliminary victory in the lower court, and the DOJ’s attempt to now stay the case is nothing but a delay tactic. A stay risks entrenching this case in an endless cycle of bureaucracy, and we’re not going to let that happen. The judge in our case issued a strong preliminary ruling, and it’s time to move forward—no more stalling. We encourage Attorney General Pam Bondi to put the right people in charge of handling these critical cases. DOJ bureaucrats are standing in the way of justice, and it’s time to make sure the right people are held accountable.” 

Sam Paredes, on behalf of Gun Owners Foundation, added: 

“While we attempted to resolve this behind the scenes, it’s clear that career bureaucrats in the DOJ have made the wrong decision. We’re calling out this misconduct, and we want to put the spotlight on those responsible for blocking the victory we’ve achieved. President Trump said he would ‘rip up’ this unlawful Rule, and so it’s inexplicable why the DOJ is now standing in the way of the court being able to do just that.” 

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center. 

-GOA- 

Firearms Financial Privacy Killed by 17 Wyoming Senators!

The GOA-backed Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act (HB0234) passed the Wyoming House on January 31 by a 56 to 3 vote only to be killed by 17 of 31 Wyoming Senators on February 21!

The bill would have prohibited the assignment of firearms-specific Merchant Category Codes (MCC) to any merchant located in Wyoming that is a seller of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition. It would have also prohibited the tracking of firearms ownership.

Firearms MCCs are the brainchild of International and American entities who want to push gun control in the United States with the ultimate goal of confiscation of firearms. These codes identify “who” is selling firearms and can be used to revoke credit and take other retaliatory acts against firearms sellers. Most importantly, MCCs are a first step to creating a National Firearms Registry of gun owners.

HB0234 proposed to change current Wyoming statutes and require the Wyoming Attorney General (AG) to take action against credit card processors who establish these codes.

Current statutes makes it discretionary for the AG to even enforce the law!

Furthermore, the bill would have allowed citizens to take civil action in court against entities that establish MCCs if the AG failed to act.

Despite passing the House with a 95% majority and passing a Senate Committee by a 5-0 vote, 17 Wyoming Senators don’t think you deserve to have your Firearms Privacy protected.

If there were problems with the Legislation, why did the Senate Committee, which voted in favor of the bill 5-0, not address those? Why did the Senate not address those on First or Second Reading? Why did the Senate wait until Third Reading to KILL THE BILL?

The question becomes where does the loyalty of these 17 Senators lie?

Please TAKE ACTION BY CLICKING HERE and send a message to the following 17 Wyoming Senators letting them know you don’t appreciate their failure to protect your Second Amendment Financial Privacy.

Further, because there is strong evidence that Wyoming Legislative Services has censored citizens’ emails for at least two years, we also ask you to take one additional step.

In addition to sending our pre-written message, we also ask you to please copy and paste the addresses of all 17 Senators into your e-mail bcc line and message them all with a personal message.

• Bo.Biteman@wyoleg.gov
• Evie.Brennan@wyoleg.gov
• Cale.Case@wyoleg.gov
• Ed.Cooper@wyoleg.gov
• Barry.Crago@wyoleg.gov
• Ogden.Driskill@wyoleg.gov
• Mike.Gierau@wyoleg.gov
• Lynn.Hutchings@wyoleg.gov
• Stacy.Jones@wyoleg.gov
• John.Kolb@wyoleg.gov
• Bill.Landen@wyoleg.gov
• Dan.Laursen@wyoleg.gov
• Tara.Nethercott@wyoleg.gov
• Jared.Olsen@wyoleg.gov
• Stephan.Pappas@wyoleg.gov
• Chris.Rothfuss@wyoleg.gov
• Wendy.Schuler@wyoleg.gov

Please remember these 17 Senators as we move forward.

GOA will be working with committed pro-Second Amendment Legislators to revisit this issue in next year’s Legislative Session, so please stay tuned for more information soon regarding how you can help strengthen Second Amendment Protections in Wyoming.

P.S. Please click here to message these 17 Senators and express your opinion about how they failed to stand for your Firearms Privacy Rights!

GREAT NEWS! The GOA-backed “Repeal of Gun Free Zones Bill” just passed both Chambers of the Wyoming Legislature and went to the Governor’s Desk!

GOA fought hard to pass this bill in 2022 and 2023, but anti-Second Amendment Leftists stopped the Legislation.

We ultimately got it over the finish line in 2024, only to have Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon veto it.

Now in 2025, Representative Jeremy Haroldson (R – Wheatland) has worked this legislation through the Wyoming Legislature for the second straight year!

Please click the TAKE ACTION HERE, or in the graphic at the top, and contact Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon. Tell him to sign this important legislation and not to veto it like he did in 2024.

