Bill Limiting State Enforcement of Federal Gun Laws Gets Final Passage

April 19, 2021 T. Arthur Mason North Dakota
Rep. Rick Becker (R - District 7) urges his colleagues to vote for HB 1383 during the 2021 Session. The bill ultimately won the approval of every Republican lawmaker and two House Democrats. (Photo via Screenshot)

Finally. After a bit of a ride in the legislative process, Rep. Rick Becker’s (R – District 7) House Bill 1383 got final passage in the House and Senate today.

I’ve written about this bill a number of times. In my opinion, it’s the most important gun bill of the 2021 Legislative Session. In a nutshell, if Governor Burgum signs the bill into law, North Dakota will be forbidden from participating in the “enforcement of a violation of a federal statute, order, rule, or regulation purporting to regulate a firearm, firearm accessory, or firearm ammunition”.

There are some carve-outs in the bill. I’ve written about those here. But they were necessary to get law enforcement on board and to give the bill a chance at passage.

The Senate did end up making some concessions in conference committee. You can hear Senator Michael Dwyer (R – District 47) discuss that here. In short, they restored the “firearm accessory” provision the Senate had removed before.

Make no mistake about it, passage of HB 1383 is still a very big deal. Especially when we consider the gun control agenda of the Biden administration and awful legislation pending in the U.S. House.

I’m also more than happy to give credit to Republican lawmakers— of whom I’ve been critical in the past. Not a single one voted against the final bill. That’s impressive. And even a bit surprising. Heck, even a couple Democrats on the House side voted for it— Representatives Tracy Boe (D – District 9) and Corey Mock (D – District 18). Good on them.

Now, on to the governor.

Sources:

  1. North Dakota Bill Versions: HB 1383 (nd.gov)
  2. HB 1383 Archives – The Minuteman Blog
  3. Passage of Bill Limiting State Enforcement of Federal Gun Laws is Huge – The Minuteman Blog
  4. North Dakota Legislative Branch Video (nd.gov)
  5. Joe Biden’s Plan to End Gun Violence | Joe Biden for President
  6. Text – H.R.127 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
  7. ND Legislature Better Get Their Crap Together on the Gun Issue – The Minuteman Blog
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About T. Arthur Mason 883 Articles
T. Arthur Mason is a native North Dakotan who has spent nearly all of his life in the Peace Garden State. As the third of four children in Western North Dakota, Mason grew to appreciate family and the outdoors. Some of his fondest memories are annual deer hunts with family and friends. In his early teenage years, faith became a central part of T. Arthur Mason's life. He and the majority of his family attend church together on a weekly basis and find this a fulfilling aspect of their lives. Through the influence of his father, T. Arthur Mason became intrigued with politics. As a boy, he attended political events with his father and enjoyed the friendships that resulted as a byproduct of those political associations. As Mason grew older, he became convinced that the quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson was true, "That government is best which governs least." Today, T. Arthur Mason enjoys time with his wife and children, an occasional hunt, and an increasingly active life on the political scene. This blog is the fulfillment of a dream to design a web site in the realm of politics and to advocate for the principles of Liberty and constitutionally limited government. On behalf of all those that contribute to The Minuteman, we hope you enjoy your time on the site and will share the message with others.

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