U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today reintroduced a bill to protect the Second Amendment and law-abiding gun owners. The bill would reform the “Firearm Owners Protection Act” (FOPA) to protect travelers who are transporting firearms across state lines.
“Montanans have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” Daines said. “I will always defend the 2nd Amendment and work to strengthen protections for law-abiding gun owners, including the right to safely transport firearms. We’ve already seen President Biden threaten the 2nd Amendment and we must act now to protect these rights for all Americans.”
Daines’ bill is cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Michael Crapo (Idaho), James Lankford (Okla.), Ted Cruz (Texas), and Michael Rounds (S.D.).
Daines’ bill reforms FOPA to:
- Clarify the term “transport” as to include, “staying in temporary lodging overnight, stopping for food, fuel, vehicle maintenance, an emergency, medical treatment, and any other activity incidental”.
- Ensure that law-abiding gun owners may not be arrested for violation of local laws relating to “the possession, transportation, or carrying of firearms” unless there is probable cause.
- Clarify that transportation of firearms, their magazines, and ammunition is federally protected.
- Make clear that a violation of the right to transport firearms is judicially enforceable as a federal civil right.
To read the full bill, click HERE.
For TV elements, click HERE.
Statement of Support:
“Even when complying with federal law, American gun owners continue to be harassed with malicious arrests and prosecutions while traveling through anti-gun jurisdictions with their lawfully owned, unloaded and secured firearms,” said Jason Ouimet, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “Sen. Daines’ legislation makes it clear that such harassment will no longer be tolerated under the law. On behalf of the NRA’s five million members, we thank Sen. Daines for having the legislative courage to stand and fight against local bullies that aim to suppress our Second Amendment rights.”