Renzulli Run Down: What You Need To Know
ATF ISSUES GUIDANCE ON NFA FIREARMS BASED ON FEDERAL COURT INJUNCTION
October 12, 2026 – As we previously reported, on August 5, 2026, Judge Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an order declaring certain provisions in the National Firearms Act (“NFA”) unconstitutional, and a permanent injunction enjoining their enforcement against the named plaintiffs, their members, and customers. Today, the ATF…
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT STRIKES DOWN BAN ON INTERSTATE HANDGUN SALES
On September 18, 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a significant Second Amendment decision in Elite Precision Customs L.L.C. v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, holding that the federal laws prohibiting a federal firearm licensee (“FFL”) from directly transferring handguns to residents of other states violate the Second…
2026 SURVEY FROM GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SHOWS WIDESPREAD, DIVERSE OWNERSHIP AND EXTENSIVE DEFENSIVE USE OF FIREARMS NATIONALLY
September 18, 2026 – A national survey published in August 2026 provides updated data on firearm ownership in the United States and offers several findings likely to be significant in ongoing Second Amendment and firearms-industry litigation. According to the 2026 National Firearms Survey, approximately one-third of American adults—or an estimated 88 million people—currently own a…
ATF PROPOSED AND FINAL RULES TO “ALIGN” KEY FIREARMS REGULATIONS
September 4, 2026 – As part of its “New Era of Reform” initiative, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) has undertaken comprehensive review of its regulatory framework, resulting in a coordinated package of proposed and final rules organized into five categories—Repeal, Modernize, Reduce Burden, Clarify, and Align. Within this framework, the “Align” category is intended…
TEXAS FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN ATF’S “GHOST GUN” FRAME-ON-RECEIVER RULE – AGAIN
On August 17, 2026, Chief Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a decision granting summary judgment for Defense Distributed and the Second Amendment Foundation (“SAF”) in Defense Distributed v. Blanche, No. 4:22-cv-00691-O, holding that key portions of the ATF’s 2022 Final Rule redefining the terms “frame or…
FEDERAL INJUNCTION LIMITING ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN NFA PROVISIONS TAKES EFFECT
On August 5, 2026, Judge Hendrix of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas entered a decision in the consolidated cases of Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF and Jensen v. ATF holding portions of the National Firearms Act (“NFA”) to be unconstitutional. He issued a final judgment and permanent injunction that same day, but stayed its…
ATF PROPOSES RULES TO “CLARIFY” KEY FIREARMS REGULATIONS
August 7, 2026 – As part of its broader “New Era of Reform” initiative, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) has undertaken a comprehensive review of its regulatory framework, resulting in a coordinated package of proposed and final rules organized into five categories—Repeal, Modernize, Reduce Burden, Clarify, and Align. Within this framework, the “Clarify” category…
FIREARM AND BB GUN MANUFACTURERS DISMISSED BASED ON PLCAA
July 30, 2026 – A firearms manufacturer and a licensed manufacturer of BB guns replicating the trade dress of certain firearms being represented by Renzulli Law Firm, LLP (“RLF”)were recently dismissed from a products liability case based on the immunity provided by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”). The case was pending in…
NEW JERSEY’S LAW BANNING SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLES AND MAGAZINES WITH A CAPACITY OF MORE THAN TEN ROUNDS STRUCK DOWN AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
July 17, 2026 – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, sitting en banc, issued a decisiontoday in the case of Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Inc. v. Attorney General New Jersey, holding that New Jersey’s law banning possession of semiautomatic rifles like AR-15s as “assault weapons” and magazines with a capacity…
SUPREME COURT AGREES TO DECIDE IF MODERN SPORTING RIFLES ARE PROTECTED BY THE SECOND AMENDMENT
June 30, 2026 – Today, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in two consolidated Second Amendment cases challenging laws that prohibit the possession of AR-15 platform rifles and similar semiautomatic firearms: Grant v. Higgins, challenging Connecticut’s “assault weapon” restrictions, and Viramontes v. Cook County, challenging Cook County, Illinois’s ban on so-called “assault weapons.” The Supreme Court…
SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN HAWAII’S LAW RESTRICTING FIREARM POSSESSION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
June 25, 2026 – Today, the United States Supreme Court issued a significant Second Amendment decision in Wolford v. Lopez, holding that Hawaii’s law prohibiting licensed concealed carry permit holders from carrying firearms onto private property open to the public without the property owner’s express permission violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. In a 6-3 decision,…
SUPREME COURT HOLDS BANNING POSSESSION OF FIREARMS BY MARIJUANA USERS VIOLATES THE SECOND AMENDMENT
June 18, 2026 – This morning, the United States Supreme Court released another landmark Second Amendment decision in United States v. Hemani. The Supreme Court ruled that the federal government cannot prohibit occasional marijuana users from owning firearms. The case arose from the arrest of Ali Hemani in 2022, when federal agents found a semiautomatic pistol…
ATF’S PROPOSED RULES TO “ALIGN”
