|
|
Bruen’s Text-and-History Test Spreads Beyond the Second Amendment
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has handed down an en banc decision in Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, No. 25-50695 (5th Cir. Apr. 21, 2026), upholding a Texas law requiring public-school classrooms to display a poster of the Ten Commandments. The 9–8 majority, written by Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan, held that the Texas law does not violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. That alone is a big deal. But more importantly for Second Amendment supporters, the en banc court embraced the “text and history” methodology used by the Supreme Court in its Second Amendment decisions. |
VA: Abigail Spanberger’s Semi-Auto Ban Hits Another Bump In Road
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the ban on so-called “assault weapons,” SB 749, into law on May 14, drawing immediate suits from pro-Second Amendment organizations, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC). The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) said in a Wednesday press release that the plaintiffs, including a retired Green Beret, a clay shooter, a firearms dealer and two firearms industry companies, were seeking a hearing before June 19 on a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the ban. |
IL: Illinois Sued Over Firearms Licensing Scheme
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday sought to throw out a firearms licensing scheme in Illinois.
Illinois requires anyone to obtain a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID) before they can possess any firearm or even ammunition, according to the Illinois State Police Firearms Service Bureau. The New Civil Liberties Alliance announced the litigation in a Tuesday release, bringing the action on behalf of several Illinois residents including a Navy veteran and a restaurant owner. |
The Right They Keep Trying to Qualify
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Three decisions settled the questions that mattered. Heller (2008) established an individual right to keep and bear arms. McDonald (2010) applied it to the states. Bruen (2022) replaced the interest-balancing framework lower courts had used to uphold almost every gun restriction with a historical-tradition test: regulations must be consistent with America's historical tradition of firearm regulation, and the government bears the burden of proving they are. Those are the holdings. California, New York, and Illinois have spent the years since treating them as starting points for the next workaround. |
This Gun Shop Stayed Open Despite Repeated Violations. Then a Cop Was Killed With One of Its Guns.
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Launched as a new kind of gun retailer in 2012, the Range USA chain was built to look and feel different from the smaller, unwelcoming shops and gun ranges often associated with the industry.
Its founder and president, Tom Willingham, wanted to make the experience of buying and shooting firearms more mainstream. So he modeled his company on big box chains, striving for bright, comfortable outlets that would be inviting to women, novices and others put off by some older gun stores. |
CO: Trump DOJ Sues Colorado and Denver Over Gun Bans
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
In both cases, DOJ argues that state and local officials are criminalizing arms commonly owned by law-abiding Americans in violation of the Second Amendment and Supreme Court precedent.
Colorado law generally prohibits selling, transferring, or possessing a “large-capacity magazine,” defined as a magazine capable of accepting more than 15 rounds, with an exception for magazines owned before July 1, 2013, and continuously possessed since then. Denver’s ordinance separately bans possession of so-called “assault weapons,” including many AR-15-style semiautomatic rifles. |
VA: Battleground Virginia Fighting The Assault Weapons Ban
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
The new statewide restrictions go into effect July 1. The new law declares that “… any person who imports, sells, manufacturers, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.” The law further defines an “assault firearm” as a semi-automatic rifle chambered in any caliber besides .22 rimfire or one that contains a litany of common features, including a collapsing stock, pistol grip, threaded barrel and more. Also banned are magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. |
MD: Pro-2A Group Makes Supreme Court Appeal Targeting Blue State’s Response To Concealed Carry Ruling
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
The Supreme Court received a petition Wednesday that could have the justices debating concealed carry laws just four years after deciding a landmark case.
Shortly after the Supreme Court struck down New York’s discretionary system for issuing concealed carry permits in June 2022, Maryland and other states enacted laws that imposed extensive restrictions on where permit holders could carry. The Second Amendment Foundation filed the petition for a writ of certiorari with the high court along with Maryland Shall Issue, Firearms Policy Coalition, the Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association and four private citizens. |
Nigeria: ‘You’re allowed to defend yourself against terrorists’, presidential aide Bwala tells Nigerians
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Presidential aide Daniel Bwala has said Nigerians have the constitutional right to defend themselves when faced with immediate danger, but stressed that this does not translate to a general right to bear arms.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Bwala explained that self-defence is legally recognised in situations where an individual is directly under threat.
