Renzulli Run Down: What You Need To Know

PROTECTION OF A PRODUCT’S DESIGN FEATURES AS “TRADE DRESS”

July 31, 2020 Trademarks are a type of commercial speech. The presence of a trademark on a product assures the marketplace that all goods bearing the mark come from the same source and are of uniform quality. To many, the term “trademark” refers to a word, phrase, or design/emblem that appears on a product or its packaging. While this is true, trademark law in the United States has long rec...

NEW YORK EXECUTIVE ORDER RESTRICTING FIREARMS RETAILERS HELD CONSTITUTIONAL

July 24, 2020 On March 30, 2020 a firearms retailer based in Long Island, New York, Dark Storm Industries LLC, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York naming New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Empire State Development Corporation (“ESD”) as defendants. The lawsuit alleged that Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order No. 202.6, issued in response t...

DEPARTMENT OF STATE UPDATES SUPPRESSOR EXPORT REGULATIONS

July 24, 2020 Earlier this month, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”), an organization within the Department of State responsible for regulating the import and export of certain defense technology, published a web notice updating its suppressor policy. The notice stated that effective immediately the Department of State has rescinded its April 18, 2020 firearms suppressor policy...

Trademarks help companies communicate with their customers. The presence of a trademark on a product assures the marketplace that all goods bearing the mark come from the same producer and are of uniform quality. The system of trademark registration in the United States is administered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). The USPTO generally functions well...

On June 29, 2020, in a unanimous opinion, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on “large-capacity magazines.” In 2013, the Colorado Governor, John Hickenlooper, signed HB 13-1224 into law. HB 13-1224 banned the sale, transfer, or possession of “large-capacity magazines,” which are defined as “any fixed or detachable magazine, box, drum, feed strip, or similar device capabl...

ILLINOIS ADOPTS FINAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING FIREARMS DEALERS

June 26, 2020 The Illinois Firearms Dealers License Certification Act was enacted on January 17, 2019. It required the Illinois State Police (“ISP”) to adopt regulations governing the security measures required to be adopted by all federally licensed firearms dealers that operate retail stores in Illinois. The permanent regulations adopted by the ISP were approved on June...

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT REJECTS ASSAULT WEAPON BAN BALLOT INITIATIVE

On June 4, 2020, the Florida Supreme Court rejected as misleading the proposed citizen backed initiative that would have asked Florida citizens to vote in 2022 on whether to amend the Florida Constitution to include an explicit “assault weapon” ban. Under Florida law, citizens may propose an amendment or revision to any portion(s) of the Florida Constitution by filing a petition with the Se...

CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL SUBMITS FINAL PROPOSED CCPA REGULATIONS

Enforcement of the first robust data privacy law in the nation will commence on July 1, 2020. The California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) was enacted in 2018 and established consumer rights to access to, deletion and sharing of personal information that is collected by businesses. Read more about the CCPA in RLF’s newsletter “Is Your Company Ready for the California Consumer Pr...

SENATORS STRUGGLE TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE “INSTANT” BACKGROUND CHECKS AMIDST LENGTHY DELAYS

May 29, 2020 Gun sales and the number of instant background checks performed have soared since the COVID-19 lockdown began two months ago. Due to the rising number of background checks, they have often lagged to the point that “instant” does not always apply. A group of Republican senators wrote to FBI Director Christopher Ray, proposing ways that the National Instant Criminal Back...

MARYLAND GOVERNOR VETOES LONG GUN BACKGROUND CHECK FOR PRIVATE SALES

May 22, 2020 In Maryland, as the legislature attempted to criminalize private transfers of long guns, Governor Hogan stood up for gun rights and vetoed the legislation. The bill would have required a Federal Firearms Licensee to facilitate the transfer, with associated fees, and a NICS background check of the transferee before privately selling, renting, loaning or transferring a rif...

HUNTING AND FISHING DURING THE PANDEMIC – PERHAPS

May 15, 2020 Hunters and anglers across the country have seen major changes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only have many public places been shut down, but the offices issuing permits have been closed in response to the stay-at-home orders issued in various states. This comes at a time when access to firearms and ammunition is inconsistent from state-to-state (as we’ve been reportin...

PANDEMIC UPDATE IN NEW JERSEY: TENNIS COURTS AND GOLF COURSES — BUT NO SHOOTING RANGES?

May 15, 2020 In New Jersey, following a number of lawsuits seeking the reopening of firearm retailers and Governor Murphy’s subsequent decision to add them to the essential services list, shooting ranges have filed a lawsuit in New Jersey this week over their right to reopen to the public. Owners and operators of shooting ranges are seeing tennis courts and golf courses across the st...

