Last week, the Nevada Assembly passed legislation that would give county politicians unprecedented control over gun rights across the state. Assembly Bill 291, which was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but has not been scheduled at this time for action, would criminalize certain firearm modifications, allow local level of gun control laws, and expand the authority for localities to create “gun-free zones.” The passage of this bill would inevitably result in a patchwork of laws for both residents and visitors to navigate while subjecting Nevadans in one county to rules and regulations regarding their constitutional rights different from those in a neighboring county.
According to the Associated Press, some county-level commissioners have already declared their very real interest in passing legislation restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners in Clark County that would go far beyond existing state law and that would put law-abiding gun owners at risk.
Several Clark County Commissioners not only already have a track record of promoting gun control, but have also expressed eagerness for the passage of Assembly Bill 291 in order to enact their anti-gun agenda into policy at the local level. Commissioner Justin Jones aspires to declaring expanded gun-free zones. Commissioner Tick Segerblom would go even further: he supports an “assault weapons” ban, firearm registrations, and ammunition limitations. Both Jones and Segerblom are former legislators and have sponsored and supported anti-gun legislation in the past.
The anti-gun politicians in Carson City are advocating for Assembly Bill 291 because they know it will make it easier to restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens. Instead of 63 Legislators and the Executive Branch making such important decisions for the state, support from just four of the seven Clark County Commissioners for any and all manner of misguided gun control schemes would be all that’s necessary to legislate away your constitutional rights.
Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates on AB 291 and other issues impacting our Second Amendment rights in Nevada.