Please contact Governor Gordon now and stay tuned for more information soon regarding how you can help strengthen Second Amendment Rights in Wyoming.

P.S. Ask Governor Gordon to sign the Repeal of Gun Free Zones Bill by clicking here!

GOA & GOF, On Behalf of Carl Higbie, Filed Reply Brief in NY Court to Expand Victory from NYC to Statewide Access for Nonresident Concealed Carry 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

February 21, 2025 

Washington, D.C. — Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), on behalf of Carl Higbie and two other plaintiffs, have filed an Opposition to New York’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment in the Northern District of New York, responding to the state’s defense of restrictive concealed carry permit laws. Our work here aims to expand the victory previously won when New York City began to allow nonresidents to apply for permits to the entire state of New York, removing the current barriers that confine nonresident concealed carry access to just New York City. 

This legal action is part of our ongoing commitment to dismantle unconstitutional gun laws that restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens across the country. We argue that New York’s current laws violate the Second and Fourteenth Amendments by imposing unconstitutional restrictions on nonresidents seeking to carry concealed firearms in public for self-defense. 

The state’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment focused on saying first, that New York does not prohibit nonresident permit applications, and second, defending local regulations that limit nonresidents’ ability to apply for permits to carry firearms in the state. We countered with a powerful response, reaffirming that New York’s restrictive policies infringe upon the fundamental right to self-defense and are out of step with state and federal law and the rest of the country. 

Erich Pratt, GOA’s Senior Vice President, issued the following statement: 

“Our rights, protected by the Constitution, aren’t up for debate—period. We are not backing down in our fight against New York’s unconstitutional policies. GOA and GOF will continue to fight to ensure that the Second Amendment rights of all Americans, including nonresidents, are upheld. We will not rest until every law-abiding citizen is free to exercise their constitutional right to carry a firearm for self-defense, wherever they are.” 

Sam Paredes, on behalf of Gun Owners Foundation, added: 

“New York’s gun laws are not just restrictive—they are outright unconstitutional. GOA and GOF are committed to ensuring that every American, regardless of where they live, has the right to carry a firearm for self-defense. We are confident that the court will rule in favor of expanding this important victory from New York City to the entire state, ensuring that the law-abiding public’s rights are protected.” 

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center. 

-GOA- 



Back in September, GOA sent an alert about LSR 2025-0020.

This legislative service request eventually became HB 56 — which requires background checks for private firearm sales and waiting periods for all firearm purchases in New Hampshire.

As of January 30th, the majority of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee had voted HB 56 was “Inexpedient to Legislate.”

This means that the majority of the Justice and Public Safety Committee has voted and recommended to rest of the legislature that this bill should be killed.

At a later date, HB 56 will appear before the full legislature.

Obviously, GOA agrees with the committee’s majority stance that this bill shouldn’t move any further.

Along with this bill, 2 other anti-gun bills that should ultimately be opposed and struck down. They are:

HB 352 — Prohibits possession of a firearm at a polling place. This bill was also voted as “Inexpedient to Legislate” by the majority of the Justice and Public Safety Committee on 01/30/2025.

HB 506 — Allows for a background check to be conducted on an individual who is entitled to the return of seized firearms and ammunition upon the termination or expiration of a court order. This means someone who has had their firearms and ammunition seized after a restraining order or bail order, for example, could potentially undergo a background check just to receive property that has already been ordered by the court to be returned to them.

The bill does not mandate background checks, but it allows courts to request a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check before returning the firearms. This bill should be OPPOSED despite the majority of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voting “Ought to Pass with Amendment.”

There are also bills within the New Hampshire legislature that GOA would like to see advanced and passed. Last summer the legislature scored some major victories by enacting gun owner privacy bills. Two extremely pressing pro-gun bills that need to be addressed can be seen below:

HB 381 — Exempts firearms and firearm accessories manufactured for “in-state use only” from the National Firearm Act. Meaning items like suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and even fully automatic firearms could be legally possessed and owned without a federal tax stamp as long as they remain within the state of New Hampshire’s borders.

Moving this bill forward would be a MASSIVE victory for New Hampshire gun owners. In Texas, GOA supported similar legislation in the form of a suppressor freedom bill that was passed in 2021.

The second bill in need of support is HB 551 — This bill repeals the local licensing requirement for the sale of pistols and revolvers. It is straightforward in reducing burdensome restrictions and regulations. However, this bill is still waiting for action to be taken in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

All bills may be acted upon the day after the committee report appears in the House Calendar. Fill out the form above and encourage your State Legislators to take action on these bills.

