U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) reintroduced a bill Monday that will help protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

Tuberville joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kans.) in reintroducing the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act. This legislation would remove the taxation, registration, and regulation of short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons under the National Firearms Act (NFA).

“For too long, unelected bureaucrats have misplaced their priorities by overregulating the use of firearms that Americans are legally entitled to own,” Tuberville said. “Every American has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families. I’m proud to join legislation that cuts red tape and protects law-abiding gun-owners.”

Every American has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families.

I am proud to join @RogerMarshallMD in reintroducing the SHORT Act to cut red tape and protect law-abiding gun owners. https://t.co/lKMSd7d8If

— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) March 31, 2025

The measure is meant to protect against overregulation of gun owners by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

RELATED: Tuberville, Britt reintroduce pro-second amendment Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

“‘Shall not be infringed’ is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone,” Marshall said.

“The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners. I challenge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation and join me in fully restoring and protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights.”

The Biden Administration used the NFA to go after people who own pistols with stabilizing braces. The ATF under Biden enforced the ban. Gun owners who wanted to keep their firearms had to either violate the regulation or sign up in a registry titled “Amnesty Registration of Pistol Brace Weapons.”

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) co-sponsored the measure along with U.S. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N. Dak.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W. Va.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebr.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) in cosponsoring the legislation.

Gun owners of America and the National Association of Gun Rights have endorsed the bill.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin appeared Sunday on MSNBC to discuss gun violence with Reverend Al Sharpton. During the interview, Sharpton asked Woodfin about former President Trump’s comments at an annual National Rifle Association event and a recent series of shootings in Birmingham that took place over the span of 72 hours that left two children wounded on Mother’s Day.

“I can tell you that it’s been a tough week here in our city,” said Woodfin. “I believe it’s related to gun violence. I’m glad to say that those two children survived, but they shouldn’t haven’t had to go through that type of trauma nor their families, particularly on Mother’s Day.”

“I will say a week later after the shootings, knowing that the former president (Trump) speaking in front of the NRA, the question was how do I feel. Well, it’s sickening,” Mayor Woodfin said. “We need men and women in Congress in both houses to have the fortitude to take on the NRA.”

Woodfin, who has endorsed Joe Biden for the 2024 presidential race, has always been a firm opponent of Trump and a vocal advocate for banning “military-style and assault weapons.”

At the event in Texas Sharpton referenced, Trump expressed gratitude for the NRA’s continued trust, and urged voters to preserve the second amendment to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

RELATED: Birmingham Mayor Woodfin blames recent gun violence on inability to ‘regulate guns’

We are proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/PXiFwlneb9

— NRA (@NRA) May 18, 2024

“The NRA has stood with me from the very beginning, and with your vote, I will stand strong for your rights and liberties,” said Trump. “The endorsement of the proud patriots of the NRA. These are great patriots. These are great people. We’re going to do things like nobody can believe.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten

On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate passed the gun owner financial privacy bill to establish privacy rights for gun buyers. The bipartisan bill was passed unanimously by the Alabama Senate. SB281 is sponsored by State Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence).

The legislation would prohibit a financial institution from declining a payment card transaction for a firearm purchase or purchases from retailers who sell guns. It also would prohibit a government agency from creating or maintaining a list or registry of privately owned firearms or owners of firearms. The bill provides for civil remedies for institutions who break this law if passed.

“This bill is a consumer protection bill,” said Sen. Melson. “What this does is, every merchant assigns a four-digit code – merchant category code. This prevents them from using this information to mark and keep up with gun purchases and ammunition purchases.”

“It does nothing to do with ATF as far as they still have to go through what they normally do when they purchase,” said Melson. “Several states have already enacted this. This was not an issue until they issued a separate code for these transactions.”

Melson asked that the Senate adopt a substitute version of the bill.

“The substitute takes out banking language and leaves just credit card language as we agreed to,” Melson said.

