Renzulli Run Down: What You Need To Know
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Final Countdown To The GDPR Is Here. Are You Ready?
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 in New York…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
RLF Appears Before The Connecticut Supreme Court
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…
Hearing Protection Act of 2017: The Deregulation of “Suppressors”
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…
Renzulli Law Firm, LLP Receives Substantial Judgment for Client
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…
California Muddles State “Assault Weapon” Prohibition
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 “assault weapons” prohibition.…
New Jersey State Police Sues Sig Sauer, Inc.
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…
Patent Infringement In Focus: U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Venue Rules for Patent Infringement Lawsuits
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”),…
Renzulli Law Firm Achieves Substantial Victory in the Indiana Supreme Court
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…
Congress Set To Address Concealed Carry
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 a…
SHOT Show 2017 Wrap-Up
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…
RLF Victory: “Privately” Maintained Social Media Information Found Discoverable
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…
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…
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…
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…
Recent Developments in “Microstamping” Legislation
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…
Federal Appeals Court Hears Challenge To Hotly Contested D.C. Conceal Carry Law
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…
Keeping The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act In Focus
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…
Protecting Your Federal Firearms License and Minimizing Violations During a Compliance Conference
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…
Federal Law Opens Door To “Ex Parte” Seizures Under Trade Secrets Act
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…
Hearing Loss Claims in Firearms Litigation
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…
Successfully Navigating the Complex Maze of Firearm Import and Export Laws
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…
U.S. Supreme Court Vacates Decision Upholding Stun Gun Ban
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…
SHOT Show 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada
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…
Supreme Court Denies Review of Assault Weapons Ban
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Anti-Firearm Hoax; Mark 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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
I-594 Challenged; Sixth Circuit Mental Health Decision; Navy Vet Sues NY State; MI New Legislation
January 5, 2015: Happy Holidays from Renzulli Law Firm Renzulli Law Firm would like to wish all of its friends a healthy and prosperous New Year! Washington’s I-594 to be Challenged in Court Earlier this week, a federal lawsuit challenging recently-enacted Initiative-594 was filed in the Western District of Washington. The plaintiffs in the suit…
WA Authorities to Avoid Strict Enforcement of I-594; TX Tax-Free Firearm Holiday
December 19, 2014: Some Washington Law Enforcement to Avoid Strict Enforcement of I-594 Recently passed Washington State Initiative 594, which significantly expanded the requirement to conduct background checks for firearm transfers, may not prove to be the victory its proponents had originally hoped for. Lewis County (population over 75,000) Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer and Sheriff-elect Rob…
2nd Circuit Hears Oral Arguments; Bushmaster to Face Claims from Sandy Hook; NY IDs Firearm Owners
December 11, 2014: Second Circuit Takes NY and Conn Safe Act Cases Under Advisement The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard oral arguments yesterday on two cases challenging the constitutionality of restrictions on “assault weapons” and ammunition magazines in New York and Connecticut. The decisions of two cases were consolidated before the…
Putnam County Firearm Owners Association Event; TX, SC Propose Restrictions on Federal Reach
December 5, 2014: Putnam County Firearm Owners Association Hosts NY Firearm Law Forum On Wednesday, Christopher Renzulli and Nicholas Whipple from Renzulli Law Firm, along with over one-hundred other firearm enthusiasts, attended the Putnam County Firearm Owners Association’s “NY Firearm Laws: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You … What You Learn Can Protect You”…
Putnam County Firearm Owners Association Event; TX, SC Propose Restrictions on Federal Reach
