Maine State Senate Kills Anti-Gun Range Bill

By: José Niño

The Maine State Senate killed Legislative Document 1000, which would have set up a firearm range safety group that operates under the purview of the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

The working group would be tasked with reviewing firearm range safety and would have access to firearm safety information in the state.

More importantly, this legislation, if passed, would have allowed the Maine state government to begin repealing critical shooting range projection laws, which are generally viewed as robust.

Shooting ranges are as American as apple pie.

These venues are safe environments for lawful individuals to learn how to use firearms in a safe manner and become proficient marksmen should they choose to do so.

Since shooting ranges can’t be banned outright, the gun controllers have to use regulations to gradually make it next to impossible for these venues to legally operate in the long term.

As a neighbor of solidly pro-gun state New Hampshire, Maine has built somewhat of an independent streak when it comes to gun policy over the last few decades.

Thanks to the efforts of then-State Senator Eric Brakey, Maine passed Constitutional Carry in 2015, which allows all lawful Maine residents to carry a firearm without having to beg the government for permission.

Dudley Brown, the president of the National Association for Gun Rights, recently shared his thoughts about Maine’s refusal to undermine gun ranges:

“LD 1000 was another idiotic left-wing idea, and I’m glad to see it’s dead. Don’t think for a second the fight is over. Democrats in Augusta will be back with more unconstitutional restrictions. Gun owners in Maine need to be on their toes and ready to fight back.”

Nevertheless, Maine still has work to do on gun rights, as evidenced by its 30^th place ranking for Guns & Ammo magazine’s best states for gun owners. Passing LD 1000 would have undoubtedly sullied the state’s gun rights image.

Thankfully, there are still plenty of red-blooded gun owners in the state who are not keen on watching their state turn into an anti-gun safe space.

Due to the pressure they placed on their lawmakers, Maine gun owners were able to ensure that LD 1000 met an unceremonious death.

José Niño is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Contact him via Facebook, Twitter, or email him at [email protected]. Get his e-book, The 10 Myths of Gun Control, here.