June 12, 2026 – In prior alerts discussing thirty-four notices of final and proposed regulatory reforms by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), we focused on the “Repeal” and “Modernize” categories of the proposed rules. Today, we are focusing on the “Align” category. The reforms included in the “Align” category are generally…
LEGAL CHALLENGES TO VIRGINIA’S SWEEPING BAN OF “ASSAULT WEAPONS” AND “LARGE-CAPACITY” MAGAZINES
June 5, 2026 – After Governor Spanberger of Virginia signed SB749, gun owners, Second Amendment advocacy groups, firearm retailers, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (“NSSF”) have mounted legal challenges. Several gun owners and retailers, backed by the NSSF, filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB749 in the Virginia Circuit Court for Fauquier County, Black…
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUES COLORADO FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL BAN ON “LARGE-CAPACITY MAGAZINES”
May 21, 2026 – The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) recently filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief against the State of Colorado and the Colorado Department of Public Safety in federal court challenging the constitutionality of Colorado’s ban on magazines with the capacity to hold more than fifteen rounds of ammunition. Passed in 2013,…
ATF ANNOUNCES SWEEPING PACKAGE OF REGULATORY REFORMS
On April 29, 2026, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) released a total of thirty-four notices of final and proposed regulatory reforms in the wake of its review of existing regulations in compliance with President Trump’s recent Executive Order related to protecting our Second Amendment rights. In its press release, the ATF noted that…
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S HIGHEST COURT STRIKES DOWN DC’S MAGAZINE CAPACITY BAN
On March 5, 2026, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the District’s highest court, issued a decision in Benson v. United States, holding that the District of Columbia’s ban on magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition is unconstitutional because it violates the Second Amendment. This decision has significant implications because fourteen states…
CONTROVERSIAL GUN CONTROL BILL ADVANCES IN NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE
On February 7, 2026, the New Mexico Senate passed Senate Bill 17, a Democrat-backed bill known as the “Stop Illegal Gun Trade and Extremely Dangerous Weapons Act.” The purported purpose of this proposed act is to combat illegal gun trafficking, straw purchasing, and reduce gun violence by tightening regulations on firearms dealers and restricting certain sales. …
VIRGINIA INTRODUCES NEW LEGISLATION TO EXPOSE THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY TO BROAD LIABILITY
February 6, 2026 – The Virginia legislature recently introduced House Bill No. 21 and Senate Bill No. 27 that would require firearm industry members to implement “reasonable controls” regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of their products. The purpose of these bills is to create a state law that can be used to attempt to circumvent the…
ATF ISSUES NEW FRAMEWORK FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN UNLAWFUL USER OF OR ADDICTED TO A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
January 29, 2026 – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has issued an Interim Final Rule (“IFR”) that revises the regulatory definition of who is considered to be an “unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance” pursuant to the Gun Control Act, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). Under the Gun Control Act, individuals who fall into…
NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURES CONSIDERING NEW FIREARMS LAWS
January 23, 2026 – A bill currently under consideration in South Carolina – HB 4723 – aims to strengthen protections for firearms manufacturers and sellers in the state against lawsuits that attempt to hold them liable for the actions of criminals who misuse their otherwise lawfully made and sold firearms. If passed, South Carolina would be the…
INDIANA COURT OF APPEALS DISMISSES CITY OF GARY’S LONGSTANDING LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY
January 2, 2026 – On Monday, the Court of Appeals of Indiana, in Smith & Wesson v. City of Gary, Indiana (No. 24A-CT-2381), issued a unanimous decision dismissing the City of Gary’s complaint against numerous firearms industry members. The City of Gary commenced this action against many members of the firearms industry in August 1999,…
FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK FINDS INSURER HAS NO DUTY TO DEFEND OR INDEMNIFY IN GHOST-GUN NUISANCE SUITS; ATF eFORMS BLACKOUT AHEAD
In a troubling decision for the firearms industry, on December 10, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in Granite State Insurance Co. v. Primary Arms, LLC (No. 24‑2748‑cv) that insurers are not obligated to defend or indemnify a Texas-based firearms retailer accused of contributing to gun violence In Rochester and Buffalo, New York, through…
CALIFORNIA LAW CREATES NEW RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SALE AND SHIPMENT OF FIREARM PARTS
December 14, 2025 – California AB 1263, which goes into effect January 1, 2026, places certain restrictions on the sale and shipment of “firearm accessories” and barrels to consumers in California. AB 1263 significantly broadens the definition of unlawful firearm manufacturing; imposes new rules for barrels, “accessories,” and manufacturing machines, such as three-dimensional printers and CNC…
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT GRANTS EN BANC REVIEW IN RHODE V. BONTA