CANADA BANS “MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS” IN THE WAKE OF MASS SHOOTING

May 4, 2020 Approximately two weeks after Canada’s deadliest mass shooting in its history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared a ban on “military style assault weapons.” The shooting occurred over a span of two days in April when a lone gunman murdered 22 people in Nova Scotia, Canada. The shooter did not have a firearms license and used semi-automatic rifles believed to have be...

April 27, 2020The Supreme Court issued its decision today in the Second Amendment case of New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. v. City of New York, New York. The case involved a Second Amendment challenge to restrictions that the City of New York placed on premises pistol permits that prevented permit holders from transporting handguns (unloaded and in a locked case) to another resi...

CALIFORNIA’S PROPOSITION 63 FOUND UNCONSTITUTIONAL

On April 23, 2020, a federal judge in California held that Proposition 63, which requires background checks to purchase ammunition, violates the Second Amendment. “The experiment has been tried. The casualties have been counted. California’s new ammunition background check law misfires and the Second Amendment rights of California citizens have been gravely injured,” remark...

NON-ESSENTIAL SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS?

April 13, 2020 As we reported in our 3/23/20 newsletter, the NSSF lobbied the White House and the Department of Homeland Security to change its designation of firearms retailers from “non-essential” to “essential.” Although the NSSF was successful, the Department of Homeland Security’s decision effectively gave states the option to close down firearms retailers: “[t]his list [of essentia...

April 13, 2020 As noted in our April 10, 2020 blast, some states have closed down firearms dealers based on their non-essential business designation. The majority of states, however, have allowed firearms dealers to remain open for business and demand for firearms is at a record high. Open firearms dealers, like all other businesses, are being urged to practice social distancing.&...

On March 25, 2020 the Superior Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit by a customer against a Pennsylvania firearms retailer for slander and allegedly failing to adequately supervise and control its employees during an altercation with a customer. A customer who had lawfully purchased a semi-automatic pistol from the firearms retailer returned two-weeks later and re...

Renzulli Law Firm Successfully Opposes Second Department Appeal in Oil Spill Case

On March 11, 2020, the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, Second Department denied an appeal filed by a New York State Municipality against a private Land Developer. The appeal was successfully opposed by Renzulli Law Firm. The case arises from two fuel oil spills that occurred in 2008. The Municipality sold a large plot of land to the Land Developer in 1...

March 23, 2020 To combat the spread of COVID-19, multiple states enacted broad restrictions requiring most businesses to close and ordering Americans to stay at home and ensure they wear an n95-mask if they do need to go outside. To date, the states that enacted these restrictive orders include California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Del...

ILLINOIS APPELLATE COURT: COOK COUNTY FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION TAXES ARE CONSTITUTIONAL

March 20, 2020 An Illinois appellate court upheld an ordinance that imposes a firearms and ammunition tax. The court found that while the tax increases the cost of firearms and ammunition, it does not infringe on the ownership of firearms. Citing the landmark Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller, the court held that the taxes are at most a “marginal, incremental or even appreciab...

Privacy on the internet has been a concern for years and the adoption of laws related to data privacy has been a question of “when,” not “if.” The answer to that question is “now.” The California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) was enacted in 2018 and creates new consumer rights relating to the access to, deletion and sharing of personal information that is collected by businesses.&nbs...

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN MARYLAND TO REGULATE THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY

Legislators in Maryland have recently introduced three house bills designed to regulate various aspects of the firearms industry. Here is the Renzulli Run Down of what you need to know:House Bill 1257 is a proposed amendment to the Firearms Dealers’ Safety Act in Maryland. The Act requires licensed dealers to keep records of all firearms acquisitions and dispositions. House Bill 1257 would impos...

The Tiahrt Amendment, Public Law 112-55, 125 Stat. 609-610, generally prohibits the ATF from disclosing trace data, and records required to be maintained or reported by federal firearms licensees pursuant to the Gun Control Act, such as acquisition and disposition records, Form 4473s, and multiple sale reports. Exceptions are made for disclosure to law enforcement agencies for use in crimin...

NEW YORK GOVERNOR PROPOSES NEW GUN CONTROL LAWS

New York law makers began their new session on January 8, 2020, marking the second year since 2010 that Democrats have had full control of the state government. Seizing on this opportunity to prevent Republicans from using their state senate majority to block proposed firearms measures, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has proposed six gun control bills in his 2021 Executive Budget. T...

