10th10. Mar, 2010 Written by: Michael Boldin
Yesterday, the Oklahoma House passed House Bill 2994 (HB2994), the Firearms Freedom Act. The vote tally was 89-3.
The bill states:
A personal firearm, a firearm action or receiver, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in the state to be used or sold within the state is not subject to federal law or federal regulation, including registration, under the authority of congress to regulate interstate commerce.
“We believe that the liberals in DC are really going overboard and ramming things down our throat. We want to basically guarantee that we have the right to keep and bear arms,” said Rep. John Enns, the primary sponsor of the bill.
The Oklahoma Senate already passed its own version of the bill last week, Senate Bill 1685 (SB1685) by a vote of 39-3. Supporters expect one version or the other to easily pass – and then get sent on to the Governor for signature.
In 2009, both Tennessee and Montana passed the Act into state law, and Utah’s Governor Herbert made that state the 3rd just this month. Also this year, both state houses in Wyoming and South Dakota have passed versions of the Firearms Freedom Act and governors in both state are widely expected to sign them into law.
If Oklahoma follows this trend, that would make six the number of states that have passed such a law, with more likely to join them soon. More than 15 others are currently considering the legislation.
NULLIFICATION
The principle behind such legislation is nullification, which has a long history in the American tradition. When a state ‘nullifies’ a federal law, it is proclaiming that the law in question is void and inoperative, or ‘non-effective,’ within the boundaries of that state; or, in other words, not a law as far as the state is concerned. Implied in such legislation is that the state apparatus will enforce the act against all violations – in order to protect the liberty of the state’s citizens.
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