SB281 as substituted passed the Senate in a 32 to 0 vote.

House Bill 389 is the House companion bill to SB 281. HB389 will be addressed by the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

This bill is an important action item for the National Rifle Association (NRA).

“Contact members of the House Financial Services Committee and ask them to SUPPORT HB 389!” the NRA-ILA wrote to its members in an email on Tuesday evening. “SB 281 and HB 389 prohibit the use of firearm/ammunition specific merchant category codes by payment processors. This is an important protection for gun owners, protecting private purchasing information from abuse by third parties.”

“Collecting firearm retailer financial transaction data amounts to surveillance and registration of law-abiding gun owners,” the NRA-ILA continued.

“Those promoting this scheme are in favor of firearm and gun owner registrations. Therefore, it should be assumed that the goal of this program is to share all collected firearm retailer MCC data with government authorities and potentially private third parties that may include gun control organizations and anti-gun researchers.”

SB281 will now be transmitted to the House for their consideration. Wednesday is a committee day for lawmakers, and Thursday will be day 25 of the 2024 legislative session.

To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt is joining several of his Republican colleagues in fighting back against what he believes is an attempt to infringe on the free speech rights of gun owners.

Aderholt (R-Haleyville) joined an amicus brief led by U.S. Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) in the Supreme Court case NRA v. Vullo.

The case involves Maria Vullo, the Superintendent of the State of New York’s Financial Services, and her formal guidance issued to every bank and insurance company in the state urging them to “sever their ties” with the NRA.

She also promised leniency to insurers that stopped doing business with the NRA, and announced consent orders with longtime NRA insurers that imposed multimillion dollar fines on these insurers and barred them from engaging in future lawful business partnerships with the NRA.

RELATED: Aderholt: Ballot challenges ‘probably helping’ Trump, U.S. Supreme Court can ‘put this to rest’

“I was proud to join this amicus brief led by [Sen. Ted Budd] and [Rep. Rich Hudson],” Aderholt said. “Gun owners and groups don’t just have to defend our Second Amendment rights, but also our First Amendment rights from leftwing activists.”

I was proud to join this amicus brief led by @SenTedBuddNC and @RepRichHudson . Gun owners and groups don't just have to defend our Second Amendment rights, but also our First Amendment rights from leftwing activists.https://t.co/k1v7M8WVQu

— Robert Aderholt (@Robert_Aderholt) January 16, 2024

The brief argues that it not only infringes on the rights of gun owners, but also is an attack against states’ rights.

“This case presents other constitutional problems,” the brief states. “In their pursuit of the NRA and gun rights advocates, Cuomo, Vullo, and DFS used New York’s insurance laws to project power outside the State’s boundaries. Their agenda raises federalism concerns.”

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) also signed on to the brief, making it 18 Senators and 62 Representatives who signed it.

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

7. Auburn professor supports the narrative that Democrats swayed Senate District 27 primary

• In the State Senate District 27 Republican primary election, State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) has claimed that Democrats crossed party lines to vote in the election and vote for his opponent, Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey.
• This narrative has gained traction since an op-ed was published in The New York Times by Auburn University professor of creative writing Anton DiSclafani, who wrote, “I’m a left-leaning Democrat, but on May 24, I voted on the Republican ballot in Alabama’s primary election…Alabama is a deep red state, and I wanted some say in electing the officials who will represent me, because they will almost all certainly be Republican. And have a say I did: Tom Whatley, the state senator for my district, finished behind Jay Hovey by a single vote.”

6. Negative ads are becoming a serious issue

• U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) has brought attention to the issue of more negative ads in elections as the primary runoff has ended. Palmer highlighted, “[I]t’s one thing for an opponent to accuse another opponent of something, but it’s totally different when you have outside groups running ads that are totally disingenuous, taking things out of context, and misrepresenting the candidate.”
• Palmer went on to say, “I think something as serious as electing the people that are going to determine, at least in the short term, the future of the country, the advertising ought to be held to a higher standard.” He added, “I do think that this is something that we need to take up at some point…I think it’s a disservice to the American people to have ads run like this.”