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO REPEAL THE PLCAA AND TIAHRT AMENDMENT

Although all previous attempts have failed, Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives have once again introduced legislation to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”) and aspects of the Tiahrt Amendment. Introduced on June 11, 2019, the “Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act” comprises just two pages and, if...

As we recently reported, on March 29, 2019, Judge Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California issued a decision in the case of Duncan v. Becerra holding that California’s ban on the possession of magazines with a capacity of more than ten rounds (“LCM”) violates the Second Amendment and issued a permanent injunction against the continued enforcement of the ban. ...

FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN CALIFORNIA BAN ON STANDARD CAPACITY MAGAZINES; APPEAL LIKELY

FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN CALIFORNIA BAN ON STANDARD CAPACITY MAGAZINES; APPEAL LIKELY In a lengthy decision entered on March 29, 2019 in the case of Duncan v. Becerra, a copy of which can be found here, Judge Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California held that California’s ban on the possession of magazines with a capacity of more than ten rounds violates the...

U.S. SUPREME COURT DENIES STAY OF FEDERAL BUMP STOCK BAN

U.S. SUPREME COURT DENIES STAY OF FEDERAL BUMP STOCK BAN The new federal regulations banning bump stocks went into effect on March 26, 2019. For more information on the bump stock ban, please visit our website. Gun Owners of America had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan on December 26, 2018 and sought a preliminary injunction...

Today, the Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of all of plaintiffs’ claims against the manufacturer, wholesale distributor, and retail dealer in Soto v. Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, et al., except for a narrow theory related to the marketing of firearms. The Court unanimously dismissed plaintiffs’ primary claims that the sale of Modern Sporting Rifles, like the...

Breaking News: “Red Flag” Bill Signed Into Law in New York

Breaking News: “Red Flag” Bill Signed Into Law in New York At the end of January, the New York legislature passed a package of gun control laws ranging from a ban on bump stocks to a "red flag" law that would allow educators, law enforcement, or family members to petition a judge to confiscate an individual's firearms if there is some measure of evidence that the individual is a threat to them...

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW BUMP STOCK REGULATIONS

President Trump directed the Attorney General to draft regulations banning bump stocks after the October 21, 2017 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada during which Stephen Paddock used AR type rifles with bump stocks installed on them to kill 58 people and injure approximately 500. Bump stocks are replacement stocks that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire mo...

Renzulli Run Down: New Jersey Enacts “Ghost Gun” Ban

This month, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a broad ban on so-called “Ghost Guns” (which we have covered previously). In a press release he stated: “Ghost guns can be created by anyone with a computer and access to a 3D printer, giving the public at large the ability to build their own unregistered, unsafe, and untraceable firearm. Now, thanks to the Legislative sponsors who w...

FIREARMS ON DEMAND? A FEDERAL JUDGE HITS THE PAUSE BUTTON ON 3D PRINTED FIREARMS

This week, a federal judge granted an emergency temporary restraining order (“TRO”) preventing Defense Distributed, a Second Amendment advocacy group, from distributing files on the Internet that could be used to create firearms on a 3D printer. Here is the Renzulli Run Down of what you need to know: Defense Distributed, led by Cody Wilson, has been in a multi-year fight with the federa...

TRUMP’S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE IS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS

Last night, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court, to fill the seat left open in the wake of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement. The nomination (Trump’s second to the U.S. Supreme Court) is likely to have a lasting impact on U.S. law because Judge Kavanaugh is only 53 years old, meaning ...

“RED FLAG” FIREARM SEIZURE LAWS PROLIFERATING

Seven states have enacted “red flag” laws this year, continuing a demonstrable trend since the Parkland shooting. Now, a total of twelve states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, have "red flag" laws on the books. These laws allow law enforcement officials and family members to seek a ...

Significant changes to California’s Proposition 65 warning regulations will go into effect in two months, on August 30. Enacted in 1986, California’s Proposition 65 (commonly called “Prop 65”) requires businesses to provide a warning regarding products that contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Prop 65, especially in recent ...

Throughout the months leading up to the implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) -- the EU’s radical overhaul of data privacy rules and regulations -- we predicted that the states would begin enacting tougher, more stringent data privacy laws. (We even predicted that California would take the lead.) Yesterday, California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act of 201...

Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Gives Trump Opportunity to Shape U.S. Law and Protect the Second Amendment

Yesterday, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, effective July 31, from the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Kennedy, who has served on the Supreme Court for almost three decades, is frequently cast as a crucial “swing vote” in controversial cases, meaning that he is perceived as being the fifth vote in narrow 5-4 decisions. As the so-called “swing vote,” Justice Kennedy has played a piv...

