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Maine: City of Portland Illegally Classifies Gun Shops as “Non-Essential”

Friday, April 17, 2020

Maine: City of Portland Illegally Classifies Gun Shops as “Non-Essential”

 

Our Second Amendment rights are being threatened. The City of Portland needs to hear from you now!

In response to COVID-19, the Portland Mayor and City Council adopted Order No. 156-19/20 on April 14th, which replaced the list of essential businesses previously authorized by the city.  The order stated that "Gun shops shall not be considered an essential business or service within the City of Portland."
 
Not only does this order directly conflict with the new list of essential businesses published on April 3rd by the Mills administration, but it blatantly conflicts with Maine’s preemption law.  State preemption prevents local governments from enacting their gun control ordinances and creating a confusing patchwork of local laws.  Law-abiding citizens should enjoy the same rights, regardless of where they reside.  Maine statutes have no exception for local government acting in an emergency – which means the City of Portland is blatantly violating the state preemption law by classifying gun shops as non-essential businesses and ordering them to close under their new order.
Please act now and call on Portland Mayor Kate Snyder and the Portland City Council to correct this egregious error and make firearm dealers essential businesses!
 
Mayor Kate Snyder; ksnyder@portlandmaine.gov, 207-874-8941
Councilor Belinda Ray; bsr@portlandmaine.gov, 207-671-4000
Councilor Spender Thibodeau, sthibodeau@portlandmaine.gov, 207-650-2147
Councilor Tae Chong, tchong@portlandmaine.gov, 207-650-0126
Councilor Justin Costa; jcosta@portlandmaine.gov, 207-522-2004
Councilor Kimberly Cook; kcook@portlandmaine.gov, 207-874-8986
Councilor Ali Pious; pali@portlandmaine.gov, 207-807-4283
Councilor Nicholas Mavadones; nmm@portlandmaine.gov
207-774-0257
Councilor Jill Duson; jduson@portlandmaine.gov, 207-878-0769
 
It is unfortunate that in these uncertain times, an elected official would limit the ability of law-abiding citizens to exercise our inherent right to self-defense. Firearm dealers are essential to exercising this right!
 
This is breaking and developing news, and as more details become available, we will update NRA members further. Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org/coronavirus.

 

IN THIS ARTICLE
Maine Covid-19 Gun Shops
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Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.