5. Alabama veterans could face death penalty in Russia

• Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh and Sgt. Alexander Drueke, both men from Alabama and veterans of the U.S. military, could face the death penalty after being captured by Russia in Ukraine. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the two men were “involved in illegal activities…[and] should be punished.”
• Peskov went on to say Huynh and Drueke were potentially not protected by the Geneva Convention as prisoners of war, since they were not in Ukraine’s army. Previously, two individuals from Britain in Ukraine and sentenced them to death, but Peskov said he “cannot guarantee anything.” He added, “It depends on the investigation.”

4. Another success for school choice in Maine in a win that will have an impact elsewhere

• The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a school choice case from Maine, deciding that parents were allowed to select religious schools through the state’s program that allows parents to place their children in private schools with funds from the state.
• This decision has shown a bit of support to school choice in a broader way, since the court has decided that religious schools can be included. It’s also expected that this could encourage other states to push for more school choice.

3. There were warning signs before the shootings

• In Jefferson County, it’s been reported that the Vestavia Hills gunman, Robert Findlay Smith, who left three people dead at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church had a three-year record of 911 calls. The sheriff’s office said that they responded to 13 calls at Smith’s house, some of which were a request for patrol at his house, reports of a suspicious person, criminal mischief, medical calls and “investigate complaint.”
• In Uvalde, Texas, the gunman, Salvador Ramos, responsible for the deaths of 19 children and two adults was allegedly driven by a desire for social media fame before he attacked Robb Elementary School. Texas Department of Public Safety Col. Steve McCraw detailed that Ramos showed disturbing “abhorrent behavior,” such as carrying a bag of dead cats, but none of this behavior was ever reported. McCraw also said, “Some of the statements he made” suggested that he knew he’d have “notoriety on a worldwide basis” after the shooting.

2. Gun legislation agreement could be coming soon

• In the U.S. Senate, legislation has been introduced with support from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that would encourage states to create “red flag” laws for firearms, expand background checks, provide funding for school resource officers and mental health, and create penalties for gun traffickers. The National Rifle Association opposes this deal, objecting to the red flag law funding.
• U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are co-sponsoring the legislation and say that the legislation’s final details have been decided. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that the legislation could be voted on within the week. There could be a hangup on an abortion provision in the bill, supporting the Hyde Amendment, but it won’t likely be the thing that derails the deal if it falls apart.

1. Runoff election results are in

• In the primary runoff election, U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt won the Republican nominee for the general election, beating out opponent U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) 63% to 37%. Britt declared that Alabamians were tired of career politicians and she would fight for Christian conservative values. Brooks took a dig at her donors, saying the Democratic Party now had two nominees. Apparently, neither realize the election is over.
• In the fifth congressional district race, Madison County Commission chairman Dale Strong defeated former Huntsville City Schools superintendent Casey Wardynski 63.4% to 36.4%. State Auditor Jim Zeigler lost the secretary of state race to State Representative Wes Allen (R-Troy) 65.4% to 34.6%. In the state auditor race, State Representative Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) won against Stan Cooke 57.5% to 42.5%. Both Public Service Commission candidates, “Always Totin'” Jeremey Oden and Chip Beeker, secured primary victories, too.

Tuesday, the National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) endorsed Mo Brooks for U.S. Senate.

In a press release, the NRA-PVF said Brooks had a proven record of protecting Second Amendment rights.

“On behalf of our five million members across the country,” the group said in a statement, “the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) endorses your candidacy for the U.S. Senate in the May 24, 2022, Republican primary election in Alabama. Based on your consistent and proven voting record on Second Amendment issues in the U.S. House of Representatives, you have earned an ‘A’ rating from NRA-PVF. An ‘A’ rating is reserved for a solidly pro-gun legislator who has supported NRA positions on key votes and issues.”