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states can compel online retailers to collect sales tax. The case, South Dakota v. Wayfair (No. 17-494), overturns two previous Supreme Court decisions and represents a landmark shift in law and policy that will tremendously impact online shopping. Here is the Renzulli Run Down of what you need to know: The Supreme Court’s Opinion was 5 to 4, with Justic...

NRA CALLS OUT GOVERNOR CUOMO AND OTHER NEW YORK POLITICIANS

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is taking on New York Governor Cuomo and other high-ranking government officials in New York. In a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, the NRA accuses Cuomo and other officials of pressuring private companies, both publicly and behind closed doors, to dissolve their relationships with or otherwise distance t...

Renzulli Run Down: New Jersey Governor Signs Stringent “Gun Control” Measures Into Law

As expected, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed six stringent “gun control” bills into law. We brought these measures to your attention in our “Renzulli Run Down” earlier this week. Here is what you need to know about the new laws: Bill No. A-1181 mandates the seizure of firearms owned by individuals if a mental health professional determines they pose a threat to themselves or othe...

Renzulli Run Down: New Jersey Expected To Enact Stringent New Firearm Laws

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is expected to sign six new “gun control” laws this week, which Governor Murphy touts are “sweeping gun safety legislation” that will be some of the “toughest gun laws” in the nation. Here is the “Renzulli Run Down” of what you need to know: Bill No. A1181 mandates the seizure of firearms owned by individuals if a mental health professional determines they p...

Trump Administration Proposes Substantial Improvements to the Firearm Export Process

The Trump Administration recently published regulations (which had been drafted by the Obama Administration, but never published), that would transfer jurisdiction over the export of most firearms from the Department of State to the Department of Commerce. The proposed regulations, if enacted, will greatly benefit the firearms industry, which has been lobbying for these changes for several years....

The European Union's most comprehensive data privacy overhaul in decades, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), becomes effective on May 25, 2018 – just over one month away. With the deadline fast approaching, it has been widely reported that businesses around the world are not prepared or are significantly underprepared for the GDPR. This poses a serious problem because the GDPR is a r...

ILLINOIS SENATOR PROPOSES LEGISLATION ROLLING BACK OVERLY RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS ON AIR-GUN OWNERSHIP

If you own a high-powered air-gun in Illinois this may surprise you: Your air-gun may (technically) be a firearm. The current law in Illinois treats air-guns with projectiles that measure larger than .177 caliber, or have a muzzle velocity of more than 700 feet per second, as firearms. Accordingly, the standards and requirements governing real firearms are also applied to qualified air-guns....

SIG SAUER EMPLOYEES INDICTED FOR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE GERMAN FOREIGN TRADE ACT

Five employees of Sig Sauer GmbH have been indicted by the public prosecutor in Kiel, Germany and charged with violating the German Foreign Trade Act. The indictment stems from allegations that Sig Sauer GmbH illegally exported approximately 36,000 pistols to the Colombian National Police during the period from 2009 to 2012. During that time, Colombia was involved in a civil war with the Revolut...

FLORIDA MUNICIPALITIES SUE OVER STATE FIREARM LAW

Ten Florida municipalities and their elected officials filed a lawsuit in Florida on Monday challenging a Florida state law that imposes penalties on municipalities and their officials when they are found to knowingly and willfully impinge on the State Legislature’s exclusive jurisdiction over firearm and ammunition regulation. The plaintiffs assert that in light of the recent mass shootings, ...

APPELLATE DIVISION REJECTS CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO NEW YORK’S REQUIREMENTS REGARDING CONCEALED CARRY LICENSES

In an unfortunately predictable decision given New York's aggressive gun-control measures, New York’s Appellate Division, First Department, rejected constitutional challenges to New York’s legal requirements for obtaining a license to carry a concealed firearm. Jonathan Corbett brought several constitutional challenges relating to the licensing requirements in New York. His initial claim was filed...

Congress Set to Consider “Extreme Risk Protection Orders”

Senate Bill 2521, a bill to authorize the issuance of extreme risk protection orders, has gained another Republican co-sponsor, Senator Collins (R-ME), as of March 23, 2018. The bill, originally introduced on March 8, 2018 by Senators Blumenthal (D-CT) and Graham (R-SC), is similar in scope and effect to the Florida ‘red flag’ bill which we have previously discussed in our newsletter. Here is the ...