December 5, 2025 – This week, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted rehearing en banc in Rhode v. Bonta, vacating the earlier three-judge panel decision striking down California’s restrictive ammunition-purchase law as violative of the Second Amendment. The lower court’s decision will now be reviewed by eleven active judges. The law in question…
RENZULLI LAW FIRM OBTAINS FULL VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL IN FIREARM PRODUCTS LIABILITY CASE
November 25, 2025 – Renzulli Law Firm (“RLF”) recently secured another victory on behalf of one of its firearms industry clients. The matter arose from an alleged unintentional discharge of a semi-automatic pistol while the plaintiff attempted to place it into a safe located in his closet. The plaintiff claimed that the pistol slipped from…
UNITED STATES CONGRESS CONSIDERING “FIREARM ACCESS DURING SHUTDOWNS ACT” TO SAFEGUARD KEY FIREARMS SERVICES
November 21, 2025 – During the pendency of the recent federal government shutdown, Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) and Representative Ben Cline (R-VA-6) introduced companion bills in the Senate and House of Representatives titled Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act (S.3085 and H.R. 5874), which aims to ensure that crucial federal operations related to firearms are not…
RENZULLI LAW FIRM OBTAINS VICTORY IN NEW YORK WRONGFUL DEATH CASE
October 21, 2025 – Renzulli Law Firm (“RLF”) secured a complete dismissal of a wrongful death case on behalf of one of its firearms industry clients. The case involved the fatal shooting of a young man by his friend on November 6, 2016. The shooter, then 19 years old, found two unloaded pistols—a Springfield .45…
FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN FIREARM BAN IN U.S. POST OFFICES AND SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR CHALLENGE TO CALIFORNIA LAW BANNING CCW ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
October 7, 2025 – In a major Second Amendment decision in Firearms Policy Coalition Inc. v. Bondi, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that federal laws prohibiting the possession and carrying of firearms in ordinary United States Post Offices are unconstitutional. On September 30, 2025, Judge O’Connor granted plaintiffs’ motion for…
FEDERAL APPEALS COURTS ADDRESS FIREARM BAN FOR MARIJUANA USERS
September 5, 2025 – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit recently issued its opinion in United States v. Harrison, addressing a Second Amendment challenge to 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which prohibits firearm possession by “unlawful users of controlled substances.” While marijuana use is legal in many states, it remains illegal under federal law,…
STATE LAW TRUMPS LOCAL GUN CONTROL REGULATIONS IN OHIO
August 31, 2025 – In a significant win for firearms-friendly states with defiant cities, a Franklin County judge ruled that Ohio’s Firearms-Uniformity Law preempts municipalities from passing certain local firearm regulations. Ohio’s Firearms-Uniformity Law, which went into effect in 2006, was designed to ensure consistent firearm laws statewide, by prohibiting municipal ordinances imposing additional requirements regarding the ownership, possession,…
TENTH CIRCUIT FINDS WAITING PERIOD INVALID
On August 19, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a decision in the case of Ortega v. Grisham, holding that New Mexico’s seven-day waiting period to take possession of purchased firearms violates the Second Amendment. In 2024, New Mexico enacted the “Waiting Period Act,” N.M. Stat. § 30-7-7.3, requiring a seven-day waiting period for…
WASHINGTON STATE GUN SHOP ASKS SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CHALLENGE TO MAGAZINE BAN
August 15, 2025 – Gator’s Custom Guns, Inc. and Walter Wentz, the owner of Gator’s, filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, asking the United States Supreme Court to decide whether ammunition feeding devices with the capacity to hold more than ten rounds are “arms” such that they are entitled to constitutional protection under…
FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS RHODE ISLAND’S “NEED-BASED” OPEN CARRY PERMIT SYSTEM
August 6, 2025 – A federal court in Rhode Island recently issued a ruling in the case of O’Neil v. Neronha upholding the state’s open carry permitting scheme, which requires residents to demonstrate a “proper showing of need” to obtain an open-carry firearm permit. A coalition of Rhode Island gun owners filed suit in 2023, challenging the…
ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SIGNS LEGISLATION INCREASING FIREARMS STORAGE AND FIREARM TRACING REQUIREMENTS
August 1, 2025 – Since taking office in 2019, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed numerous laws imposing restrictions on the sale, ownership, and possession of firearms. The most notable of these were the 2023 ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines, and a public nuisance statute specifically targeting firearm industry members. On July 28,…
NINTH CIRCUIT RULES THAT CALIFORNIA CANNOT REQUIRE BACKGROUND CHECKS TO BUY AMMUNITION
July 24, 2025 – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision today in the case of Rhode v. Bonta affirming an injunction against a California law requiring background checks on ammunition on the basis that it violates the Second Amendment. In 2016, California voters approved a ballot measure creating a background check regime for…
SECOND CIRCUIT HOLDS NEW YORK’S FIREARM RELATED PUBLIC NUISANCE LAW IS FACIALLY CONSTITUTIONAL, BUT SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUTURE CHALLENGES TO ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY
July 18, 2025 – Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a court that is historically adverse to the firearms industry, issued an opinion upholding the facial constitutionality of New York’s firearm related public nuisance statute, N.Y. General Business Law §§ 898-a–e (“Section 898”). New York had enacted Section 898 for the express…
