AZ Action Alerts - suppressors and more

Take Action on Important Bills being Heard in Committee This Week!
You can see the full list of bills that AzCDL is tracking this session on our Bill Tracking Page.

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The length of comments allowed by RTS is very limited but we have provided some "talking points" below to help you formulate your ideas.

SB 1096
SB 1096 is now being considered by the state House of Representatives. It will next be heard in the House Judiciary committee. The bill will prohibit the state of Arizona from entering into a contract with a value of $100,000 or more with a company for services, supplies, information technology, or construction unless the contract includes a written certification that the company does not currently, and agrees for the duration of the contract that it will not discriminate against a firearm entity or trade association.

Talking points for SB 1096:

• Discriminating against the firearms and ammunition industry can have a significant economic impact on financial institutions. A study conducted by the American Banking Association found that nearly half of the banks surveyed reported a decrease in revenue due to the termination of relationships with firearms and ammunition dealers. The study also found that terminating these relationships resulted in increased compliance costs and reputational risks for financial institutions.
• Impact on the firearms industry. Discriminatory practices against firearms and ammunition dealers have a detrimental economic impact on the industry. A report by the National Shooting Sports Foundation found that the federal Operation Choke Point led to the termination of more than 100 bank accounts held by firearms and ammunition dealers, resulting in a loss of millions of dollars in revenue. The report also found that these practices led to a decline in the number of firearms and ammunition dealers, which resulted in a reduction of competition and higher prices for consumers.

SB 1109
SB 1109 is also now in the state House. It will be heard in the House Judiciary committee this week. The bill will remove devices that are designed, made, or adapted to muffle the report of a firearm from the definition of "prohibited weapon."

Talking points for SB 1109:

• Suppressors help prevent hearing loss. A study conducted by the American Suppressor Association found that suppressors reduce the noise of a gunshot by an average of 30 decibels, bringing the noise level down to around 140 decibels or less, which is below the level that causes immediate hearing damage.
• Increased safety. Reduced noise from suppressed firearms make it easier for shooters to communicate with each other, hear range commands, and be more aware of their surroundings.
• Reduce noise pollution. Suppressors reduce the noise produced by firearms, making them less disturbing to neighbors and reducing noise pollution in urban and suburban areas.

SB 1331
SB 1331 has also made it to the state House and will be heard in the House Judiciary committee this week. SB 1331 would prohibit the governing board of an educational institution from adopting or enforcing any policy or rule that restricts or prohibits the parent or legal guardian of a student from carrying or transporting a firearm on the property of and in an educational institution if the parent or legal guardian possesses a valid concealed weapons permit.

Talking points for SB 1331:

• The vast majority of gun owners in the United States are responsible and law-abiding citizens who use their firearms for self-defense and other lawful purposes. According to a study by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, only a tiny fraction of gun owners are involved in criminal activity.
• In cases where school shootings have taken place, they have often ended when someone with a firearm intervenes. In the case of the Sutherland Springs church shooting in Texas in 2017, a citizen with a firearm stopped the shooter, preventing further loss of life . Similarly, in the case of the May 2019 shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado, a private security guard who was armed stopped the shooter and prevented additional casualties.
• The presence of firearms in the hands of responsible and trained individuals can act as a deterrent to potential attackers. A study published in the Journal of Criminal Justice found that the implementation of concealed carry laws led to a reduction in violent crime rates.
  

SB 1096, SB 1109 and SB 1331 are all scheduled to be heard on Wednesday morning, March 8, at 9:00 AM by the House Judiciary committee. Please use RTS to add your comments for each bill in order to ensure that all three continue to move forward.

Please log into the RTS system today to enter your "For" vote and encourage your legislators to pass these bills out of committee.

HB 2394
HB 2394 is now being considered by the state Senate and will next be heard in the Senate Government committee. Similar to last year's HB 2111, this bill prohibits the state of Arizona and its political subdivisions from using any personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer or cooperate with any federal tax, levy, fee or stamp imposed on firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition not common to all other goods and services.

Talking points for HB 2394:

• HB 2394 is an anti-commandeering bill. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed in at least 5 different opinions that the federal government cannot enlist (or "commandeer") a state's resources to carry out a federal law or program.
• Last year's HB 2111 was based on the same anti-commandeering principle and was signed into law by Governor Ducey.
• No determination of the Constitutionality of a federal law or program is necessary for the state to withhold its resources.

HB 2394 is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday morning, March 8, at 9:30 AM by the Senate Government committee and is also scheduled for Thursday morning, March 9, at 9:30 AM by the same committee. Because we don't know which hearing will address HB 2394, please use RTS to add your comments to BOTH committee agendas in order to ensure the bill continues to move forward.

Please log into the RTS system today to enter your "For" vote and encourage your legislators to pass these bills out of committee.

Click Here to Visit the RTS Site


If you DO NOT have an RTS account, AzCDL can help you set one up. Although you can use RTS from any Internet-capable computer, tablet or smartphone, new accounts must be created on the RTS terminals located in Phoenix at the state Capitol or in Tucson at the satellite office.

If you need to set up an RTS account or if your account needs to be reactivated, click the button below.

Please do not attempt to create an account on your own computer or device as the account will not be active. If you have already done so, we can activate the account for you, but we will need to know the e-mail address and RTS account password you used to create it. Once the account is activated, you can then change your password to another one of your choosing.

Click Here to Request an RTS Account


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