DOJ Inches Closer To Federal Bump Stock Ban

DOJ has finally released a notice of proposed rulemaking (“Notice”) that would effectively ban “bump stocks,” “slide-fire” devices, “and devices with certain similar characteristics.” As originally announced, DOJ intends to clarify that all bump stock devices are “machineguns” under the Gun Control Act (“GCA”) and National Firearms Act (“NFA”). The Notice contends in large part that the “single fu...

NRA FILES LAWSUIT TO ENJOIN FLORIDA’S VIOLATION OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF YOUNG ADULTS

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB 7026 into law on Friday. Among other things, SB 7026 raised the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 18 to 21, effective immediately. The new provision is Fla. Stat. § 790.065(13), which provides that: “A person younger than 21 years of age may not purchase a firearm. The sale or transfer of a firearm to a person younger than 21 years of age may not b...

U.S. DOJ Takes Step Toward Bump Stock Ban

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a notice of proposed regulation relating to “bump stock” devices. The DOJ has identified the following objectives and goals in filing the notice: Clarify that the definition of “machinegun” in the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act (GCA) includes bump stock type devices; and ...

BREAKING NEWS: FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT SIGNS GUN CONTROL MEASURE (SB 7026)

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB 7026 into law today. As discussed in our previous post, SB 7026 changes Florida law relevant to the sale of firearms in the following manner: The minimum age to purchase rifles and shotguns in Florida has been increased from 18 to 21. There will be a three-day waiting period on the purchase of any firearm, with exceptions for law enforcement officer...

STATE LEGISLATORS CONTINUE TO PUSH KNEE-JERK FIREARM CONTROL BILLS; WHILE LIKELY TO FAIL, OUR INDUSTRY MUST BE ALERT

Two more state legislatures, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, will be weighing new proposed firearm control measures, proving that the uptick in knee-jerk, rushed legislation following the Parkland tragedy continues. The Illinois bill has passed the state House of Representatives. The bill makes it illegal for persons under the age of 21 to possess or purchase high-capac...

NY, NJ, CT, AND RI FORM COALITION; AGREE TO SHARE FIREARMS DATA

The Governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have announced their formation of a new “States for Gun Safety” coalition. Through the Coalition, the four states plan to openly share information of persons prohibited from possessing firearms pursuant to their respective state laws using a centralized database. In addition, they intend to share details with each other about h...

NEW “ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN” INTRODUCED TARGETING SPECIFIC FIREARMS, DEVICES, AND MANUFACTURERS

Two Democratic Representatives, David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), have introduced a sweeping bill called the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2018.” The bill, if passed in its current version, would make it illegal to “import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semiautomatic assault weapon,” and would ban devices such as bump stocks an...

UPDATE: Concealed Carry Bill Gets House Approval; “Fix NICS” Full Steam Aheard

H.R. 38, entitled the “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017” (CCRA) has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. As we have previously reported, the bill allows any person who is carrying a valid government-issued identification document and is either: (1) also carrying a valid license or permit issued by any state that permits carrying a concealed firearm; or (2) is entitled to carry...

What You Need To Know About The Fix NICS Act Of 2017

The “Fix NICS Act of 2017,” Senate Bill 2135 and House Bill 4434, which was introduced this month with bi-partisan support, is supported by both the NRA and the NSSF. The Fix NICS Act of 2017 is an important piece of legislation for the Industry. It will improve the records available to NICS and therefore the accuracy of background checks to determine if a prospective purchaser is prohibited from...

RLF Partner Christopher Renzulli appeared before the Connecticut Supreme Court on November 14 in the Sandy Hook case, Soto v. Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, et al. The highly-anticipated and widely-covered oral argument represented the culmination of months of briefing on an appeal by the plaintiffs of Connecticut Judge Barbara Bellis’ decision granting a motion by the defendants to stri...

Several bills have been introduced that, if passed, would substantially alter the regulation of suppressors. In particular, House Bill H.R. 367 and Senate Bill S. 59 (referred to as the Hearing Protection Act of 2017), which were introduced in January, would remove suppressors from regulation under the National Firearms Act (“NFA”). Here is what you need to know about H.R. 367 and S. 59: If...

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP represented Glock, Inc. in a case brought against one of its former distributors and its president and sole shareholder in federal court in Georgia. The case primarily involved claims that the defendants had violated the Georgia Civil RICO Act by purchasing discounted Glock pistols that were restricted to resale to the law enforcement market, and then reselling them to the c...

The California Office of Administrative Law recently approved proposed regulations submitted by the California Department of Justice that expand the definition and registration requirements for "assault weapons" under California law. In 2016, the California Legislature altered the definition of “assault weapon” for pistols and rifles to eliminate the “bullet button” exception to California’s “assa...

