President Joe Biden's gun control executive orders are bad enough.
He raised even further concerns though when, in announcing these orders, he claimed that "no amendment — no amendment to the Constitution is absolute... the idea is just bizarre to suggest that some of the things we’re recommending are contrary to the Constitution." Americans are understandably concerned then that their Second Amendment rights are at risk.
Fortunately, Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) on Friday signed into law H.B. 258, which will protect gun owners in Montana from federal gun control laws.
Today, I proudly signed Rep. Hinkle's law prohibiting federal overreach into our Second Amendment-protected rights, including any federal ban on firearms.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) April 23, 2021
I will always protect our #2A right to keep and bear arms. pic.twitter.com/2xY8DeEtqf
According to Iris Samuels with AP, the legislation "prohibits state and local law enforcement in Montana from enforcing federal bans on firearms, ammunition and magazines."
As proof that a change in administrations really can make a difference, the former Gov. Steve Bullock had vetoed such legislation multiple times before, Samuels reported, in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
Bullock ran a failed presidential campaign in the Democratic primary and was also defeated by the Republican incumbent, Sen. Steve Daines during his senatorial campaign. As governor, Bullock vetoed a host of Republican measures, another one being born-alive legislation, which would require that babies born alive from abortions be provided medical care.
The law is also extremely timely and may be needed more than ever. President Biden has also touted his passing an assault weapons ban, as well as a ban on magazines with more than ten clips of bullets, during a press briefing earlier this month with the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga. "Who in god's name needs a weapon that can hold 100 rounds, or 40 rounds, or 20 rounds. It's just wrong and I'm not going to give up until it's done," he demanded at one point when asked about his priorities for gun control, the first of a very select amount of questions he took.
Other states have passed such gun rights protections, including Alabama and Arizona.
Arkansas' Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed such legislation, however. The Republican governor had also vetoed legislation which "restricts 'gender affirming' chemical or surgical treatments for those under the age of 18, regardless of parental consent," as Leah reported earlier this month. The legislature managed to override the veto, allowing it to become law, though that didn't stop President Donald Trump from issuing a statement in which he called the governor a "RINO" and declared "Bye-bye Asa" as he endorsed a former press secretary of his, Sarah Huckabee Sanders in her Arkansas gubernatorial campaign.
A Washington Post fact-check gave President Biden "Two Pinocchios" for his claims which in part included "The majority of [gun owners] think we should not be selling assault weapons." The fact-check pointed out that "Biden went too far in claiming that a majority of gun owners also support a ban on assault weapons. The White House could not point to a poll that supported the claim, while a recent Post poll found that a narrow majority opposed it."
The fact-check also noted that, according to a 2019 Washington Post-ABC News poll:
...But among gun-owning households, the assault weapons ban did not receive majority support, with only 43 percent supporting it and 53 percent opposing it. By contrast, in non-gun households, 70 percent supported the ban and 27 percent opposed it.
By a margin of 37 percent to 59 percent, gun-owning households also rejected a mandatory buyback of assault weapons.
Fox News' Brie Stimson reported that "In Oklahoma, a bill that would designate that state as a Second Amendment "Sanctuary State" is headed for Gov. Kevin Stitt's desk."
If states can be "sanctuary states" for illegal immigrants, why not to protect American's constitutional rights?
