April 3rd marked the deadline for all policy committees to advance bills received from the opposite chamber. Having failed to receive a vote in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, Senate Bill 5434 to expand gun-free zones is now likely dead for the year.

Senate Bill 5434, sponsored by Senator Claire Wilson (D-30), would have increased areas where law-abiding citizens are prohibited from possessing firearms, including holders of a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) carrying a handgun for self-defense. As introduced, it would have included public parks, libraries, and child care facilities. This bill was amended on the senate floor to remove the provisions that banned firearms in parks and libraries, but it would have still mandated that child care facilities be places where law-abiding citizens are unable to defend themselves and their loved ones against criminals who simply ignore such arbitrary boundaries, and that they post signs indicating their “gun-free zone” status.

There are still several bills relating to Second Amendment issues moving through the legislature, which is set to adjourn April 28th. Please stayed tuned to your email inbox and www.nraila.org for further updates in the final weeks of 2019 legislative session.