The group highlighted some specific examples of how Brooks fought for gun rights in Congress.

“You voted against the so-called ‘universal’ background check system, which would criminalize the private transfer of firearms between law-abiding citizens and is only enforceable through a federal firearms registry,” the statement continued. “Additionally, you voted to uphold constitutional due process protections for gun owners and to prevent federal bureaucrats from enacting indefinite delays of firearm purchases for law-abiding Americans, which would turn a fundamental right into a privilege.”

The NRA-PVF also said it appreciated Brooks continuing to fight back against gun control activists.

“Lastly, you continually oppose the Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gun control agenda of banning lawfully-owned firearms, ammunition and magazines,” the group concluded.

Brooks released a statement responding to the endorsement, saying he would continue to fight for the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

“The endorsements of both the National Rifle Association and National Association of Gun Rights confirms I am the only Senate candidate who, come hell or high water, will actually fight to defend the 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms,” Brooks said in the statement.

The congressman argued that he was the only true defender of gun rights in the Senate race.

“My two principle opponents masquerade as 2nd Amendment defenders,” he said, “but their past conduct reveals they are not fighters and are nothing more than Senate ‘Surrender Caucus’ wannabes. Mike Durant is on video stating America should disarm citizens to restore law and order in our cities. That is NOT defending the 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms. Both Mike Durant and Katie Britt publicly attacked me for voting to defeat Red Flag Laws that empower the government to seize a citizen’s weapons and force a citizen to litigate to get his weapons back if the seizure is unlawful. That is NOT defending the 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms.”

The Senate candidate expressed gratitude for the NRA endorsement.

“I thank the NRA for helping to take the mask off the pretenders in this Senate race. I ask the citizens of Alabama who support the 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms for their vote because I am the only candidate they can rely on who has actually fought, and will actually fight, to defend our 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms,” he concluded.

Wednesday, Brooks’ campaign also released a video advertisement titled “Shall Not Be Infringed” that highlights his NRA endorsement and once again touts his record of supporting the Second Amendment.

The video features Brooks talking to the media following an assassination attempt at a 2017 Republican baseball practice. The congressman was listed at the top of a kill list found in the gunman’s pocket.

 WATCH: 

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee

7. NRA has endorsed Kay Ivey while Biden bans so-called ghost guns

• Governor Kay Ivey on Monday received the hefty endorsement of the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) in her reelection campaign. Ivey was called the “strongest candidate” in the race by chairman Jason Ouimet. In the announcement, Ouimet said, “Kay Ivey has long demonstrated an unwavering support for our Second Amendment freedoms. She is the strongest candidate in this race and has a proven record of defending our constitutional right to self-defense. We count on Kay Ivey to protect the rights of Alabama’s law-abiding gun owners.”
• President Joe Biden held a ceremony where he announced he had his attorney general draw up a regulation to declare all gun kits in an over-broad ruling that Biden called for because he was having “trouble” getting a law passed. The NRA slammed this move as pointless, especially as criminals in American cities are regularly released back onto the street and the crimes committed with these guns are statistically insignificant because a vast majority of gun crime is committed with stolen guns. This rule will be challenged and likely struck down. Biden’s move is more political than practical.

6. Steve Marshall says he’s a bad politician

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall released his first television ad for his reelection campaign on Monday. In the ad, he touts being a “good golfer but a bad politician,” and adds, “That’s why I’m not afraid of the woke mob, cancel culture or liberal radicals trying to cancel our constitution.”
• The ad also mentions how Marshall will support law enforcement, “secure our elections, protect our borders,” and Marshall ends the ad saying, “The left, the media and the establishment won’t like it, but I’m more concerned with defending Alabama than I am being liked. I’m a better golfer than politician.”