TRUMP SIGNS “ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT,” CUTS NFA TAX; DOJ DROPS REESE v. ATF APPEAL
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law, a nearly 1,000-page legislative package delivering sweeping tax cuts, budget reforms, and regulatory changes that mark a victory for Second Amendment advocates (White House). A key provision eliminates the $200 excise tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns, and…
RHODE ISLAND ENACTS “ASSAULT WEAPONS” BAN
July 2, 2025 – Rhode Island has become the latest state to pass a ban on so-called “assault weapons,” following Governor Dan McKee’s signing of the legislation (2025-S0359A) on June 26, 2025. The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, prohibits the manufacture, purchase, sale, or transfer of certain firearms defined as a “prohibited…
RLF OBTAINS DISMISSAL OF OHIO SHOOTING RANGE BASED ON PLCAA IMMUNITY
On June 24, 2025, RLF secured another victory for one of its firearm industry clients, an Ohio-based shooting range, when a state court granted a motion to dismiss based on the immunity provided by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”). The court dismissed all claims against the shooting range pursuant to the…
ATF PLANNING TO REDUCE INDUSTRY OPERATIONS INVESTIGATOR POSITIONS
June 23, 2025 – According to the Department of Justice’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget and Performance Summary, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) intends to eliminate 541 Industry Operations Investigators (“IOIs”) from its workforce. It has been estimated that there are approximately 800 IOIs currently employed by the ATF. The Budget and Performance…
OREGON SUPREME COURT TO ADDRESS STANDARD MAGAZINE CAPACITY BAN
On June 12, 2025, the Oregon State Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of a decision in Arnold v. Kotek, a case challenging Oregon’s recent firearms law that bans standard-capacity magazines, requires a completed criminal background check (no transfers on a delay) at the point-of-transfer, and establishes a permit-to-purchase program. Following the passage of the…
CONNECTICUT LEGISLATURE PASSES “FIREARM INDUSTRY RESPONSIBILITY ACT”
On May 29, 2025, the Connecticut legislature passed the Firearms Industry Liability Bill (HB 7042), which is intended to negate the immunity provide by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). HB 7042 applies to “firearm industry members” – anyone involved in the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, wholesale or retail sale of “firearm industry…
HOUSE PASSES “ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT” AND INCLUDES HEARING PROTECTION ACT IN BILL
May 30, 2025 – Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping budget reconciliation package, by a 215-214 vote. Included in this appropriations bill is a key provision for the firearm industry, Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act. The language removes firearm suppressors from the…
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FULFILLING PROMISES TO PROTECT SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS
May 22, 2025 – Shortly after beginning his second term earlier this year, President Trump indicated a commitment to protecting Second Amendment rights. Specifically, the White House issued a press release in which President Trump set forth his plan to “end the federal government’s violation of Americans’ fundamental Second Amendment right to protect themselves, their families, and…
KANSAS SUPREME COURT DISMISSES PRODUCTS LIABILITY CASE AGAINST BERETTA AND BASS PRO SHOPS PURSUANT TO THE PLCAA
April 29, 2025 – In a case where Renzulli Law Firm filed an amicus brief on behalf of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the Kansas Supreme Court recently issued an opinion overturning the intermediate appellate court and dismissing all claims brought against Beretta and Bass Pro Shops. In Johnson v. Bass Pro Outdoor World, LLC, et al., plaintiff claimed…
RENZULLI LAW FIRM IS VICTORIOUS IN FEDERAL APPEAL’S COURT UPHOLDING DISMISSAL OF PRODUCTS LIABILITY LAWSUIT FOR FIREARM MANUFACTURER CLIENT
April 17, 2025 – Renzulli Law Firm originally secured a complete dismissal of a products liability case on behalf of one of its firearm manufacturer clients through a motion for summary judgment. Plaintiffs alleged that the subject pistol contained a design defect, and that defect resulted in the pistol discharging after the owner dropped it…
COLORADO GOVERNOR SIGNS “SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS & RAPID-FIRE DEVICES BILL”
April 14, 2025 – Last week, the Governor of Colorado signed SB 25-003 into law. The original bill would have banned the manufacture, sale, purchase, transfer and distribution of “specified semiautomatic firearms,” which were defined as: (1) semiautomatic rifles or shotguns with detachable magazines; and (2) gas operated semiautomatic handguns with detachable magazines. However, it appears that…
RLF ACHIEVES UNANIMOUS VICTORY BEFORE THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT ELIMINATING A SHORT-LIVED WIN FOR GUN CONTROL ADVOCATES
On March 31, 2025, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a unanimous decisionaffirming a lower court decision that claims brought against RLF’s clients are barred by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 7901-03 (“PLCAA”), and that the PLCAA is constitutional. Plaintiffs’ teenage son was tragically shot and killed with a pistol when…
SUPREME COURT HOLDS THAT GUN CONTROL ACT CAN APPLY TO FIREARM KITS AND UNFINISHED FRAMES AND RECEIVERS