“If I am in my house and you come in to harm me, any weapon I use in defending myself is guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said. |
I Fly With Guns Almost Every Week. Here’s What I Told CCW Safe About Doing It Right.
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
I sat down with Kent Brown, President of CCW Safe, on the CCW Safe Podcast to talk through something I do almost every week: flying with firearms.
You can watch the full conversation above. Here is a quick look at what we covered and why it matters.
I split my time between Nevada and Louisiana, so I am at the airline counter with guns in my bag just about every week. Last year, I started filming the check-in process and posting it. That turned into a series now over 50 episodes, and the comments keep telling me the same thing. People are nervous about doing this for the first time. |
New Guns 2026: Beretta 92G Elite Combat LTT Pistol
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
“The 92G Elite Combat reflects our continued commitment to evolving the legendary Beretta 92 platform through purposeful innovation and performance-driven enhancements,” said Ben Grundwerg, Beretta USA Product Manager for Pistols and ProShop. “Our collaboration with Langdon Tactical Technology combines decades of engineering expertise and real-world shooting experience to deliver one of the most refined factory Beretta pistols available today.” |
ID: Hunter shoots Grizzly Bear in self-defense on the western slope of the Tetons
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
During the evening hours of May 16, a man and his son were legally hunting black bears east of Ashton, Idaho, near Cave Falls Road in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, when they were charged by a male grizzly bear.
According to Idaho Fish & Game (IDFG), the hunter proceeded to shoot and kill the grizzly in self-defense.
The incident unfolded as the two hunters sat on the edge of a meadow and observed a grizzly bear crossing the open space. At one point, the grizzly appeared to pick up the scent of the hunters and began heading in their direction. |
MO: Missouri schools could hire armed ‘rangers’ under bill sent to governor
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
A bill to create a new faction of school protection officers with "physical fitness superior to a U.S. Marine" got final approval from Missouri lawmakers in the final days of the legislative session.
The legislation seeks to allow schools to hire volunteer or paid guards called "Missouri Rangers" who could carry a gun on school grounds.
The bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. David Gregory of Chesterfield, told senators he wanted to give schools "a choice to have a higher trained armed guard." |
IL: Civil Liberties Group Sues Illinois Over FOID Requirement
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
In Illinois, if you want to own a firearm, you have to obtain a Firearms Owner Identification card, or FOID. The FOID has to be carried with you pretty much everywhere, and it's your proof you're allowed to own a gun. It has to be renewed, and if you fail to do so, you're no longer a lawful gun owner, even if you've done absolutely nothing wrong. |
SAF Seeks Supreme Court Review In ‘Sensitive Places’ Case
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners have petitioned the United States Supreme Court for review in Novotny v. Moore, SAF’s challenge to Maryland’s so-called “sensitive places” carry ban.
Maryland was among the states forced to change their carry permit laws after the landmark Bruen decision held that every American had the right to carry in public. In response, the state passed a new carry ban in which, even with a newly available permit, residents are still not allowed to carry a firearm in a long list of overlapping “sensitive place” categories, like mass transit facilities, state parks, healthcare facilities, museums, stadiums, and more.” |
House GOP Stands With Veterans, Surviving Families
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Right now, veterans who get help managing their benefits can be stripped of their Second Amendment rights by Washington bureaucrats—no judge, no due process, no court ruling. This isn’t just insane. It’s anti-American and an affront to the Constitution. Thankfully, Chairman Bost’s bill will protect the Second Amendment rights of our nation’s veterans by restoring due process. It’s common sense, it’s constitutional, and it’s time to get it done. As we approach Memorial Day, a time for our nation to remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, House Republicans are proud to stand with our veterans and their families because they so bravely stood for us. |
New postal rule could allow direct handgun shipments for first time since 1927
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
The United States Postal Service has proposed a rule that would allow handguns to be shipped through the mail, bypassing a longstanding law prohibiting the practice. The changes were made at the urging of the Department of Justice, which concluded that the ban on mailing handguns violates the Second Amendment.