5. Parker Griffith gets called out for PTSD comments

• Many have criticized former U.S. Representative Parker Griffith’s (D) decision to say that U.S. Senate candidate Mike Durant “is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder…I mean he was shot down, lost his friends, and nobody goes through that without being disturbed a little bit.”
• U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-Tenn.) said, “Politicizing veterans’ mental health is way over the line; it’s completely reprehensible.” U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has said, “Our veterans are heroes and should never be politicized by any candidate. I stand with our veterans against this abhorrent rhetoric from former Rep. Parker Griffith.” Instead of apologizing, Griffith stated, “Trump who dodges the draft labeled Senator John McCain a loser and said he was no hero. Durant wants Trumps endorsement. How disrespectful to our military and their families. Those who complained about my comments were silent when Trump implied McCain was a Loser.”

4. Philadelphia the first major city calling for masks — more will follow

• Even though there are very few deaths in Philadelphia related to the coronavirus and no evidence that the masks actually stop the spread of the virus, Philadelphia will implement a mask mandate in the city that won’t kick in for one full week.
• The city is now averaging 142 cases a day, a 50% jump in 10 days and very low hospitalizations. The city is claiming it is following CDC guidance, for what that it is worth, but even that guidance says that cities in Philadelphia’s position should urge that people get vaccinated and get tested if they have symptoms. It is not suggested that people wear masks.

3. Russia has a new offensive ready to begin in eastern Ukraine

• After removing troops from Ukrainian cities in the western part of the country, including the capital of Kyiv, it is expected that Russia is ready to begin attacking cities in the east as they resupply and reinforce their troops in the country. Currently, bombing is being done, but the new offensive has not kicked off yet. This is all happening as a “purge” is taking place within the Federal Security Bureau (FSB) (the intelligence agency successor to the KGB) with people responsible for Ukraine going to prison.
• The Head of Interagency Coordination Headquarters for Humanitarian Response, Lieutenant General Mikhail Mizintsev from Russia’s Ministry of Defense, has accused NATO members France and the United States of psychological influence operations in Ukraine. Mizintsev has claimed that most of the operations are related to spreading misinformation to demean Russian forces. However, former DIA intelligence officer Rebekah Koffler advised, “This statement is almost certainly Russia’s own disinformation campaign intended to hide Russia’s hand in the atrocities that have been, are being and will be conducted in the coming weeks by the Russian forces in Ukraine. The goal is to blame Ukraine in order to confuse Western audience about who exactly commits brutality in Ukraine.”

2. The AEA has declared victory again — they aren’t wrong

• For the second year in a row, the Alabama Education Association has declared that they have won the battle against Republican legislators during the legislative session. In fact, Alabama Education Association executive director Amy Marlowe proclaimed, “I think it is one of the best sessions we’ve had since 1983.”
• The biggest victories may be the ones the AEA is not openly bragging about, such as the defeat of a real attempt at school choice, trapping non-affluent students in failing Alabama schools they are zoned for their entire educational careers, and their support of a delay of the Alabama Literacy Act’s retention mechanism that will send illiterate kids into higher grades, which they really wanted.

1. Lawsuits brought against new Alabama laws

• Governor Kay Ivey recently signed legislation that bans certain medical treatments and procedures for transgender minors, as well as requiring students in public school to only use the bathrooms that correspond with their birth gender. Now, two families with transgender minors have joined with two physicians to sue the State of Alabama.
• One of the plaintiffs, Dr. Morissa Ladinsky, claimed, “Governor Ivey has told kind, loving, and loyal Alabama families that they cannot stay here without denying their children the basic medical care they need.” The plaintiffs in the case are represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Human Rights Campaign.

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) on Tuesday came out in support of a constitutional carry bill that was recently introduced in the Alabama House by State Rep. Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals).

Sorrell’s bill, HB405, would allow citizens of Alabama to carry a concealed pistol on their person without a permit. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) both support the measure as well.

