2023 Session
The 2023 session brought more “anti gun” bills from Democratic lawmakers, all of which received a hearing. Meanwhile, any bills that would have actually helped law-abiding citizens and even police officers better protect themselves didn’t receive the courtesy of a hearing.
Here is a list of the bills that passed during the session, all of which were vetoed by Governor Lombardo.
AB 354 added polling places to Nevada’s list of gun-free zones. It also prohibits the possession, purchase, or manufacture of unfinished firearms frames without a serial number. This was an attempt to ban so-called “ghost guns,” which were outlawed in the 2021 session, but that law was declared unconstitutional.
It passed both chambers along party lines. NVFAC PAC lobbied against the bill and requested that the Governor veto the bill, which he did. Here is his veto message.
AB 355 would have outlawed possession of a firearm in Nevada by anyone under the age of twenty-one, with few exceptions.
The bill passed along party lines in both houses. We lobbied against the bill and urged the Governor to veto it, which he did. Here is his veto message, explaining that the bill is unconstitutional.
SB 171 would have banned certain hate crimes, including speech, and forfeited gun rights on conviction. This bill was retroactive to hate speech anywhere in the country in the last ten years. The language was very vague, making the implications of the bill very broad.
The bill passed out of both houses along party lines. We lobbied against the bill and requested that the Governor veto the bill, which he did. Here is his veto message that said “the limited nexus between certain misdemeanor offenses and gun violence makes it untenable to pass a law that immediately puts the defendant’s Second Amendment rights in jeopardy.”
We are grateful that Governor Lombardo vetoed all of these bills that would have threatened the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Nevadans. We expect to fight the same fights in the 2025 session, which is why we will work hard during the 2024 election to ensure that neither house gains a 2/3rds Democrat majority that could then override the Governor’s vetoes.
Thanks to the hundreds of NVFAC members who sent emails and made calls in response to our calls to action. Your advocacy ensured that all the Republican members of the legislature understood the importance of standing up for your 2nd Amendment rights!