Idaho has joined a growing list of states that have become “Second Amendment sanctuaries” in response to President Joe Biden’s gun control push.
Oklahoma, Alaska, Kansas, Wyoming, and Arizona have passed similar legislation, and Texas is currently considering joining the movement.
Idaho passed a bill in 2014 prohibiting state agencies from using funds to enforce federal laws that contradicted the state’s constitutional firearms protections, but the new legislation beefs up those protections in response to Biden’s push to ban un-serialized firearms and regulate arm braces. It includes protections for “firearm components” and expands the list of banned federal actions to “treaties.”
“All Idaho government entities are prohibited from using any personnel, funds, or other resources to enforce, administer, or support the enforcement of any executive order, agency order, treaty, law, rule, or regulation of the United States government enacted or promulgated on or after the effective date of this act upon a firearm, firearm component, firearm accessory, or ammunition if contrary to the provisions of section 11, article I of 2 the constitution of the state of Idaho,” the legislation states.
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Idaho’s new Second Amendment sanctuary provisions passed both chambers with veto-proof majorities, and went into effect yesterday when Gov. Brad Little signed the legislation, according to the Associated Press.
The Second Amendment sanctuary movement earned national attention in 2019 when over 90% of Virginia’s counties and cities passed ordinances banning local funds from being used to enforce state gun-control orders. Counties in states across the country have followed suit, and Republican-led state legislatures have begun to join the movement as well in response to President Biden’s gun control agenda.
In Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a Second Amendment sanctuary bill last week that had secured sponsors from 15 senators and 25 representatives. Sen. Warren Hamilton, the bill’s author in the Senate, cited concerns about the Biden administration as justification for the policy.
SEE ALSO: Everytown Slams 2A Sanctuary Movement: ‘They’re Ripping Apart the Constitution’
“This is especially pertinent now given the attacks on our Second Amendment rights by the Biden administration,” Hamilton said. “Because the governor signed Senate Bill 631 into law, the firearms, magazines, ammunition and other gun accessories you can legally own under Oklahoma and United States law will always be legal for you to own, at least here in Oklahoma.”
Texas lawmakers have proposed several sanctuary-style bills, but the most successful so far has been House Bill 2622, which passed the full House on April 30 with an 83-45 vote and will be considered tomorrow by the Senate State Affairs Committee.
HB 2622 bars state agencies from aiding federal agencies seeking to enforce within the state federal laws related to firearms registration, licensing, background checks, or confiscation.