The State of New Jersey filed a lawsuit against Sig Sauer, Inc. (“Sig”) in New Jersey Superior Court in Mercer County on April 27, 2017. The complaint, a copy of which can be read here, alleges that the New Jersey State Police (“NJSP”) selected the Sig P229 as its duty weapon in 2014. The complaint alleges that when first used during a firearms qualification session in September 2014, the P229 ha...

The United States Supreme Court recently clarified how the patent venue statute applies when a patent infringement lawsuit is brought against a domestic (U.S.) corporation. The case, TC Heartland, LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands, LLC, No. 16-341 (decided May 22, 2017), involved a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Kraft Foods Group Brands, LLC (“Kraft”), a Delaware corporation, against a comp...

On April 24 2017, the Indiana Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in favor of Renzulli Law Firm, LLP’s clients KS&E Sports and Edward J. Ellis in a case that had been brought against them by Dwayne H. Runnels. KS&E Sports had sold a handgun to Tarus Blackburn, who was alleged to have straw purchased it on behalf of a convicted felon, Demetrious Martin. Two months after Blackburn so...

On March 1, 2017, Senator John Cornyn introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (“CCCRA”). The following is a link to the text of the CCCRA: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/446/text. The CCRA is similar to the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (“CCRA”), which Representative Richard Hudson introduced on January 3, 2017. The following is ...

Renzulli Law Firm led two lively and informative seminars this year at SHOT Show 2017, one called “Ask a Firearms Attorney” and one on “Intellectual Property”. During our “Ask a Firearms Attorney” seminar we highlighted a range of hot topics facing the Industry, including political issues, legislative trends, prominent Industry litigation and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA)....

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP, on behalf of a Pennsylvania indoor shooting range, recently prevailed on a motion to compel the production of information that a personal injury plaintiff posted privately on Facebook. Plaintiff’s lawsuit alleges that he suffered hearing loss from gunshot noise he was exposed to while discharging firearms in defendant’s shooting range. We successfully argued that informatio...

Seventh Circuit Invalidates Chicago Regulation Effectively Prohibiting Firing Ranges

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Ezell v. City of Chicago, Nos. 14-3312 & 14-3322, recently invalidated three Chicago regulations that drastically limited where firing ranges could be located within city limits and who could enter those ranges. The location-related regulations limited the operation of firing ranges to manufacturing districts in Chicago and prohibit...

Suicide Prevention Resources for Shooting Ranges and Retailers

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (“NSSF”) and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (“AFSP”) recently announced at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas a partnership to educate the public and industry members about suicide prevention as it relates to firearms. The partnership aims to educate firearm owners about suicide, its warning signs, risk factors and the importance of securely storing fire...

ATF Adopts Noteworthy Changes To Form 4473

The ATF has adopted a new Form 4473 that all FFLs must use beginning on January 16, 2017. Several of the changes on the new Form 4473 clarify current laws that already apply to firearm sales made before the revised forms must be used. Two of those changes are of particular relevance. First, the new Form 4473 clarifies the instruction for question 11(a) regarding when the person is completing th...

The Court of Appeals of the State of California, Fifth Appellate District, in National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. v. California, Case No. F072310 (Cal. Ct. App.), recently reversed a lower court’s ruling dismissing the NSSF’s petition to enjoin enforcement of California’s requirement that manufacturers “microstamp” all new semiautomatic pistols sold in the state. “Microstamping” generally re...

This week, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard oral arguments in two closely-watched cases challenging Washington D.C.’s strict concealed carry laws, Wrenn et al. v. District of Columbia et al., and Grace et al. v. District of Columbia et al. Both cases involve challenges to the District of Columbia's “may-issue” concealed carry law found at D.C. Code § 22...

As the 15th Annual Firearms Import/Export Conference confirmed, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) remains dedicated to Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement. The FCPA is complex and nuanced but, in a nutshell, prohibits bribes to foreign officials. In April, DOJ announced that it was in the process of dedicating significantly greater resources to the FCPA by adding 10 new prosecutor...

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP regularly represents federal firearms licensees who receive a report of violations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) based on a compliance inspection. We recently represented federally licensed firearms dealers in the ATF’s Dallas and Houston Field Divisions with regard to reports of violations they had received at the conclusion of compli...

There is a new and potentially powerful tool available to protect trade secrets – ex parte seizures. The Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), enacted May 11, 2016, implements a federal civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. Among its remedies, the DTSA permits injunctive relief, the recovery of damages for misappropriation, attorney’s fees for willful conduct and ex parte seizures u...

