Another NRA Defeat: Gun-Lobby Backed Bills Fail in Arizona Legislature

Phoenix, AZ — Everytown for Gun Safety and the Arizona chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today released the following statement applauding the defeat of four dangerous, NRA-backed gun bills in the Arizona legislature, which adjourned early this morning.

Everytown has more than 63,000 supporters in Arizona, many of whom made calls and sent emails to lawmakers’ offices, and spent hours walking the halls of the Capitol, urging legislators to oppose the bills.

This significant defeat for the NRA comes in the midst of gun lobby legislative losses around the country. The gun lobby has fallen short on efforts ranging from bills to force guns on campus (defeated already in Arkansas, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming), to those that would let people carry hidden, loaded guns in public without a permit (defeated already in Montana, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia). Now, Arizona joins the list of states across the country where gun safety advocates are going toe-to-toe with the gun lobby and defeating dangerous bills that would hinder public safety.

The bills that failed as the legislature adjourned include:

• SB 1291, which would have allowed out-of-state interest groups to sue local officials and law enforcement who attempt to enforce local gun laws, forcing local taxpayers to foot the bill;
  
• HB 2320, which would have let people carry concealed, loaded guns into government buildings and public sporting events, costing private businesses and taxpayers millions of dollars;
  
• HB 2431, legislation that would have forced Arizona to surrender its sovereignty to other states via an interstate compact, making it impossible to enact public safety laws without the approval of other states; and
  
• SB 1330, a bill that would have nullified federal gun laws as they apply to Arizona.

STATEMENT FROM GENEVA HABER, VOLUNTEER AND CHAPTER LEADER, ARIZONA MOMS DEMAND ACTION:

“Today, the state legislature stood up for public safety and failed to pass a series of dangerous gun bills that would have put Arizona families and communities at risk. These gun-lobby backed bills would have been wrong for our state, and we’re proud that our elected leaders chose to stand on the side of public safety and common sense by preventing these bills from passing.”