December 5, 2014: Putnam County Firearm Owners Association Hosts NY Firearm Law Forum On Wednesday, Christopher Renzulli and Nicholas Whipple from Renzulli Law Firm, along with over one-hundred other firearm enthusiasts, attended the Putnam County Firearm Owners Association’s “NY Firearm Laws: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You … What You Learn Can Protect You”…
Putnam County Firearm Owners Association Event; TX, SC Propose Restrictions on Federal Reach
December 5, 2014: Putnam County Firearm Owners Association Hosts NY Firearm Law Forum On Wednesday, Christopher Renzulli and Nicholas Whipple from Renzulli Law Firm, along with over one-hundred other firearm enthusiasts, attended the Putnam County Firearm Owners Association’s “NY Firearm Laws: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You … What You Learn Can Protect You”…
NJ Says iP1 Not “Smart Gun”; Ohio Senate Mulls New Legislation; Park City, UT Repeals Laws
December 2, 2014: NJ Attorney General Finds Armatix Handgun Does Not Qualify as “Smart Gun” In 2002, then-NJ Governor Jim McGreevey (D) signed the Personalized Handgun Law (N.J.S. 2C:58-2.2 et seq.), legislation mandating that all handguns sold in New Jersey be “smart guns” within three years after the technology becomes available and is deemed sufficiently…
Increase in Ferguson Firearm Sales; Museum Exhibit Prohibited; Fl Mulls Expansive Background Checks
November 21, 2014: Firearm Sales Skyrocket in Ferguson Firearm retailers in and around Ferguson, Missouri are reporting a sharp increase in sales. Experts attribute the increase to the upcoming grand jury announcement in the Michael Brown case. Initial statistics suggest that as much as 75% of the purchases are by first-time firearm owners. Concealed carry…
9th Circuit Disallows Anti-Firearm Intervention; PA Cities Sue Over New Legislation
November 17, 2014: 9th Circuit Rules Concealed Carry Laws May Not Be Challenged This week, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied attempts by California Attorney General Kamala Harris, gun control groups and law enforcement associations to challenge a previous ruling which struck down restrictive regulations on concealed firearms. In what is being hailed…
Midterm Elections a Win for Firearm Advocates; Oklahoma’s New Firearm Legislation
November 5, 2014: Firearm Advocates Win Big in Midterm Elections Yesterday’s midterm elections proved victorious – for the most part – with respect to firearm rights around the country. In the race for Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner (R) defeated Pat Quinn (D), who was eager to renew the Illinois State assault weapons ban. Maryland…
PA Senate Passes “Stand-in” Bill; Firearm Demonstrations in NY and MO
October 30, 2014 PA Senate Passes “Stand-in” Bill The Pennsylvania Senate has passed an amendment to House Bill 80 which would allow member firearm organizations to stand in for local citizens who have brought actions challenging city and county firearm ordinances that supersede state law. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R) has hinted that he is…
DC Mayor Signs “Emergency Act”; No Concealed Carry at NC State Fair
October 14, 2014: DC Mayor Signs “Emergency Act” Washington DC Mayor Vincent Gray (D) signed the “License to Carry a Pistol Emergency Amendment Act of 2014” Friday in response to U.S. District Court Judge Frederick J. Scullin’s decision in the Palmer v. D.C. case, which struck down as unconstitutional a ban on carrying firearms outside…
NY Follows in CA’s Footsteps; Chicago Range Restrictions Shot Down
October 6, 2014: NY Follows in CA’s Footsteps, Introduces “Gun Restraining Order Bill” New York Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh (D) is in the process of introducing New York’s version of “Gun Violence Restraining Order” legislation. The proposal comes less than one week after California passed Assembly Bill 1014, which allows immediate family members or law enforcement…
Widespread Changes in CA; Homemade Firearms Ban?; Female Firearm Ownership Up
October 3, 2014: Widespread Changes to Firearm Laws in California This week, California became the first state in the country to enact a firearm “restraining order” bill that extends to immediate family members. Assembly Bill 1014, which has been considered the legislature’s response to the lethal shooting in May near the UC Santa Barbara…
NJ to Revisit 2002 “Smart Gun” Bill?; Firearm Purchase Requests Decrease in Texas
September 25, 2014: 17 Year Old’s Science Fair Project May Lead to NJ Enforcing 2002 Smart Gun Bill In 2002, then-NJ Governor Jim McGreevey (D) signed the Personalized Handgun Law (N.J.S. 2C:58-2.2 et seq.), legislation mandating that all handguns sold in New Jersey be “smart guns” within three years after the technology becomes available and…
Missouri Governor’s Veto Overturned; Washington to Vote on Background Check Expansion
September 17, 2014: Missouri General Assembly Overrides Governor’s Veto The Missouri General Assembly has voted 117-39 in favor of overriding Governor Nixon’s (D) veto of SB 656, a bill which allows specially trained school employees to carry concealed firearms on campuses. SB 656, sponsored by state Senator Will Kraus (R) and state Representative Kevin Elmer…