March 26, 2025 – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision (“Opinion”) reversing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and holding that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) has authority, pursuant to the Gun Control Act (“GCA”), to regulate firearms kits and unfinished frames and receivers. The background of this…
RENZULLI LAW FIRM OBTAINS COMPLETE VICTORY FOR FIREARMS DEALER AFTER PLAINTIFFS CONCEDE NO BASIS FOR OPPOSING MOTION TO DISMISS
March 17, 2025 – Renzulli Law Firm obtained a complete litigation victory for one its firearms dealer clients (the “Dealer”). The lawsuit concerned an attempted murder by a then-employee of the Dealer (the “Shooter”) of the Shooter’s ex-fiancé and her boss (“Plaintiffs”) inside of the boss’s residential trailer. Plaintiffs’ claims against the Dealer were based…
CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT ENFORCEMENT SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY FOR U.S. COMPANIES
March 13, 2025 – In the latest development in this on-going saga, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, (“FinCEN”), have suspended all Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) enforcement and reporting requirements indefinitely for domestic entities. As we have previously reported, many small firearms companies – those with twenty or fewer employees and…
SUPREME COURT APPEARS READY TO DISMISS MEXICO’S LAWSUIT AGAINST MAJOR FIREARM MANUFACTURERS
March 7, 2025 – This week, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments on whether Mexico included sufficient factual allegations in its complaint to support its legal claims against seven firearms manufacturers and one distributor. Based on the procedural status of the case and questions from the Court, Mexico’s case appears likely to be dismissed. …
RECENT COURT DECISIONS ON THREE KEY SECOND AMENDMENT ISSUES
March 4, 2025 – From felony bans to waiting periods and permit fees, courts across the country are addressing the limits of an individual’s rights under the Second Amendment, with varying outcomes. In Vincent v. Bondi, the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (with jurisdiction over the Mountain West and Plains States and headquartered in…
CANADA THREATENS RETALIATORY TARIFFS AGAINST U.S. FIREARMS INDUSTRY, BUT REVERSES COURSE AFTER REACHING DEAL WITH UNITED STATES
On February 1, 2025, President Trump announced that the United States would be imposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China in response to the “extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl,” which “constitutes a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.” Specifically, President Trump intended to impose a “25% additional tariff…
NEW YORK MOVES FORWARD ON “PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS” LAW
On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, a New York state legislative committee advanced a proposed bill, A.1191, directing the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services to evaluate and certify the viability of so-called “personalized handguns” for use in New York. The bill defines “personal handgun” to mean “a pistol or revolver which incorporates within its design…
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT HOLDS THAT PENNSYLVANIA’S BAN ON CARRYING FIREARMS WITHOUT A LICENSE DURING AN EMERGENCY VIOLATES THE SECOND AMENDMENT
January 21, 2025 – In a divided decision filed last week, a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reaffirmed its prior decision in Lara v. Comm’r Pa. State Police, holding that Pennsylvania’s ban on open carry by 18-to-20-year-olds during a declared emergency is unconstitutional because it violates the…
CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT FILING REQUIREMENTS SUSPENDED
December 10, 2024 – As we have previously reported, a deadline to file federal paperwork for many small firearms companies under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was set for the end of this month. Companies with twenty or fewer employees and annual gross sales or receipts of less than $5 million faced a requirement to act…
FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN ILLINOIS ASSAULT WEAPONS AND HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINE BANS
On November 8, 2024, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois issued a decision holding that the Illinois “assault weapons” and “high capacity” magazine bans violate the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. These bans were part of the Protect Illinois Communities Act (“PICA”), which was enacted in response to the Highland Park…
FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN KEY PROVISION OF NEW YORK’S CONCEALED CARRY LAW LIMITING CARRY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
November 8, 2024 – U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr., has ruled that a key provision of New York’s 2022 Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA) is unconstitutional. The provision at issue prohibited individuals with concealed carry permits from carrying firearms on private property open to the public, such as restaurants or stores, unless the…
ALERT: CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT – UPCOMING DEADLINE
November 2, 2024 – The deadline to file federal paperwork for many small firearms companies is fast approaching. If your company has 20 or fewer employees with annual gross sales or receipts of less than $5 million you are likely required to act before the end of 2024. Under the federal Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”),…
NEW YORK ENACTS NUMEROUS FIREARM RELATED LAWS
October 23, 2024 – This month, the Governor of New York signed into law six bills related to firearms. All of these new laws are designed to further restrict access to firearms, most seem unlikely to have a significant impact on reducing firearms related violence, and one appears solely intended to assist anti-gun interests groups…
