A ROUNDUP OF HOW THE GUN-CONTROL FIGHT IMPACTS YOUTH AND HUNTING
The FRONT LINE
EMBROILED IN THE
BATTLE
A ROUNDUP OF HOW THE GUN-CONTROL FIGHT IMPACTS YOUTH AND HUNTING
The political divide and divisiveness around firearms persisted the second half of the legislative cycle , with conservative states taking preemptive action against the gun-control trends introduced in more liberal states . As blue states continue the political pile-on , making a show of limiting possession and use by minors , youth hunters and young adults not-yet 21 are caught in the middle .
CREDIT CARD PRIVACY Last year , a code was created to identify the sale of firearms and ammunition when a credit or debit card was used to purchase them . In the past , the sale of those items was couched under a general sporting goods code . The issue , of course , is that by identifying the purchase of those items , credit card companies or federal and state governments could keep a registry of gun owners .
And no surprise , California introduced legislation to use the identifying code despite credit card companies backtracking on the idea after pushback from state attorney generals , civil liberty advocates and gun owners .
On the flip side , Florida and North Dakota passed bills to make such de facto registries illegal . North Carolina introduced a bill to do so , but it failed to make the chamber crossover .
YOUTH HUNTING Using larger societal problems as cover , activists have targeted youth hunting nationwide . It ’ s expected in California , where last year we sued over the state ’ s “ youth firearm marketing ” law and this year when kids ’ camps were targeted , but even Texas had 18 bills impacting youth hunting this session — everything from possession issues , even when hunting , to outright bans across the board . In Kansas , Gov . Kelly vetoed a bipartisan bill to standardized firearms education offered in public schools .
Even with those concerning issues , North Dakota expanded general deer licensing regulations while Maryland approved a second apprentice license for those under age 17 .
A concerning trend we ’ re watching is the use of laws that make it difficult , if not illegal , for a certain class of adults to own , possess or even use firearms for hunting . Adults 18 to 20 years old are facing increasing challenges to exercising their Constitutional rights . While Rhode Island held a bill for further study that would have created these laws and legislators in Nevada and Texas were stymied in their attempts to do so , Colorado Gov . Hickenlooper created a complex web for these citizens to navigate .
INDUSTRY LIABILITY A scheme created to bankrupt the firearms industry , liability lawsuits attempt to hold manufacturers financially accountable for the illegal use of firearms . Not surprisingly , Illinois , Washington state and Hawaii each passed laws allowing the state or individuals to file suit . Colorado repealed standing law that forbid these frivolous lawsuits and opened the door to civil action while Maine held legislation in a working group for further study .
Tennessee ( law prevents suits ) and Montana ( prohibits government from suing ) on the other hand , passed laws that prevents these lawsuits by individuals or the state .
PERMIT TO PURCHASE While Oregon continues a pitched legal battle over Ballot Measure 114 , which instituted a non-existent permit-topurchase system , that didn ’ t stop neighboring Washington from passing legislation effectively implementing a nearly identical system .
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VORTEX BY
10 SPORTSMENSALLIANCE . ORG