Fed up with states taxing gun purchasers in order to try to curb gun ownership, two congressmen and a U.S. senator have introduced a measure to put a stop to such abuse.
U.S. Reps Richard Hudson, R-North Carolina, and Darrell Issa, R-California, along with U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, recently introduced the Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act in order to prohibit states from implementing excise taxes on firearms and ammunition to fund gun control programs.
California has an additional 11% excise tax on guns and ammunition. Colorado recently added an additional 6.5% excise tax for guns, ammo and accessories purchased in that state.
Being from California, Rep. Issa has very strong feelings on anti-gun state governments placing additional taxes on guns and ammunition.
“For too many years, extreme state policies—including from my home state—have targeted our fundamental Second Amendment rights and the American citizens who exercise them,” Rep. Issa said in a news release announcing the legislation. “The latest attack is California’s imposition of a ‘sin tax’ on firearms and ammunition. This outrageous and unfair burden on law-abiding citizens is why Sen. Risch, Rep. Hudson, and I are working to stop this and other attempts to penalize our people and put the price of self-defense out of reach of any American.”
For his part, Sen. Issa said that states piling such taxes on gun owners is exploitation.
“Blue states that implement an excessive excise tax to fund gun control initiatives are exploiting the Second Amendment,” Sen. Risch said. “The Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act ensures states do not place a significant financial burden on law-abiding gun owners to advance their anti-Second Amendment agenda.”
One of the pro-gun organizations supporting the measure is the powerful National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearm industry trade association. Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel, said states are making gun purchasers pay a “sin tax,” and it needs to be stopped.
“States that are hostile to the firearm industry and Second Amendment freedoms have abused their ability to levy taxes on the sale of firearms and ammunition as a ‘sin tax,’” Keane said. “Exercising a right—whether it is your First Amendment freedoms, Second Amendment or Fourth or Fifth Amendment freedoms, is not a sin.”
Keane added that the idea that law-abiding citizens who responsibly exercise their Second Amendment rights must bear the cost of funding programs designed to denigrate that very right is anathema to the free exercise of rights.
“This is akin to the unconstitutional poll taxes that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1966,” he concluded “The lawmakers in the states that levy these taxes reveal their contempt for the Second Amendment and disdain for citizens who obey the law. NSSF is grateful to Congressmen Issa and Hudson, as well as Senator Risch, for their principled stand against these taxes that are an affront to the free exercise of Constitutionally-protected rights.”
Incidentally, a similar measure was filed last year but didn’t make much headway with the party makeup in Congress and President Joe Biden in the White House. Sponsors hope it will fare better this year with President Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans holding majorities in both the House and Senate.
