Tennessee Congressman Ogles Joins Fight Against Biden Administration Attempt to Keep Hunting and Archery Programs Out of Schools

U.S. Congressman Andy Ogels (R-TN-05) joined U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) in introducing legislation on Thursday to fight back against the Biden Administration’s attempt to keep hunting and archery programs out of schools.

This follows the Biden Administration recently announcing their plan to withhold funding from schools that provide these programs claiming that under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) passed last year, school hunting and archery classes are precluded from receiving federal funding.

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Commentary: TFA and GOA File Amicus Brief in Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Challenging ATF’s ‘Frame and Receiver’ Rule

On August 25, 2023, Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) joined again with Gun Owners of America GOA) in the effort to defeat the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms’ (ATF) unconstitutional expansion of the Congressional definition of a “frame or receiver”. The brief was filed in the case of Jennifer VanDerStok, et al. v. Merrick Garland, et. al. Fifth Circuit 23:10718.  

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Pennsylvania Lawmaker Proposes Notifying ICE of Illegals Trying to Buy Guns

A Pennsylvania state lawmaker is urging colleagues to back emerging legislation ensuring illegal aliens who try to get firearms are reported to federal and state authorities. 

State Representative Ryan Mackenzie’s (R-Macungie) measure would direct the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to inform the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and the Pennsylvania Attorney General of all such purchase attempts. 

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Pennsylvania Democrat Proposes Waiting Periods for Acquiring Guns

A Pennsylvania state senator this week announced she is reintroducing legislation to force gun buyers to undergo three-day waiting periods before they take possession of their firearms. 

Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Norristown) wrote in a memorandum describing her bill that she believes the measure could reduce both violent crime and suicides. She stated that more than 60 percent of gun deaths are intentionally self-inflicted and said research has shown that many suicide survivors thought about taking the actions they did for less than a 24-hour period. 

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Hundreds of Virginians Have Had Firearms Confiscated Through Red-Flag Laws

Hundreds of Virginians have had their guns confiscated from them through red-flag laws since those rules went into effect more than two years ago, according to data in the Virginia Firearms Transaction Center.

Red-flag laws allow police to seize firearms from a person if a judge deems him or her to be a threat to himself or others, even if that person has not been convicted of a crime, charged with a crime or even accused of a crime. The laws passed the General Assembly when Democrats had control of both chambers and were signed by former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam. The legislation received staunch opposition from the Republican minority at the time.

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Plaintiffs Get Partial Win in Lawsuit over Winchester Gun Ban Ordinance

A circuit court has granted a temporary injunction blocking City of Winchester’s ban on guns in parks and public permitted events, but leaves intact a ban on guns in city buildings. That’s a partial win for the plaintiffs well over a year after the lawsuit was first filed.

“Boy, do the wheels of justice turn slowly in this country, wow,” Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) President Philip Van Cleave told The Virginia Star. “You know, it’s an injunction. We were hoping to get something like that fairly quickly.”

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Gun Groups Caution against Richmond Gun Buyback Event

Richmond held a gun buyback program Saturday in an attempt to curb gun violence, but some critics have cautioned that such programs would not likely have that effect.

Individuals who seek to get rid of their firearms on a no-questions-asked policy were to do so at Liberation Church in Richmond. The city council approved the gun buyback event and bought the firearms using gift cards.

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Northern Virginia Town Adopts Gun Buyback Ordinance

An unloaded handgun sitting on the center console of a vehicle with the magazine clip next to it

A town in northern Virginia has adopted a gun buyback ordinance, which will allow residents to receive compensation for giving unwanted firearms to the town.

The Dumfries Town Council approved the gun buyback program at a meeting this week. The ordinance the council adopted authorizes the town manager to contract an individual or entity to manage the firearm buyback program. The contract would be administered by the police department.

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Tennessee Firearms Association Founder John Harris Tracks the 55 Second Amendment Bills Filed for 2022’s General Assembly

John Harris

Live from Music Row Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed John Harris, founder of the Tennessee Firearms Association, to the newsmaker line to discuss the nature of bills that he is tracking for 2022. Leahy: Now on the newsmaker line by our very good friend, the Founder and President of the Tennessee Firearms Association, John Harris. Good morning, John. Harris: Good morning. Leahy: And let me also add that you are the co-author, along with Claudia Henneberry and me of the Guide of the Constitution: Bill of Rights for Secondary School Students. That’s the supplemental text that we use as the standard for the National Constitution Bee. We will be holding the 6th National Constitution Bee for students in grades eight through 12 coming up on October 22nd in Brentwood. Five thousand dollars to the second-place winner, $10,000 to the first place winner educational scholarship. So thank you for that work as well. Now tell me, do you have your report card, your interim report card, out to grade the Tennessee General Assembly on Second Amendment…

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Blacksburg Council Considering Ordinance to Ban Carrying of Firearms in Certain Locations

The Blacksburg Town Council will consider passing a proposed ordinance that bans the carrying of firearms on town property as well as in public spaces when being used for or next to a permitted event.

Localities in the Commonwealth are now allowed to take such action after the General Assembly passed legislation during the 2020 regular session last spring and took effect in July. 

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Fear Drives Record Gun Sales

Virginia is setting records for gun sales this year; already the FBI has processed 617,472 firearms background checks, beating 2019’s total of 512,766.

Bob Marcus owns Bob’s Guns in Norfolk. He said the increase in sales began a year ago. “We saw it after the General Assembly turned over back in November. It started with the election, and then the General Assembly went into session. And there were threats of the so-called assault weapons ban, and other restrictions, so it continued through January, February, and into March.”

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Scott DesJarlais’ Chief of Staff Explains Congressman’s Vote on Bill That Gun Owners of America Denounced

A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) said the congressman is solidly pro-gun despite voting for a proposed law that Gun Owners of America said would confiscate guns from members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

As The Tennessee Star reported Saturday, members of the Democratic-majority U.S. House of Representatives passed that bill, H.R. 6395, late last month. The vote was 295 to 125, according to the House website, with 108 Republicans saying yes to it — with three of them, including DesJarlais, representing Tennessee.

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State Sen. Steve Dickerson’s Promise To Introduce ‘Red Flag’ Bill Getting Criticism From Local And National Gun Rights Advocacy Groups

State Senator Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville) has gotten the attention of local and national gun rights activist groups for promising to introduce a “red flag” bill in the upcoming legislative session. So-called red flag laws permit a judge to issue an order to seize firearms from a lawful owner based upon a petition from police or family members citing something as feeble as statements made by the gun owner in question, hence the name “red flag.” Dickerson, in an op-ed to The Tennessean, alludes to bills signed into law by Republican governors since the Parkland shooting, saying, “This is exactly the type of bipartisan, common-sense gun violence prevention policy we need in Tennessee.” That’s why, Dickerson says, “I will introduce a red flag bill when the Tennessee General Assembly reconvenes next session.” Tennessee Firearms Association Executive Director John Harris, in an email to the organization’s members, has raised the question as to whether Constitutional rights should be subject to the low threshold infringements of red flag laws.  Ammoland Shooting Sports News picked up Harris’ commentary and published it in its entirety. Harris says that red flag laws “may just be the newest euphemism for reasonable gun control.” Indeed, in his commentary,…

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