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Firearm Preemption Laws

Gun control supporters demand that state legislatures impose a wide variety of gun control restrictions within their borders. However, they hypocritically cry foul when legislatures use their power to limit gun control. Frustrated at their inability to convince state legislatures to adopt the restrictive firearm laws they propose, gun control supporters say that local jurisdictions should be able to adopt those restrictions independently.

Aside from gun control supporters’ hypocrisy, there are multiple arguments against local restrictions on basic firearm rights. Historically, some local jurisdictions have imposed clearly unconstitutional restrictions on gun ownership—the District of Columbia’s and Chicago’s since-overturned handgun bans being two recent examples. It also creates confusion when laws vary widely within a state, potentially placing otherwise law-abiding citizens at risk of violating an ordinance of which they were not previously aware, as they travel within their states, and more so when they travel outside their state of residence.

As a result, almost all states today have a law prohibiting local jurisdictions from imposing gun control restrictions that are more severe than state law.

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Florida Supreme Court Upholds Penalty Provision in State Preemption Statute.

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Florida Supreme Court Upholds Penalty Provision in State Preemption Statute.

Florida’s highest court upheld the penalty provision in the state’s preemption statute, which holds local officials accountable by directly fining ...

NRA-ILA Winter 2021 Litigation Newsletter

News  

Friday, December 17, 2021

NRA-ILA Winter 2021 Litigation Newsletter

NRA-ILA’s Office of Litigation Counsel spent 2021 defending the Second Amendment across the country. As new cases were ...

Victory in Washington Preemption Case

Monday, February 22, 2021

Victory in Washington Preemption Case

Today, the Washington Court of Appeals struck two firearms-storage ordinances under the state’s preemption law in an NRA-ILA case.

Pennsylvania Court Knocks Out Pittsburgh Gun Control in NRA-Backed Case

News  

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Pennsylvania Court Knocks Out Pittsburgh Gun Control in NRA-Backed Case

In an NRA-backed challenge, the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas found that Pittsburgh's attempt to impose local gun control measures ...

NRA & Gun Owners Win. Bloomberg / Everytown Lose.

News  

Thursday, October 24, 2019

NRA & Gun Owners Win. Bloomberg / Everytown Lose.

The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) today applauded a decision by the Montana state Supreme Court protecting the ...

Miami Herald/AP  

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Missouri Gov. Parson: No special session for gun violence

Gov. Mike Parson says he will not call a special legislative session to address gun violence in St. ...

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  

Friday, April 12, 2019

DA Says Not Yet to Private Criminal Complaints Against Gun-Controlling City Officials

While some Pittsburgh residents are ready to file private criminal complaints over the city's recently passed gun-control laws, ...

NBC News.com  

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

NRA Backs Suit Over Pittsburgh Gun Laws Passed in Wake of Synagogue Attack

Gun rights groups sued Tuesday to block Pittsburgh from enforcing firearms legislation passed after a mass shooting at ...

The Hill  

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Pittsburgh approves new gun control legislation

The Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved new gun control legislation that will place restrictions on the use of ...

Illinois Court Throws Out Deerfield Gun Ban

News  

Friday, March 22, 2019

Illinois Court Throws Out Deerfield Gun Ban

NRA applauds Illinois court ruling throwing out Village of Deerfield's ban on commonly owned firearms and magazines.

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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.