In a long-rumored move, the Obama Administration signaled last week that the President is preparing to roll out executive orders on gun control.
Politico, which first broke the story, explains what the President is expected to do:
According to gun industry insiders and others familiar with the proposals, the changes include requiring an expanded number of small-scale gun sellers to be licensed — and therefore conduct background checks — whenever selling a weapon. This wouldn’t close the so-called gun show loophole, though it has the potential to narrow it.
The administration is also expected to impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on their way to a buyer.
Neither comes close to the stronger gun control measures Obama sought in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting of schoolchildren in Sandy Hook and that he has said he still wants. But with Congress unlikely to approve any new gun curbs before the 2016 election, the measures are in line with what gun-control advocates were hoping would be adopted before Obama leaves office.
Gun rights advocates say the new executive actions could drastically expand the power of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the agency that would be responsible for the implementation of the regulations. They also note that none of the expected orders would have done anything to stop recent mass shootings, which President Obama has used as his stated reasoning for unilaterally imposing stricter gun control.
In structure, the Presidential orders could be similar to Obama’s executive actions on immigration, which conservatives dubbed “executive amnesty” and insist are an unconstitutional overreach of the executive branch.
Alabama Republicans, who enjoy supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, are already considering their response, and looking to other states for inspiration.
Georgia, which in 2014 passed a “guns everywhere” law, is one of those states.
Under Georgia’s law, “gun free zones” have been effectively eliminated, as licensed gun owners are now permitted to carry a firearm almost anywhere, including schools, churches, bars and even some government buildings.
The National Rifle Association called it “the most comprehensive pro-gun reform legislation introduced in recent history,” and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal hailed his state’s commitment to the Second Amendment.
“Today I will put into law a gun bill that heralds self-defense, personal liberties and public safety,” Governor Deal said just before signing the legislation into law. “While we still guard against tyranny, America today cherishes this right so that people who follow the rules can protect themselves and their families from those who don’t follow the rules.”
Republican lawmakers Yellowhammer spoke with Monday morning said they are anxious to see what the President does, and acknowledged the ensuing fight will likely play out in the courts, but added they would like to see Alabama continue to increase its protections for gun owners and sellers.
Alabama is one of the most pro-Second Amendment states in the country, with support for gun rights cutting across traditional party and ideological lines. But pro-gun legislation has not always enjoyed smooth sailing through the Legislature, even under Republican control. In 2013, a bill to expand the rights of gun owners resulted in a tense showdown between the National Rifle Association and the Business Council of Alabama before a compromise was ultimately reached that drew support from both groups.
The 2016 legislative sessions begins next month. With President Obama’s gun control actions expected to come any day, Alabama legislators could once again look to strengthen the state’s protections for gun owners.