“The Second Amendment is clear, ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.’ Period. The Constitution doesn’t say the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed unless a state government disagrees,” remarked Brooks in a statement on Tuesday.
(more…)

Republican U.S. senatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville is pushing back against U.S. Senator Doug Jones’ (D-AL) new assertion that he will be a champion of the Second Amendment in the Senate.

As first reported by Yellowhammer News, Jones on Monday argued he is a “Second Amendment protector.”

“I can have much more influence to make sure we can protect the Second Amendment [than Tuberville],” Jones added.

Reacting to that article, Tuberville on social media said, “Placeholder Senator Doug Jones claiming he’s a ‘Second Amendment guy,’ is like Bernie Sanders calling himself a free market capitalist.” (more…)

The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) political arm has released its grades and endorsements for candidates running for the United States House of Representatives, including incumbent members.

In Alabama, only the Seventh Congressional District did not see the NRA Political Victory Fund make an endorsement. This race only features U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), who received an “F” grade. No Republican qualified to run.

The NRA did make an endorsement in each of Alabama’s two open-seat races.

In Alabama’s First Congressional District, the NRA is backing Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl, the Republican nominee. Carl will face Democrat James Averhart, who received an “F” grade. The Republican received an “AQ” grade, the highest possible rating for someone who has never been a legislator or in another position that decides Second Amendment-related policies. (more…)

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has endorsed Republican nominee Tommy Tuberville over U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) in Alabama’s 2020 U.S. Senate race.

Tuberville received an “AQ” rating from the NRA, which is the highest possible grade for candidates without a voting record in public office. The association officially describes holders of that rating as, “A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate’s responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.”

“Too many members of the U.S. Congress believe that the Second Amendment is merely a suggestion and not a hard-earned constitutional right,” Tuberville said in a statement. (more…)

The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) political arm endorsed Jeff Sessions’ 2020 campaign for the U.S. Senate on Friday, with just over two weeks to go before his Republican primary runoff against Tommy Tuberville.

The chair of the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) told Sessions he received the endorsement, “Based on your strong leadership on Second Amendment issues as a U.S. Senator and U.S. Attorney General.”

“I am honored to have the NRA’s endorsement. The Second Amendment is a bedrock right for all Americans and it guarantees and secures our freedom and liberty,” Sessions said in a statement.
(more…)

Members of the Alabama legislature introduced bills this week that would create a standard, statewide process for any individual that wants a concealed carry permit for a firearm. Under the proposed system, permits would be issued for terms of one year, five years or the remaining lifetime of the permit holder.

State Representative Proncey Robertson (R-Trinity) is sponsoring the effort in the House, and State Senator Randy Price (R-Opelika) is carrying the Senate version. Robertson spent over 25 years as a police officer in North Alabama.

The cost of a lifetime permit would be $200, with a reduced fee for senior citizens. Robertson wrote on Facebook that active and retired military service members would pay nothing. Currently, Alabamians can purchase a permit from their county sheriff’s office for up to five years. The price of a permit varies by county.
(more…)

Chilton County Commissioner Allen Caton has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the House District 42 special Republican primary election to fill the seat of the late State Rep. Jimmy Martin (R-Clanton).

The endorsement was made in a letter to Caton written on Friday and announced on Monday.

Caton was the only candidate in the race given an “AQ” rating, which is the highest the association gives to candidates without an established record on Second Amendment issues in office. Chilton County Commissioner Jimmie Hardee was rated with a “B-” while Autauga County Commissioner Van Smith was given a “C.” Shannon Welch was handed a “?,” indicating he did not complete the NRA’s questionnaire. (more…)

MONTGOMERY — During the Senate Judiciary Committee’s public hearing on a constitutional carry bill on Wednesday, a Democratic state senator accused Second Amendment advocates of wanting people with mental illnesses to be able to purchase and possess firearms, leading the senator to assert that these same advocates themselves have “some mental problems.”