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HEARS ORAL ARGUMENT ON ATF’S “GHOST GUN” REGULATION
October 9, 2024 – This week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Garland v. VanDerStok. As you may recall from our prior Blasts on this case, the questions presented to the Court are: (1) whether a parts kit that is designed to or may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted to expel a projectile…
RLF CONVINCES FEDERAL COURT TO EXCLUDE PLAINTIFFS’ FIREARMS EXPERT IN ALLEGED DROP-FIRE CASE
October 4, 2024 – RLF recently secured another victory for a firearm industry client that manufactures a diverse selection of handguns and long guns. RLF obtained an Order excluding Plaintiffs’ “gun expert” from testifying at trial. In the case, Plaintiffs claimed that the subject pistol drop-fired while he was in a bathroom. In an effort…
NEW MULTIPLE SALE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR TYPE 07 AND TYPE 08 FFLs EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2024
September 27, 2024 – ATF’s new reporting requirement for Type 07 and Type 08 FFLs located along the Southwestern border goes into effect Tuesday – October 1, 2024. Under the new requirement, if a manufacturer or importer located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas sells or transfers two or more semiautomatic rifles (that can…
NINTH CIRCUIT ISSUES DOUBLE-EDGED DECISION FOR FIREARM OWNERS IN CALIFORNIA AND HAWAII
September 16, 2024 – A recent ruling by a unanimous panel (3 judges) of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the Wolford v. Lopez case upheld in part two preliminary injunctions issued by the lower courts against location-specific concealed carry restrictions in California and Hawaii. The prohibitions on carrying firearms in places…
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT REINSTATES THE BAR ON ENFORCEMENT OF CALIFORNIA’S ONE GUN A MONTH LAW
August 21, 2024 – Through California Penal Code §§ 27535 and 27540, the California legislature enacted what is commonly called the California one-gun-a-month law (the “Law”). Up until the end of 2023, the Law prohibited individuals from applying to purchase more than one handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle within any thirty day period, with some exceptions. In 2024,…
NEW YORK CITY TO ALLOW NON-RESIDENTS TO APPLY FOR CONCEALED-CARRY PERMITS
August 15, 2024 – In response to ongoing litigation challenging the constitutionality of New York City’s law that non-residents of the State of New York are ineligible to obtain a concealed-carry permit, the New York Police Department (NYPD) issued an emergency rule. The rule allows non-residents to apply for a concealed carry permit, even if they…
MAINE’S 72-HOUR WAITING PERIOD FOR FIREARM PURCHASES GOES INTO EFFECT TODAY
On August 9, 2024, Public Law Chapter 678 will go into effect in Maine, requiring all firearm sellers to wait 72-hours before transferring a firearm to a buyer. The new waiting period runs from the time of an agreement “between a buyer and seller for the purchase and the sale of a firearm.” Advocates of the law…
LAWSUIT FILED CHALLENGING NEW LAWS PASSED IN MASSACHUSETTS
On July 25, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed into law a sweeping new gun control bill – H 4885. Titled “An Act Modernizing Firearms Laws,” the 116-page law implements a wide array of gun control measures, touching on everything from outright bans on certain firearms to magazine restrictions to new registration and licensing schemes. The…
FEDERAL COURT HOLDS MINIMUM AGE OF 21 FOR CARRY PERMIT TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
July 22, 2024 – In Worth v. Jacobson, et al., the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently affirmed the decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota striking down a section in the Minnesota Citizens’ Personal Protection Act of 2003 (“Carry Ban”), Minn. Stat. § 624.714, as unconstitutional. The…
US SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WARNS AGAINST LOWER COURT’S “NONSENSICAL” APPLICATION OF RULE BANNING “ASSAULT WEAPONS” & OTHER RECENT DECISIONS
July 12, 2024 – Last week, in Harrel v. Raoul, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a set of challenges to the Illinois “assault weapons” ban, however, it did so because the lower courts had yet to develop a full record due to the preliminary nature of those proceedings. Significantly, Justice Thomas issued a statement regarding the…
RLF DITCHES THEIR SUITS FOR THEIR ANNUAL “RANGE DAY”
Last week, we stepped out of the office and headed to the range. Our attorneys and staff enjoyed a day of shooting a variety of firearms, including handguns and rifles. Our session was led by prominent firearms trainer Emanuel Kapelsohn and his top-notch assistant trainers. Our “range day” is not only an opportunity for our…
CALIFORNIA DATA PRIVACY BREACH CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ILLUSTRATES IMPORTANCE OF SAFEGUARDING CONSUMER DATA
June 27, 2024 – The security of consumer data is a major issue all around the globe. It impacts all businesses because all companies collect data from consumers in one way or another. The firearms industry is no exception. Whether it be through sales transactions, internet traffic, background checks, marketing activities or otherwise, firearms companies…
U.S. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN ATF’S RULE BANNING BUMP STOCKS
On June 14, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision (“Opinion”) striking down the ATF’s Rule that banned bump stocks. Contrary to main-stream media’s accounts, the Supreme Court did not legalize machineguns last Friday. The Supreme Court merely upheld a bedrock principal of our form of government – Congress makes the laws and the Executive Branch…