Alabama Firearm Ownership a Fundamental Right?; Cleveland Mayor’s “Gun Registry”; CA Assembly Votes
September 3, 2014: Alabama Residents to Vote on Making Firearm Ownership a Fundamental Right In November, residents of Alabama will vote on The Alabama Firearms Protection Amendment (HB 8), a proposed amendment to Section 26 of the Alabama State Constitution sponsored by Representative Mike Jones (R). HB8 would amend Section 26 to make owning firearms…
NY City Proposes Gun Offender Registry Bill; California 10 Day Waiting Period Ruled Unconstitutional
August 27, 2014: NY City Council Introduces “Gun Offender Registry Bill” The New York City Council Committee on Public Safety on Thursday introduced Int 0434 (also known as the Gun Offender Registry Bill), legislation which would create a publicly-accessible database of individuals who have been convicted of a firearm offense. The database would allow the…
No Liability for Gun Exchange; Maryland Ban Upheld; Mass. Gun Law Signed
August 13, 2014: Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued significant decisions related to firearms. Specifically, the Seventh Circuit affirmed a trial court ruling that gun exchange, Armslist, LLC, was not liable for wrongful death claims arising out of the death…
Massachusetts Bill Provides for Large-Scale Changes to Firearms Laws
August 4, 2014: The Massachusetts legislature approved a bill on Friday to overhaul existing state firearms laws to, amongst other things, provide for stiffer penalties for gun-related crimes. The bill (H4376) would also provide police chiefs the ability to petition a court to deny firearms identification cards (a prerequisite needed to purchase rifles and shotguns)…
DC Ban Unconstitutional; MD Court Hears Arguments on 2013 Ban
July 28, 2014: D.C. ban on carrying handguns outside of home ruled unconstitutional On Saturday, US District Judge Frederick J. Scullin struck down as unconstitutional Washington D.C.’s ban on carrying handguns outside of the home. The plaintiffs in the case (Palmer et al. v. District of Columbia et al.) were citizens of Washington D.C. who…
Bill Proposes Prohibition of Firearm Brands on Children’s Clothing
July 21, 2014: Bill Proposes Prohibition of Firearm Brands on Children’s Clothing Last week, first-year Illinois Representative Robin Kelly (D) proposed the Children’s Firearm Marketing Safety Act (H.R. 5093), a bill which would make it illegal for firearms manufacturers to exhibit their brand on child-sized clothing and headwear. The bill provides that the Federal…
NJ Governor Vetoes Reduction of Mag. Capacity; Law Prohibiting Felon Possession Upheld in Louisiana
July 9, 2014: New Jersey Governor Christie vetoes bill aimed at reducing magazine capacity Last week, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed Assembly Bill 2006, which sought to reduce New Jersey’s existing magazine capacity of firearms from fifteen to ten rounds. The Bill was sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D), who urged that…
Judge Upholds Colorado Gun Restrictions
June 30, 2014: Colorado’s magazine capacity restrictions and universal background laws are constitutional according to U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger. In a 50-page ruling handed down on Thursday, the judge held that these laws did not infringe the Second Amendment rights of Colorado citizens. In upholding the laws, the judge made clear that it was not…
Chicago City Council Approves Restrictive Ordinance
June 27, 2014: On Tuesday, the Chicago City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 4271, forcing firearms retailers to video-record sales and restricting firearms purchases to one a month. The highly-restrictive Ordinance is the City Council’s response to Judge Edmond Chang’s January 6, 2014 ruling that struck down an outright ban of firearm sales in Chicago. If…
Supreme Court Rules “Straw” Purchase Illegal Even if True Buyer Legally Permitted to Purchase
June 16, 2014: Earlier today, a divided Supreme Court (5-4) ruled that the federal ban on straw purchases can be enforced even when the actual intended purchaser is legally permitted to purchase and own a firearm. The case, Abramski v. United States, involved a former Virginia police officer (Bruce Abramski) who purchased a firearm for…
Reduced Mag Capacity Awaits NJ Governor’s Decision, Reform Proposed for Mentally Unstable
June 10, 2014: NJ Assembly Bill 2006, which would reduce the maximum magazine capacity in NJ to 10 rounds from its current limit of 15 rounds, recently passed both houses of the NJ legislature. The bill includes limited exceptions for retired law enforcement personnel and tubular feeding devices which are only capable of holding 15…
NSSF and RLF Join the Fight Against Connecticut’s Public Act 13-3