State Sen. Gerald Allen’s (R-Tuscaloosa) SB 4 would get rid of the requirement that a gun owner has to have a permit to carry a lawfully owned firearm. It would not affect any existing legal requirements for someone to lawfully obtain that firearm. (more…)

The national pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List joined pro-life Alabamians and the state’s Republican Party Chair Terry Lathan in Mobile on Wednesday to urge Senator Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to the United States Supreme Court and buck “the radical abortion lobby” that helped get Jones elected.

“We urge Senator Jones to stand against Chuck Schumer and the radical abortion lobby; stand with the President…and pledge to vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh immediately,” Jill Stanek, SBA List’s National Campaign Chair, said at the Mobile rally, per Alabama Today.

She also reminded Alabama’s junior senator that a majority of Alabamians polled support Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

“Polling shows that 53 percent of Alabama voters agree President Trump has chosen well qualified judges for the Supreme Court,” Stanek added. “And 54 percent want the Senate to confirm Kavanaugh.”

The SBA List is one of several conservative groups asking Jones to confirm Trump’s nominee, even though Jones views these efforts as “silly” and “a waste of time.” (more…)

The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has launched an ambitious, seven-figure ad campaign in several markets across the country, including Alabama, to urge the confirmation of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

Beginning on Tuesday, markets throughout the state will air an ad beckoning voters to demand that Sen. Doug Jones confirm Kavanaugh.

“Four liberal justices oppose your right to self-defense,” the ad states. “Four justices support your right to self-defense. President Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh to break the tie.”

“Tell Senator Jones, ‘Defend our right to self-defense. Confirm Judge Kavanaugh,'” the ad concludes.
(more…)

A group of Alabama protesters showed up at the Alabama State House Wednesday in Montgomery to voice their disdain for the National Rifle Association (NRA).

In the video sent to Yellowhammer News, protesters can be heard chanting, “The NRA has got to go.”

(more…)

Protestors descended on Publix stores across the nation Friday, following the lead of the “March For Our Lives” activist David Hogg, to stage a “Die-In” protest.

The whole idea for the protest started when Hogg tweeted:

.@Publix is a #NRASellOut
In Parkland we will have a die in the Friday (the 25th) before memorial day weekend. Starting at 4pm for 12 min inside our 2 Publix stores. Just go an lie down starting at 4. Feel free to die in with us at as many other @Publix as possible.

— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 23, 2018

The tweet was in reference to Publix having donated more than $650,000 to Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam‘s campaign since 2017. Putnam is self-described as a “proud #NRASellout.” (more…)

There is no more important function of the federal government than to provide for our common defense. Unfortunately, for nearly seven years, Democrats have held funding for our military hostage, and as a result, we are facing a serious readiness crisis in our military.

We have planes unable to fly and ships that cannot sail. A lack of proper resources has resulted in a loss of servicemember lives and has made our country ill-prepared to face aggression from dangerous adversaries like China, Russia, and North Korea. This level of vulnerability is unacceptable.
(more…)

This week, the reports of students taking to the streets to demand Congress enact gun-control legislation dominated the news. While some people argue about the issues of gun control and others debate the size of the student movement itself, the very real fact is that many young people across Alabama and the nation are forming their political opinions – right now.

Many of the students are scared, and preying on their fear is a special sort of political predator. Those political opportunists have manipulated the young people to suit and push their own agenda.

For instance, this past Saturday, organizer Kenneth Sharpton Glasgow led an anti-gun rally through the streets of downtown Dothan. The following day, Glasgow was booked into the Houston County Jail on charges of capital murder for his involvement in the shooting death of a 23-year- old woman. One can reasonably conclude that Glasgow has disingenuous interest in gun control, and that his rally was motivated by some other political agenda. (more…)

Here is my homework assignment for all the fist-clenching, gun control-demanding teenagers walking out of classrooms this week (and next week and next month) to protest school shootings:

Ask not what the rest of the country can do for your local school’s safety; ask what your local school boards and superintendents have been failing to do for you.

