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Maine: "Ghost Gun" Bill Attempts to Sneak Universal Background Checks Into Law

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Maine: "Ghost Gun" Bill Attempts to Sneak Universal Background Checks Into Law

On Wednesday, March 26th, the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary will hold a public hearing on LD 1126, also known as Maine's "ghost gun" bill. As expected, this Portland-backed radical gun control bill is not all that it seems and includes dangerous hidden provisions that would significantly alter Maine's gun laws. NRA members and gun rights supporters are encouraged to contact committee members NOW and urge them to oppose all anti-gun bills this session.

LD 1126, the so-called "ghost gun bill," claims to assist law enforcement by requiring serialization of all "firearms" in Maine. Beyond the obvious logical flaws of this bill, such as assuming that criminals will serialize firearms they are planning to use in a crime, this bill also includes more sinister provisions that will greatly impact law-abiding Maine gun owners.

As written, LD 1126 would implement Universal Background Checks in Maine. If passed, this bill would override Maine's current background check law that requires all advertised sales to be completed through an FFL. This is because LD 1126 lists the "Purchase a frame or receiver imprinted with a serial number without undergoing a background check pursuant to 18 United States Code, Section 922(t) or Title 15, section 395," as prohibited conduct in Maine. This means that all firearm sales (excluding unserialized pre-1968 firearms) would be required to undergo a background check in Maine. 

As Mainers already know, the Universal Background Check scheme only impacts law-abiding Mainers from selling and transferring firearms to individuals they already know are not prohibited. Criminals will ignore this law and continue to obtain firearms illegally. That is why they shot down Mike Bloomberg’s million-dollar Universal Background Check scheme in 2016, and bipartisan lawmakers vote this perennial proposal down every time it comes to the floor

Beyond fundamentally changing Maine's background check laws, LD 1126 redefines firearms under Maine law to include both finished and unfinished receivers. This definition change also explicitly requires that all finished and unfinished frames, receivers, and homemade firearms must be serialized at an FFL. This would hinder law-abiding Mainers' ability to build and repair firearms in their homes and require them to obtain expensive serialization on firearms and firearm parts. This "ghost gun" scheme does not address criminal activity in Maine. Instead, it serves a national agenda to ban homemade firearms, which have been part of our nation's history since its inception. 

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Out-of-Touch Mayor Learns the Hard Way Michiganders Like Guns and Dogs

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Monday, March 2, 2026

Out-of-Touch Mayor Learns the Hard Way Michiganders Like Guns and Dogs

“The NRA is going to be mad at me.”  So said David LaGrand (D), mayor of the second largest city in the state of Michigan. We don’t get mad, however, when firearm prohibitionists reveal their true ...

Gunmakers Petition High Court to Halt Illegitimate Attacks on Firearms Industry

News  

Monday, March 2, 2026

Gunmakers Petition High Court to Halt Illegitimate Attacks on Firearms Industry

In recent months, NRA-ILA has impressed upon gun owners the severe danger to Second Amendment rights posed by efforts to undermine the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). 

NRA Announces Third Lawsuit Challenging the National Firearms Act

Thursday, February 26, 2026

NRA Announces Third Lawsuit Challenging the National Firearms Act

Today, the National Rifle Association announced the filing of a third lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). The case, Roberts v. ATF, was filed in the U.S. District Court for ...

Virginia Gun Owners Face Magazine Confiscation!

Monday, February 2, 2026

Virginia Gun Owners Face Magazine Confiscation!

Astute Virginia gun owners anticipated terrible gun control legislation from the 2026 General Assembly. Still, some may be shocked to learn that anti-rights zealots in the Virginia Senate have advanced a bill to CONFISCATE standard capacity firearm ...

Iowa: Senate Strips Carry Protections for Iowans, Expands Its Own Authority

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Iowa: Senate Strips Carry Protections for Iowans, Expands Its Own Authority

Yesterday, on the Senate floor, SF 2263 was amended, at the last minute, to remove key provisions that would have expanded protections for law-abiding gun owners before the bill ultimately passed. Click the Take Action button ...

Virginia: Multiple Gun Control Bills Advance in Senate

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Virginia: Multiple Gun Control Bills Advance in Senate

On Monday, January 26th, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee advanced a slate of gun control bills targeting semi-automatic firearms, standard capacity magazines, carry rights, home storage, and more.

Virginia: Gun Bill Updates As Crossover Deadline Arrives

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Virginia: Gun Bill Updates As Crossover Deadline Arrives

Today, February 17th is the legislative crossover deadline in Virginia, and any bills that have not left their chamber of origin by the end of the day are considered dead for the session.

North Carolina: Permitless Carry Veto Override Vote Postponed

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

North Carolina: Permitless Carry Veto Override Vote Postponed

Today, the North Carolina House of Representatives rescheduled this morning’s veto override on Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to February 9, 2026.

California: Lawmakers Introduce New Bill that Would Censor Private 3-D Printers

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

California: Lawmakers Introduce New Bill that Would Censor Private 3-D Printers

Last week marked the deadline for bill introductions in the California Legislature. As we anticipated in our previous alert, anti-gun lawmakers used this opportunity to file additional measures aimed at further restricting the rights of ...

Colorado: Gun Bill Votes In Both Chambers TODAY

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Colorado: Gun Bill Votes In Both Chambers TODAY

Today, February 24th, both chambers of the legislature will hold votes on anti-gun legislation. Please contact your legislators and urge them to OPPOSE HB 26-1144 and SB 26-043 by using the TAKE ACTION buttons below.

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.