FEDERAL COURT IN TEXAS GRANTS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION PREVENTING ATF FROM ENFORCING NEW “ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS” RULE
June 13, 2024 – As RLF previously reported, on April 19, 2024, the ATF published a Final Rule regarding the definition of “engaged in the business” as a firearms dealer. The Final Rule, which went into effect on May 20, 2024, significantly expands the definition of who is required to have a federal firearms license and who is…
COURT COMPELS INSURANCE COMPANY TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR SHOOTING RANGE SUICIDE LITIGATION
June 7, 2024 – A Delaware court recently ruled in favor of a shooting range, finding that its insurance liability policy covers claims arising from the range’s rental of a firearm. The court disagreed with the defendant insurance company that a “Rental of Sporting Equipment Exclusion” was permissible grounds to deny coverage under the policy.…
US SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF NRA IN FIRST AMENDMENT DISPUTE WITH NEW YORK
May 30, 2024 – Today, in a unanimous decision written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the US Supreme Court revived the NRA’s lawsuit against the former superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services, Maria Vullo. In that case, the NRA alleged that she violated the NRA’s First Amendment rights by coercing insurance companies to terminate their business…
NEW FEDERAL BILL SEEKS TO BAN .50 CALIBER RIFLES, EXPAND MULTIPLE SALE REPORTS TO INCLUDE RIFLES, AND LIMIT PLCAA
May 23, 2024 – Three Democratic U.S. Representatives, with the endorsement of various anti-gun advocacy groups, have recently introduced a bill, the Stop Arming Cartels Act, that seeks to enact a multitude of new federal firearms laws. The Act would ban the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of .50 caliber rifles except for government agencies…
FEDERAL COURT PERMITS ENFORCEMENT OF NEW YORK LAW REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR AMMUNITION SALES
May 7, 2024 – On September 13, 2023, the New York State Firearms Association (“NYSFA”), a nonprofit that advocates for Second Amendment rights, and three individuals (including one state senator and one state assemblyman) filed a lawsuit in federal court against the superintendent of New York State Police challenging the validity of New York’s recent laws requiring…
HALF OF THE STATES JOIN THREE LAWSUITS AGAINST THE ATF’S EXPANDED DEFINITION OF ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS
May 1, 2024 – As previously reported, the ATF published a Final Rule regarding the Definition of “Engaged in the Business” as a Dealer in Firearms in the Federal Register on April 19, 2024 (“Final Rule”). The Final Rule, which is scheduled to go into effect on May 20, 2024, greatly expands the definition of…
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ENACTS NEW RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXPORT OF FIREARMS
April 30, 2024 – On October 27, 2023, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) announced that it was temporarily pausing all firearm exports to non-governmental end-users except for those located in Israel, Ukraine, and most of the Wassenaar Arrangement countries. That “temporary” pause was subsequently extended. Today, BIS published an Interim…
TENNESSEE SENATE PASSES BILL ALLOWING EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL STAFF TO CARRY FIREARMS
On April 24, 2024, the Tennessee House passed Senate Bill 135, authorizing trained teachers and staff to carry firearms on school grounds. According to the bill, the director of schools, school principal, and chief of the local law enforcement agency for the school district each must sign off on the teacher’s or staff member’s authority…
CONGRESS MAKES ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT A FEDERAL PRIVACY BILL
April 19, 2024 – Earlier this month, the U.S. Congress unexpectedly released a draft of the American Privacy Rights Act, (“APRA”), a bipartisan, bicameral federal privacy bill. Privacy laws have enormous potential impact upon the everyday activities of businesses in the firearms industry. The requirements they impose relate to all information and data that is…
ATF CHANGES THE DEFINITION OF “ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS” AS A DEALER IN FIREARMS
April 11, 2024 – As Renzulli Law Firm previously reported, in August 2023, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued a notice and request for comments relating to proposed amendments to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) regulations for the purpose of implementing the provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (“BSCA”), which…
VIRGINIA GOVERNOR VETOES PROPOSED FIREARM LEGISLATION
On March 27, 2024, Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia vetoed multiple anti-gun bills passed by the Virginia legislature, including HB 2, which would have prohibited the sale, purchase, import or manufacture of so-called “assault firearms” and “large capacity feeding devices” in Virginia. The bill defined “large capacity feeding device,” as any “magazine, belt, drum, feed…
RENZULLI LAW FIRM ACHIEVES DISMISSAL FOR FIREARM MANUFACTURER
March 21, 2024 – In 2019, an employee of a company in California shot and killed another employee using a semi-automatic pistol manufactured by one of RLF’s clients. The family of the victim sued the shooter, the employer, and the manufacturer of the pistol. RLF immediately moved to dismiss the case based on the federal…
INDIANA ENACTS LEGISLATION TO END THE CITY OF GARY’S EFFORTS TO REGULATE THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY THROUGH LITIGATION
