On Monday, Governor Jan Brewer (R) signed two NRA-supported reforms into law. These new laws, effective ninety days after the Arizona Legislature's adjournment, will protect the privacy of gun owners and prohibit government-sponsored destruction of seized or surrendered firearms.
House Bill 2326, sponsored by state Representative Eddie Farnsworth (R-12), restricts the ability of any political subdivision from requiring or retaining a record in any form, whether permanent or temporary, of any identifying information of a person who owns, possesses, purchases, sells or transfers a firearm. In other parts of the country, anti-gun media outlets have abused their privileges under the Freedom of Information Act and have jeopardized the safety of law-abiding citizens by publishing the names and addresses of registered gun owners. Contrary to their claims, these media elites have not increased public safety and have instead simply provided a roadmap for criminals to use for their next burglary and firearm theft. HB 2326 will prevent this from happening in Arizona.
House Bill 2455, sponsored by state Representative Brenda Barton (R-6), requires any firearms forfeited to or confiscated by a law enforcement agency to be sold to a Federal Firearms License (FFL) holder in exchange for money, new equipment or ammunition. As a result, previously owned firearms that are collected would maintain their value and their sale to the public would help recover public funds when budgets are strained.
The NRA thanks Governor Brewer for signing these two bills into law, the state legislators who voted for them and NRA members who contacted their state lawmakers in support of these reforms.