We’ve chronicled over the past few years how anti-gun politicians in some liberal states have attempted—sometimes successfully—to bolster their state budget on the backs of lawful gun and ammunition purchasers. In fact, California now levies an 11% excise tax on guns and ammunition, and Colorado residents must pay an extra 6.5% tax on guns, ammo and accessories.
Other states and municipalities have attempted to pass legislation requiring gun owners to purchase expensive liability insurance policies for firearms they own. In fact, in 2022, San Jose, California, passed a statute forcing gun owners to pay an annual fee and purchase liability insurance to cover damages from accidental or negligent use of their firearms.
Now, a Texas Congressman is attempting to put an end to the trend of punishing gun owners for exercising a constitutional right. On February 4, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, introduced the “No User Fee For Gun Owners Act,” which would prohibit any state or local government from requiring insurance, taxes, user fees or similar burdensome charges as a condition for the continued ownership of firearms, pistols or revolvers.
“The radical Left has been trying to chip away at our Constitutional rights for years, particularly the right to bear arms,” Rep. Jackson said in a press release announcing the measure. “The Founding Fathers included the Second Amendment to ensure citizens could defend themselves. That’s why I’m reintroducing the No User Fees for Gun Owners Act, to stop liberal Democrat state and local governments from forcing gun owners to pay additional insurance or taxes meant to limit gun ownership and make it too costly for the average American to exercise their Second Amendment right.”
According to Jackson, based on the results of last November’s election, when Republicans held the majority in the House and recaptured the Senate and presidency, now is the time for such a measure.
“Under President Trump’s leadership and a Republican-controlled Congress, we have a chance to return to our country’s founding principles and protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights for generations to come,” he said.
The language of the bill states: “A State, or unit of local government of a State, may not impose any insurance requirement, or any tax, user fee, or other similar charge, as a condition of the manufacture, importation, acquisition, transfer, or continued ownership of a firearm or ammunition, except that a generally applicable sales tax may be assessed against firearms or ammunition in the same proportion to which the tax applies to other goods or services.”
Another section of the bill specifically addresses handguns.
“A State, or unit of local government of a State, may not impose any insurance requirement, or any tax, user fee, or other similar charge, as a condition of the manufacture, importation, acquisition, transfer, or continued ownership of a firearm, pistol, or revolver, except that a generally applicable sales tax may be assessed against firearms, pistols, or revolvers in the same proportion to which the tax applies to other goods 11 or services.”
The measure currently has 38 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.
Given the recent EO from Trump, this might actually succeed this time.
If I remember correctly. a poll tax was deemed unconstitutional as it was taxing a fundamental right. How are taxes on guns different?
That said, if this bill actually goes through, I would bet that blue states will totally ignore it and be forced to take it to court. Even then, a ruling from SCOTUS would probably be ignored too.
After all, politicians never met a tax they didn’t like.
I think a lot of people confuse ignore with desperately make shit up to pretend words don’t have meaning and hope they can run the clock out to a less hostile court environment. With that said several on the SC are getting squishy so see what happens.
Indeed. Some city tried to limit newspaper vending machines on streets (remember them? Do they still exist?) and the courts struck it down as an abridgment of freedom of the press.
Some other court decision ruled the same for special sales tax just on newspapers and magazines. Same reasoning.
It SHOULD NOT be necessary to pass a law on this same matter for guns, which are an enumerated right.
“It SHOULD NOT be necessary to pass a law on this same matter for guns, which are an enumerated right.”
One can argue that enacting such a law actually weakens the constitutional protection of the 2A because repealing the law would allow such taxes to resume.
Of course, similar arguments were made against having a Bill of Rights because as was pointed out at the time, all those prohibitions of government action were against actions which the Constitution did not authorize in the first place. We can just imagine the consequences if that argument had won the day and we didn’t have a Bill of Rights: no freedom of speech or of the press or of religion or of keeping and bearing arms, or quartering troops in homes, or any of the other rights we have today.
Legislation from the bench shredded our Right of Contract decades ago. For instance, waivers of liability agreed upon by doctor and patient won’t stand up in court, making malpractice insurance a necessity for US doctors. This underpins the horrifying cost of even minimal health care.
Restated, those who love mandatory insurance of all sorts are many, well-armored and toothy like crocs.
Rep Jackson’s mission is deserving and important, but is unfortunately going to be a very heavy lift. JMHO.
As long as gullible spoon fed Americans continue to wallow around in an agenda History Confirms is Rooted in Racism and Genocide the Gun Control insanity will continue. News for whom it may concern…You pasty mouth azzhats are riding in a wagon others pull therefore you can lead, follow or stay the fuk out of the way.
lookout, a real hard charger is bearing down.
pull this.
I’ve got something she can tug on… 😉
Well we’re waiting
deb
Race has nothing to do with this article.
Are white people exempt from these taxes and fees? Can whites just skip the insurance requirements? Didn’t think so.
You are a one trick pony, or is it one trick with a pony?
pseudonym for catherine?
Catherine was great.
Out the other side of these marxist mouths encouraging fence jumpers with kilos of fentanyl that have killed 100s of thousands. I’ll leave the child trafficking/s-ex trafficking discussion for another day.
Babylon headline:
Democrats Warn Deportations Will Cause Unemployment For Child Traffickers
Need to let them know the pandemic is over and they can return to humorous satire.
Fentanyl, like guns , kills no one.
It’s the person who uses them and how they choose to use them.
Come and Take em MFS!
“..Firearm, pistol, or revolver…”? I didn’t realize they were three different things.
A revolver is what plays your records.
Pistuls are what flowers have.
Firearms is getting you sleeve to close to the barbeque grill.
I hope they make this retroactive to when the tax started. In CA, we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars, since it includes ammo as well. I want my money back from Greaseball.
Does this affect the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act tax?
I hope we actually see something go beyond EO’s from This president. The republicans in congress dont agree on much, its really 6 parties, not 1, so its doubtful that it will happen.
Still, it would be nice.
Ain’t that the truth!
What are those grips on the S&W revolver? Is there a laser on the left side? Some kind of grip-safety?
Pachmayr Guardian Grip. Lightly press that button and a pinky extension will spring out so you can get a full hand grip. I have a set on my 642 and it kicks hard.