This year, all bills are “due out” of committee on 03/20/2025. This gives us ample time to raise support for our positions, as all of these bills will at some point end up in front of the entire legislature for a vote.

So, contact your State Legislators and urge them to SUPPORT the pro-gun bills and to OPPOSE the anti-gun bills. Reach out to your legislators immediately in the form above and urge them to take action on these gun bills.

GOA Applauds Newly Confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

February 20, 2025 

Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kash Patel as the next Director of the FBI, marking a major victory for gun owners and constitutional rights advocates nationwide. Gun Owners of America (GOA) has proudly supported Patel throughout the confirmation process—despite relentless attacks from Senate Democrats who took issue with his strong ties to GOA and his unwavering commitment to the Second Amendment. 

A featured speaker at GOA’s inaugural GOALS conference in Knoxville this past August, Patel has consistently demonstrated his dedication to protecting gun rights and defending the Constitution against government overreach. 

GOA remains committed to working with Director Patel and holding the FBI accountable to protect gun owners’ rights and end the agency’s history of unconstitutional overreach. 

Tim Macy, Chairman of GOA, praised Patel’s confirmation: 

“Kash Patel’s confirmation is a massive win for gun owners across America. Unlike his predecessors, he understands that the FBI must serve the American people—not act as a political weapon against them. We look forward to seeing Director Patel restore integrity to the Bureau while standing firm in defense of our Second Amendment rights.” 

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA, added: 

“For years, we’ve watched the FBI trample on the rights of law-abiding gun owners who the Biden Administration designated as ‘Militia Violent Extremists’ for their belief in the Bill of Rights and use of patriotic imagery like the Gadsden Flag. Kash Patel has made it clear that those days are over. He is a true constitutionalist, and we are confident that he will work to rein in the agency’s abuses and ensure the FBI upholds, rather than undermines, the Second Amendment.” 

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center. 

-GOA- 

We have the biggest opportunity in history to save the Second Amendment – and we cannot waste it.

So, before the Attorney General’s report on pro-2A executive actions is due in 17 days, we’re running a series of grassroots campaigns to give the White House a comprehensive plan – directly from gun-owning Americans – to restore our gun rights.

Today is the third part of our campaign, which encourages the President to use the law to move gun rights in the direction of freedom, and to accomplish these things by taking actions that he can do (under existing law) without Congress.

1) Take an axe to the NFA:

The NFA is unconstitutional. Period. It needs to be fully REPEALED by Congress. But there are also things we can do to slash it in the meantime while we continue to support legislation for Congress to fully repeal it.

President Trump can modernize and streamline the NFA, by making it as close to an instant background check as possible, by issuing tax stamps at the point of sale.

There’s no reason that buying a suppressor, SBR, or a machine gun should take more than a few minutes to clear a background check. Imagine if you could just walk into a gun store to buy a suppressor and walk out with a freshly printed tax stamp!

While the President needs Congress to repeal the NFA, he can accomplish this BY HIMSELF without any act of Congress.

Additionally, owning a machine gun absolutely is protected by the Second Amendment. And the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision clearly reaffirmed it.

The President can take concrete action without Congress to restore your right to own a machine gun. Under federal code, the U.S. government can declare a machine gun amnesty – as was done in 1968. The President must declare another amnesty in 2025, allowing gun owners to possess post-1986 machine guns.

Enabling thousands (potentially millions) of gun owners to own post-1986 machine guns would create a powerful constituency that will demand the repeal of the NFA.

2) Exempt MILLIONS of gun buyers from FBI background checks (thus averting the hassle of mistaken gun purchase denials)

Our goal is to repeal all NICS checks and move every single state away from “permit carry” to “Constitutional Carry.” The Constitution is clear: your “right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” A background check and a permit are undeniably infringements.

Until then, the President can take bold executive action to keep the names of countless gun buyers out of the FBI’s background check system and protect them from being hassled by mistaken NICS denials.

The President can use current law to exempt concealed carry permit holders in certain states from the NICS background checks when purchasing firearms – again, acting without Congress.

Gun owners are sick of waiting on Congress to take action to restore our rights all while anti-gunners have no problem abusing the executive branch to issue unconstitutional orders.

That needs to change right now. There are constitutional ways the President can take executive action to revive the Second Amendment. But we need YOUR help getting these items to his desk and to ensure they make it into his final executive action.

Please add your name to our pre-written letter urging President Trump to take the above executive actions to restore gun rights that can be done WITHOUT Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 19, 2025) – Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced the filing of a brief with the United States Supreme Court in the case of FCC v. Consumers' Research, which is set to address the question of when and how Congress may delegate its authority to administrative agencies. The brief can be viewed at FPCLaw.org.