On March 15, 2024, Governor Eric Holcomb signed into law Indiana House Enrolled Act 1235 (“HEA 1235”), which seeks to put an end to the City of Gary’s decades long lawsuit against members of the firearms industry. Despite the firearms industry already being heavily regulated by the federal government, some local municipalities have, over the…
NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL CERTIFIES THAT MICROSTAMPING TECHNOLOGY IS VIABLE
February 28, 2024 – Today, the New Jersey Attorney General issued a certification stating that viable microstamping technology exists. In 2022, New Jersey enacted N.J. Stat. §§ 2C:58-2.13-15, which required the Attorney General to investigate whether microstamping-enabled firearms are technologically viable. A microstamp is defined as a “unique alphanumeric or geometric code that identifies the…
SUPREME COURT TO HEAR SIGNIFICANT ATF CASE THIS WEEK
February 27, 2024 – Tomorrow, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the case of Garland v. Cargill, which has the potential to shape how future Presidential administrations can implement gun control without Congressional approval. At issue in the case is whether bump stocks fall within the definition of a “machinegun” under federal…
ATF’S “DEMAND 2” PROGRAM LIST OF TRACE REQUESTS
February 23, 2024 – USA Today recently published an article containing a list of federal firearm licensees (“FFLs”) that are part of the ATF’s “Demand 2” Program. In order to be placed on the Demand 2 List, an FFL must have sold at least 25 firearms that were traced within three years from when they…
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE MOVES FORWARD TO BAN ‘ASSAULT FIREARMS’
On February 2, 2024, the Virginia House of Delegates voted 51-49 to approve a bill prohibiting the import, manufacture, purchase, sale, and transfer of “assault firearms” and certain ammunition feeding devices. On February 7, 2024, the Virginia Senate passed a similar bill 21-19. The legislation, if reconciled and passed, and then if signed into law,…
CALIFORNIA BACKGROUND CHECK FOR AMMUNITION RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BUT CAN STAY IN EFFECT, FOR NOW
On January 30, 2024, Judge Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California struck down a California law mandating background checks for ammunition. The decision in the case, Kim Rhode, et al. v. Rob Bonta, held that a California law, Senate Bill 1235, requiring a background check for every purchase of…
SUPREME COURT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SIDES WITH RLF
February 1, 2024 – RLF achieved another victory for one of its firearm industry clients in a lawsuit alleging negligent entrustment of a firearm. The firearm retailer named as a defendant in the case completed all the required paperwork and ran a background check through New Hampshire’s point of contact system. The state’s Department of…
NINTH CIRCUIT REFUSES TO ALLOW INFRINGEMENT OF CALIFORNIANS’ 2A RIGHTS WHILE APPEAL IS PENDING
January 16, 2024 – 2023 Senate Bill 2, (“SB 2”), a controversial new California law that aims to impose sweeping restrictions on carrying firearms in most public places in that state was blocked from taking effect – once again – on Saturday. Thus, California’s carry laws go back to the “status quo” as a case…
FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BANNING DIGITAL FILES FOR 3D PRINTING FIREARMS AND REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR 3D PRINTERS
January 3, 2024 – Wishing all our readers a Happy and Healthy New Year! The year 2023 came with several notable legislative developments regarding firearms. Regardless of whether legislation affects manufacturers, distributors, retailers, or consumers, the federal government and individual states continue to find unconventional approaches to gun control, sometimes through new technology. Recent developments…
SECOND CIRCUIT UPHOLDS INJUNCTIONS AGAINST PARTS OF NEW YORK’S CONCEALED CARRY IMPROVEMENT ACT BUT ALSO UPHOLDS NEW YORK’S LICENSING REQUIREMENT FOR RETAILERS
December 13, 2023 – In a recent decision regarding four separate appeals before it challenging the constitutionality of New York State’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (“CCIA”), the Second Circuit upheld injunctions prohibiting enforcement of certain parts of the CCIA. In another case, however, the Second Circuit also upheld New York State’s new licensing requirements for gun dealers. A.…
SENATE INTRODUCES NEW (AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL) BILL WITH NOVEL APPROACH TO FIREARM REGULATION
December 8, 2023 – A bill called the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion Act (the “GOSAFE Act”) was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate to ban semi-automatic firearms based on their method of operation, as opposed to their features like prior “assault weapons” bans. The GOSAFE Act seeks to prohibit the manufacture, sale, import, transfer, or…
FOURTH CIRCUIT STRIKES MARYLAND’S LAW MANDATING A HANDGUN QUALIFICATION LICENSE
On November 21, 2023, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a decision in two cases finding Maryland’s handgun licensing scheme unconstitutional. To obtain a firearm in Maryland, you must first fill out an application with certain identifying information and then wait seven days while the state performs a background check. Md.…
A Week in Review: Major Federal Court Decisions on Firearm Laws
November 10, 2023 – There have been three major federal court decisions in the past week affecting firearm laws across the nation. Two decisions are wins for the firearm industry and individual owners, while one may be considered a loss. The decisions affect firearm laws concerning bans on so-called “assault weapons” and “large capacity” magazines,…