In recent months, we have seen an upward trend in claims being made by individuals alleging hearing loss as a result of firearm noise. Litigants have asserted such claims against firearms manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, as well as shooting ranges and the manufacturers of ammunition, suppressors, hearing protection, and other firearms accessories. Our Firm has extensive experience in l...

The laws governing the import and export of firearms are complex and regularly changing. Numerous federal agencies, including the Department of State, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Commerce have jurisdiction regarding the import and export of firearms. Renzulli Law Firm, LLP regularly counsels its firearms industry clients regarding the requ...

On March 21, 2016 the United States Supreme Court issued a per curiam (“by the Court”) opinion, without full written or oral arguments, in Caetano v. Massachusetts vacating a decision by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts that upheld the conviction of Jaime Caetano for possession of a stun gun. Ms. Caetano had possessed the stun gun in order protect herself from an abusive boyfriend. The Massachus...

It was another successful SHOT Show for the firearms industry this year. The NSSF reports that it was the second highest attendance total ever – more than 64,000 industry professionals attended the Show. The industry sent a message to its detractors through its robust attendance that it is alive and well and flourishing and will not back down to them during this crucial election year. Renzulli ...

Supreme Court Denies Review of Assault Weapons Ban On Monday, December 7, 2015, the United States Supreme Court denied review of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuits ruling in Friedman v. City of Highland Park. The case arose out of the City of Highland Parks ordinance prohibiting possession of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, defined as a magazin...

Seattle City Council Adopts New Firearm Tax; Court Upholds FL Law Protecting Firearm Owners’ Privacy

Seattle City Council Adopts New Firearm Tax On August 10, 2015 the Seattle City Council adopted two ordinances affecting firearm purchasers and owners. First, the Council unanimously approved a $25 tax on all firearms sold in the city in what it claims to be an effort to combat violent crime. The proposal also includes a 5 cent tax on each round of ammunition sold. For .22 ammunition, the tax is...

Texas Governor Signs Open Carry Bill; New “Smart Gun” Bill Introduced

Texas Governor Signs Open Carry Bill; New “Smart Gun” Bill Introduced Texas Governor Signs Open Carry Bill June 15, 2015; Texas Governor Greg Abbot has signed HB 910 (The Texas Open Carry Bill for Concealed Handgun Holders) and SB 11 (the Campus Carry Bill) into law. HB 910 – which will go into effect on January 1, 2016 – allows for license holders to openly carr...

Equity Firm Offers Cash-Out for Remington Shares; Supreme Court Rules on Felon Firearm Transfers

Firm Offers Cash Out to Investors who Own Shares in Remington Outdoor May 19, 2015; Private equity firm Cerberus Capital issued a letter to its investors on Friday, advising them that they are permitted to sell their stakes in Remington Outdoor (formerly known as Freedom Group). Investors now have thirty days to make a decision as to whether they want to sell their shares in the country&rsquo...

NY Senate Majority Leader Willing to Revise SAFE Act; NJ Legislators Rethinking “Smart-Gun” Mandate

NY Senate Majority Leader Willing to Revise SAFE Act May 15, 2015; NY Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Long Island) recently stated that he is willing to work with his colleagues in an effort to amend two major parts of the NY SAFE Act – the first being restrictions on passing firearms to family members through a will, and second the ban on loading more than seven rounds into a m...

New York Court Orders Release of Firearm Registration Data; 3-D Firearm Designer Sues State Dept

New York Court Orders Release of Firearm Registration Data Judge Thomas J. McNamara (NY Supreme – Albany County) has ruled that the New York State Police must release data regarding the registration of firearms that may qualify as “assault weapons” under the provisions of the NY SAFE Act. The case, Robinson v. Cuomo et al., was filed in 2014 by pro-firearm group Shooters Com...

FL Tightens Backyard Rules; Sweeping Reform in NC; NRA Suit to Continue

Florida Considers Tightening of Backyard Range Rules The Florida House has passed a bill that would make it a misdemeanor to discharge a firearm for recreational purposes in a residential area with a density of one or more housing units per acre. If passed by the Senate (and signed into law), the bill (couched as an amendment to House Bill 995 and Senate Bill 1444) would change the current law,...

Bill to Eliminate Race Disclosure on 4473s; Video Ad Criticizes Kroger’s Open-Carry Policy

April 16, 2015: Bill Proposes Elimination of Mandatory Race Disclosure for Firearm Sales The Freedom From Intrusive Regulatory Enforcement of Arbitration Registration Mandates (FIREARM) Act was reintroduced this week by Republican Representatives. If passed, the FIREARM Act would eliminate the requirement that firearm dealers submit information about the race of their customers on 4473s. The A...

