Maine: NRA-Backed Firearm Suppressor Legislation Goes to the Governor

Yesterday, pro-hunting bill, Legislative Document 942 (R-Mason), passed enactment in the state Senate and was sent to Governor Paul LePage for his expected signature.

As previously reported, LD 942 would add Maine to the growing number of states that allow sportsmen to use legally-possessed sound suppressors while hunting.  Sound suppressors attached to firearms are an additional tool available to help protect the shooter’s hearing, reduce noise complaints by surrounding residents, as well as increase accuracy and safety.  While suppressors do not eliminate the sound of a firearm, they do reduce the muzzle report of a firearm to safe hearing levels.  Currently, there are 39 states which allow the private ownership of suppressors and 35 of those states allow for the use of suppressors while hunting.

Additionally, this legislation would also prevent an arbitrary personal bias from determining Maine firearm policy and ensure that qualified, law-abiding Mainers will not be denied their ability to legally own NFA items by imposing reasonable deadlines and ensuring that individuals who are lawfully seeking to transfer an NFA item are able to do so in an expeditious manner.  Some CLEOs simply refuse to sign such forms, and nothing in current law prohibits this.  The reforms in LD 942 benefit law-abiding Second Amendment supporters by ensuring that the process to obtain NFA items already legal in Maine remains consistent, fact-based and objective.