Both FedEx and UPS allow only federally licensed dealers to ship guns, and DHL prohibits the shipping of firearms altogether. So if the new rule takes effect, the Postal Service will be the only option for handgun owners seeking to mail their firearms. |
Gun rights groups see 'golden age' under Trump administration
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
The president, his allies and Justice Department leaders say they're the most pro-gun presidency in modern American history. Many in the gun industry tend to agree with them.
John Commerford, executive director for the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, said that the organization views it as the "golden age of the Second Amendment" under Trump.
Commerford spoke to NPR after several recent actions on gun rules taken by the Justice Department.
|
FL: DeSantis signs law that could allow faculty to have guns on campus
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 757 into law Friday, expanding Florida’s school safety measures to public colleges and universities.
The law allows Florida’s public postsecondary institutions to participate in the Guardian Program, which allows trained individuals to serve as armed guardians on school campuses, according to a Department of Education press release.
The bill also requires public colleges and universities to develop active assailant response plans, threat management teams and family reunification procedures for emergencies, according to the press release. |
NY: Can states regulate guns in public places? Appeals court issues a split decision
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
A federal appeals court has handed down a split decision on New York’s efforts to keep firearms out of public spaces.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ban on guns in parks and other publicly owned spaces — but struck down a provision that outlawed firearms on private property that’s open to the public, such as restaurants and shops.
The decision reshapes how guns are controlled and carried in New York and could influence similar laws around the country. The debate over “sensitive places” carry bans is playing out nationally. On Wednesday, the Second Amendment Foundation and its allies petitioned the Supreme Court to review a “sensitive places” carry ban in Maryland. |
FL: Tradition HOA bans guns in public shared spaces, ignites controversy
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
A new rule adopted by the Tradition Community Association banning the open and concealed carry of firearms in common areas has ignited controversy among some residents and prompted questions about how the policy could be enforced.
The restriction applies to common spaces throughout the community, including the town square, splash pad, dog park, trails, town hall and other shared areas, even for people licensed to carry firearms.
Opponents of the policy argued online that the rule infringes on Second Amendment rights, though legal experts say private associations generally have broader authority to regulate conduct on their property. |
IL: Summons issued to ISP, AG Cook County in FOID challenge
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
Officials with the Illinois State Police, attorney general’s office and Cook County state’s attorney have been summoned in a case challenging the state’s gun owner ID law.
The Illinois Firearm Owners’ ID card has been around since 1967. The law requires an Illinois resident to get a FOID card from Illinois State Police if they want to own or buy a firearm.
Jacob Huebert, an attorney for plaintiffs on the case from the New Civil Liberties Alliance, said the case is simple as there is no text, history or tradition around the country’s founding of a gun owner ID requirement. |
NY: Court Finds (Part of) New York Carry Ban Unconstitutional
Submitted by:
Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com
|
There
are no comments
on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments
|
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Second Circuit on Monday found that New York's controversial “Vampire Rule” on "gun-free zones" is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the "Concealed Carry Improvement Act" into law in July 2022 during an emergency legislative session in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.
The measure ramped up restrictions on when and where guns could be legally carried in the Empire State. Among these was a mandate that stores and restaurants post "guns allowed" signage and policies, a reversal from the standard "no guns" signs seen elsewhere in the country. |
|
|
| QUOTES
TO REMEMBER |
| As an individual, I believe, very strongly, that handguns should be banned and that there should be stringent, effective control of other firearms. However, as a judge, I know full well that the question of whether handguns can be sold is a political one, not an issue of products liability law, and that this is a matter for the legislatures, not the courts. The unconventional theories advanced in this case (and others) are totally without merit, a misuse of products liability laws. — Judge Buchmeyer, Patterson v. Gesellschaft, 1206 F.Supp. 1206, 1216 (N.D. Tex. 1985) |
|
|