Dem Proposes Tax Credit for Handing Over “Assault Weapons”; 3-D Printed Weapons Ban?

March 9, 2015: Democrat Proposes Tax Credit for Handing Over “Assault Weapons” Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) introduced the “Support Assault Firearm Elimination and Reduction for our Streets Act” (also known as the SAFER Streets Act) Monday. If passed, the bill would provide for a $2,000 refundable tax credit to “assault weapon” owners who turn in t...

Anti-Firearm Hoax; Marco Rubio’s Bill; BATFE Raids Home of Texas Judge

States United to Prevent Gun Violence Hoaxes “Customers” Anti-firearm lobbyist group States United to Prevent Gun Violence recently set up a fake firearm retail shop in New York City for purposes of invoking scare tactics upon customers who sought to purchase firearms. When the customers would inquire about specific firearms, or when they would simply engage the “store clerk&rd...

Anti-Firearm Hoax; Mark Rubio’s Bill; BATFE Raids Home of Texas Judge

House Dems Propose Ammo Ban; Concealed Carry Laws Across the US; Colorado Ends Mag Capacity Ban

March 18, 2015: House Dems Propose Ammo Ban Approximately one week after the BATFE announced it “will not at this time seek to issue a final framework” with respect to its proposal to ban commonplace ‘green tip’ ammunition, House Democrats have introduced the Armor Piercing Bullets Act (HR1358). The bill – sponsored by Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) – s...

RLF Convinces Court to Allow Range Construction; Proposed Ammo Ban Boosts Sales; New Laws in MI

March 2, 2015: RLF Convinces Mass. Court to Allow Construction to Begin on Gun Range A rod and gun club in Massachusetts that had been in operation for over eighty-five (85) years was ordered, amongst other things, to close down its fifty-yard firearm range due to claimed safety concerns of neighboring homeowners. After a trial and comprehensive post-trial briefing, including multiple competi...

NJ’s Antique Firearm Legislation; FL Campus Carry Bill; PA Federal Court Rules Against GCA Provision

February 23, 2015: NJ Assemblywoman to Introduce Antique Firearm Legislation New Jersey Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R) intends to introduce legislation that would exempt antique firearms from NJ firearm laws. The legislation comes in response to the recent news that a 72-year-old NJ man is facing ten years in prison for possessing an unloaded, 300-year-old pistol. Federal law already exe...

Federal Courts Rule on Non-Resident Purchases, NY City Pistol Permit Law

Federal Court Overturns Prohibition Against Handgun Sales to Out-of-State Residents Federal Court Judge Reed O’Connor (Northern District of Texas) ruled yesterday that a provision within the Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibiting the sale of handguns to out-of-state residents was unconstitutional. In striking down the ban, Judge O’Connor reasoned that the ban was “not narrowly ...

Dems to Introduce Legislation on Magazine Capacity; Updates in Virginia Firearm Legislation

February 6, 2015: Dems Plan to Introduce Legislation on Magazine Capacity New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez (D), along with other high-ranking Democrats on Capitol Hill, announced this week a plan to introduce legislation which would renew a federal prohibition on magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition. The bill (which has been labeled the “Large Capacity Ammunition Feedi...

NSSF Examines Choke Point; VT Firearm Group Opposes Legislation; WV “Permitless Carry” Bill

NSSF to Determine Extent Of Operation Choke Point’s Impact At last week’s SHOT Show, one topic in particular was brought up several times: Operation Choke Point. The operation is a government program that was originally created to prohibit fraudulent business transactions through financial payment processors like PayPal and Square. Several firearm industry members, however, are now r...

2015 SHOTSHOW; Sandy Hook Panel Proposes Ban; Kansas Concealed Carry Bill

January 23, 2015: 2015 SHOT SHOW Held in Las Vegas The 2015 SHOT SHOW was held this week at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The firearm industry’s largest annual event was attended this year by more than 65,000 industry professionals from all 50 states. On Wednesday, Christopher Renzulli of Renzulli Law Firm co-lectured a symposium on NFA trusts. Another highlight of the even...

KY Safe Students Act; TX Leads the Way; Suit Against Newtown; MO’s Domestic Violence Bill

January 15, 2015: Kentucky Representative Introduces Bill Which Would Repeal “Gun-Free School Zones” Earlier this week, Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie (R) introduced HR 86, the Safe Students Act. If passed, the legislation would repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, a bill that “made it unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm in a place that h...