AzCDL Statement on SB 1625.

SB 1625 (assault weapons; magazines; prohibition; registration) was introduced in the Arizona State Senate on Wednesday, February 5 and assigned to the Judiciary Committee. The bill is designed to be an egregious threat to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and is similar to bills introduced across the nation. Promoted by the various astroturf groups under the umbrella of anti-rights billionaire Mike Bloomberg (e.g. Moms Demand Action, Everytown for Gun Safety, etc.), the bill would ban “assault weapons” and “large capacity” magazines. The language of the bill is so broad that nearly all semi-automatic firearms ever produced would be covered, as well as any ammunition feeding device “with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds”, which, again, means pretty much all of them.

We listed the bill on our Bill Tracking Page immediately, along with several others introduced by the same group of gun grabbers. These bills were also referenced in our recent Legislative Update Alert. However, in a demonstration of the power of social media, when a YouTube video appeared warning everyone of dire consequences should this bill see the light of day, the Internet lit up.

While we certainly appreciate the efforts of all members of the firearms community to call attention to truly awful bills such as this, it may have saved some time had folks reached out to us here at AzCDL to begin with. We’ve been tracking legislation here in Arizona for fifteen years now, and we have a pretty good read on what is and isn’t likely to move. And, as bad as this bill is, we knew from the start it was unlikely to be going anywhere.

However, to err on the side of caution, AzCDL has reached out to the Senate Leadership to clarify the status of this gun grabber’s wish list. Senate Majority Whip Sonny Borelli (R - Dist 5) assured us that the bill has no future. He shared the following: ”I am adamantly opposed to the bill sponsored by Democrat Senator Rios from Legislative District 27.  The Chairman (of Judiciary) assures me that the bill will not be heard in Committee.”

Though we are assured the bill will not move, we encourage everyone who values their rights to continue to contact the Senators who sponsored this abomination, especially if you live in one of their districts. Politely inform them of your position on it, and anti-rights bills in general. Many of these folks seem to believe that these kinds of bills have popular support. It’s up to us to prove them wrong.

SB 1625 is sponsored by:
Prime sponsor: Sen. Rios (D - Dist 27)
Other sponsors: Sen. Alston (D - Dist 24), Sen. Bradley (D - Dist 10), Sen. Contreras (D - Dist 19), Sen. Dalessandro (D - Dist 2), Sen. Gonzales (D - Dist 3), Sen. Mendez (D - Dist 26), Sen. Navarrete (D - Dist 30), Sen. Otondo (D - Dist 4), Sen. Peshlakai (D - Dist 7), Sen. Quezada (D - Dist 29), Sen. Steele (D - Dist 9)

Having a pro-rights majority matters, and here in Arizona, that majority is hanging by a thread. The next election is not far away, and the outcome could well mean the difference between bills like SB 1625 moving or not. As we’re fond of reminding people, “If you want better laws, elect better lawmakers”. Mike Bloomberg and his cronies will be spending heavily, here in Arizona and across the country, to get more anti-rights people, like those who sponsored this bill, into office. We must NOT let that happen. Sitting on the sidelines is simply not an option.

What’s been happening in Virginia and other states must be a lesson to us all. We can rush headlong down the road to tyranny, or we can maintain our status as “The best state for gun owners” into the foreseeable future.

The choice is yours.

An Arizona Senate panel on Thursday advanced a measure that would make government entities that don’t allow guns on their property liable if people are shot on their premises.
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The bill was backed by guns-rights supporters and the Arizona Citizens Defense League, which lobbies for gun rights laws. Opponents include the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and a survivor of the 2011 assassination attempt on then-Rep. Gabby Giffords in Tucson that severely injured her and 11 others and left six people dead.

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1625 is dead on arrival, but here is something nice...

Now this is what I’m talking about!  Hell Yeah!

Still has a way to go, so call your reps and senators and ask them to support it!

Quoted:
Not going to happen in Arizona. At least not this time. But it won't stop them from trying every year.

Quoted:
Nice, I'll share that on social.

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You guys are to the Southwest what New Hampshire is to New England, an island of sanity.