May 29, 2014: On Friday, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. (“NSSF”) and five other groups filed amicus curiae briefs in the pending appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in June Shew et al. v. Dannel Malloy et al. NSSF’s brief, which was prepared by Renzulli Law Firm, supports and expands on the…
Judge Upholds D.C. Firearms Registration in New Heller Opinion
May 16, 2014: Yesterday, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued the latest installment of Heller v. D.C. when he upheld D.C.’s firearms registration requirements finding that city officials acted “in a constitutionally permissible manner” and that the restrictive laws were consistent with the Second Amendment. Judge Boasberg held that requiring registrants to appear in person…
Reduced Mag Capacity Coming to NJ
May 14, 2014: This week the NJ Senate passed Assembly Bill 2006 which would reduce the maximum magazine capacity in NJ to 10 rounds from its existing limit of 15 rounds. The Senate, however, amended the bill, so it is headed back to the Assembly for another vote. The bill substitutes the number 10 in…
Supreme Court Passes on Right to Carry Dispute
May 8, 2014: This week the Supreme Court opted not to review a challenge to New Jersey’s restrictive approach on issuing permits to carry. The plaintiff in the case applied for a permit to carry a firearm in order to defend himself because his job involved him transporting large quantities of cash. When his application…
New “Shall issue” Legislation; GA’s New Law
April 28, 2014: In the wake of the recent 9th Circuit rulings overturning the “may issue” practices of two California counties, new legislation has been proposed which would make California a “shall issue” state. The bill would amend California Penal Code section 26150 by replacing “may issue” with “shall issue” and expressly providing that self-defense is…
Lawsuits: One Awaiting Decision, One Decided, Two on Appeal
April 18, 2014: Just more than a week ago, the trial ended in the 2nd Amendment challenge to Colorado’s 2013 anti-firearms legislation. Now, the fate of the law rests with Judge Marcia Krieger, and a decision could come any day. At the same time, the federal court challenges to the New York SAFE Act and Connecticut’s…
NY Deadline Approaches; New Laws, Courtroom Activity and Statistics
April 10, 2014: This year New Yorkers have another reason to dislike April 15—it’s the deadline for registering assault weapons under the NY SAFE Act. As the date approaches, many believe that it, like the deadline in CT, will be largely ignored. How the state will respond if it is ignored remains unknown. In addition, firearms…
Courts Continue to Support Right to Bear Arms; GA Bill Sent to Governor
March 24, 2014: The Supreme Court of Delaware recently ruled that the Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) cannot set limits on residents’ rights to carry guns in common areas of public housing. In prohibiting such restrictions, the Court noted that placing restrictions on which areas of the public housing residents can possess a firearm conflicts with…
Firearms Legal Round-Up
March 17, 2014: In California, the 9th Circuit recently issued another victory for firearms owners. The Court followed its previous decision declaring San Diego’s “good cause” requirement to be unconstitutional, and held that Yolo County, California can no longer require residents to prove a threat of violence or robbery to obtain a carry permit. In Pennsylvania,…
Clock Ticking on NJ Smart Gun Law; MO Nullification Law Passes Senate
February 21, 2014: In 2002, NJ passed a law banning the sale of firearms other than “Smart Guns.” The law provides that it becomes effective 3 years after a “Smart Gun” goes on sale in the U.S. Start the clock, because the Armatix iP1 pistol (.22LR, 10 round capacity) is now on sale in California.…
9th Cir. Strikes Down ‘Pressing Need’; CT Gun Law Ignored; IL Registration Law
February 14, 2014: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently struck down a San Diego County policy which required county residents to show a “pressing need” in order to obtain a concealed carry permit. The Court held that the policy was an unconstitutionally restrictive interpretation of California’s “good cause” requirement for obtaining a concealed carry…
CT 2nd Amendment Challenge Dismissed, But Far From Over
February 3, 2014: At the end of last week, a Federal District Judge dismissed the Connecticut Citizen’s Defense League’s (“CCDL”) Second Amendment challenge to Connecticut’s new firearms laws. Although he acknowledged that the law burdens Second Amendment rights and is lacking in clarity, Judge Alfred Covello held that the law does not substantially burden Second…
New Laws and New Legislation
January 31, 2014: With the New Year comes another wave of proposed legislation and already numerous states appear headed towards expanding firearms rights. Among the states seeking to expand firearms rights are: South Carolina (bill permitting concealed weapon permit holders to carry firearms in bars is headed to the Governor for approval); Tennessee (bill proposed…