Why It Matters: Introduced on February 28, 2024, Maine Legislative Docket 2238 (LD 2238) An Act to Address Gun Violence in Maine By Requiring a Waiting Period for Certain Firearm Purchases, is legislation that imposes a minimum three-day waiting period on the transferring of a firearm. On March 7, 2024, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted testimony to the Committee on Judiciary, opposing the legislation and urging lawmakers to do the same. The implementation of a three-day waiting period creates a biased barrier on the hunting and sporting community alone; no other outdoor sporting traditions are subjected to such restrictions. These barriers may create unintended consequences that directly affect wildlife management funding and participation in Maine’s sporting traditions, a major economic driver in the Vacation Land.
Highlights
- On February 28, 2024, Maine Legislative Docket 2238 (LD 2238) An Act to Address Gun Violence in Maine by Requiring a Waiting Period for Certain Firearm Purchases, is legislation that imposes a minimum three-day waiting period on the transferring of a firearm was introduced in the Committee on Judiciary.
- The sportsmen’s community was the primary driver of critical legislation at both the state and federal levels to ensure the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) process is as effective as possible by incentivizing states to provide accurate and updated records of prohibited persons to the FBI.
- The proposed waiting period would likely discourage the sale of firearms by lawful users, as sportsmen and women would be inconvenienced by having to make multiple trips to their dealer, unintentionally driving business to a neighboring state.
- On March 7, 2024, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation submitted testimony to the Committee on Judiciary, opposing the legislation and urging lawmakers to do the same.
Introduced on February 28, 2024, Maine Legislative Docket 2238 (LD 2238) An Act to Address Gun Violence in Maine by Requiring a Waiting Period for Certain Firearm Purchases, is legislation that imposes a minimum three-day waiting period on the transferring of a firearm. Not only is the possession of firearms protected under the Second Amendment, but it is also engrained in our nation’s cultural fabric. Sportsmen and women in Maine have been at the forefront of offering improvements towards determining one’s eligibility in purchasing a firearm, but the three-day waiting period implemented by this bill would result in unintended, though foreseeable consequences. Through implementing a delay in the transfer of a firearm, LD 2238 would create a uniquely biased hurdle on the hunting and sport shooting communities – a barrier levied on no other outdoor user experience. Maine’s sportsmen and women are the backbone of the funding structure for conservation efforts that benefit fish, wildlife, and their habitat throughout the state, as well as the citizenry at large. In addition, the sporting industry provides many public benefits including recreational access to public and private lands, shooting ranges and boat access facilities, wetlands protection and its associated water filtration and flood retention functions, and improved soil and water conservation – all which benefit the public at large, not just sportsmen and women.
The proposed waiting period would likely discourage the sale of firearms by lawful users, as sportsmen and women would be inconvenienced by having to make multiple trips to their dealer and may unintentionally drive business to a neighboring state.
CSF will continue to work with the Maine Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus to thwart such discriminatory legislation and will provide further updates as they are available.