Chances are, the adults closest to you — those most directly responsible for your security — have been shirking their primary duties, squandering scarce resources and deflecting blame.

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The Second Amendment is clear: “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Despite what some may try to argue, the Second Amendment makes clear that the federal government cannot prevent individuals from owning firearms. 

The vast majority of gun owners point out that their top reason for owning a firearm is self-defense. Studies have shown that violent crime has decreased as gun ownership has increased. Individuals should be trained and prepared to defend themselves should they find themselves in a dangerous situation.

Since being elected to Congress, I have continually stood up for the gunowners and fought to prevent any attempt to restrict an individual’s Second Amendment right. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, gun owners now have an advocate in the White House who respects the Second Amendment as well.

Just this past week, the House of Representatives passed a major pro-Second Amendment bill. H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, passed the House with my support by a vote of 231 to 198. Simply put, the bill makes clear that a citizen’s Second Amendment right doesn’t end when they cross state lines.

The bill would allow a person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also issues concealed firearm permits. The bill would also apply for states that allow non-prohibited persons to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Notably, the bill does not create a national licensing program, but would require states to recognize other states’ valid concealed carry permits.

The legislation is strongly supported by Second Amendment advocates, including the NRA. Some have gone so far as to say it is the most “far-reaching expansion of self-defense rights in modern American history.”

According to the NRA, the legislation “seeks to shift the law to the side of those who obey the rules so they – and not just the criminals – can exercise what the U.S. Supreme Court called ‘the right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation’ in any state where their travels may take them.”

To be clear, the bill does not change who is and isn’t eligible to own or possess a firearm. If someone is a criminal who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, nothing in this bill would allow that person to purchase a firearm or carry one in a concealed fashion.

Concealed carry permits have been shown to help deter crime. For example, there is the story of a sheriff’s deputy in Florida who was being violently attacked after car chase when a bystander, who had a concealed-carry permit, was able to intervene and subdue the suspect. The Lee County Sheriff has proclaimed the gentleman a hero for his efforts.

The bill is also important because it helps end confusion caused by the current patchwork of state laws. I recently heard the story of a wounded warrior on the way back from receiving medical care for his injury being arrested in our nation’s capital for simply possessing a concealed handgun, lawfully permitted from his home state.  This is unacceptable.

By helping provide clarity, the American people will be able to conceal carry a firearm across state lines without being subject to potential criminal or civil risk.

For me, I will continue doing everything I can to stand up for the Second Amendment. This is about protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans and working to make our country a safer place.

Bradley Byrne (R-Mobile) is the U.S. representative for Alabama’s 1st congressional district.

Alabama’s motto is “We dare defend our rights,” and judging by the number of people packing heat across our state, we’re more than ready to back that up.

A recent study from the Crime Prevention Research Center indicates that Alabama has the nation’s highest concentration of concealed weapon permits.

The study found that about 755,000 adults in Alabama, or slightly more than 20 percent of the adult population, are licensed to carry concealed weapons. Indiana is second in the nation, with nearly 16 percent of its adults holding permits and South Dakota third, with about 14 percent.

There are even efforts underway to allow concealed carry without a permit, a move supported by the National Rifle Association.

Meanwhile, news of the popularity of concealed carry in Alabama comes as no surprise considering our state’s well-known support for the Second Amendment, and requests for permits are on the rise.

“The numbers are going up each month,” Elmore County Sherriff Bill Franklin recently told the Montgomery Advertiser. “But if there is a serious crime in the nation, or an unusually serious crime in Alabama or even here in Elmore County, we’ll see a spike in applications over the next few days after the crime occurs.”

The Crime Prevention Research Center also published a series of graphs demonstrating a rapid rise in Internet searches about concealed carry following the school shootings in Newtown school, the Umpqua Community College shooting, the Paris terror attack, the San Bernardino shooting and the Orlando nightclub shooting.

Because Alabama doesn’t keep statewide data on this issue, the CPRC collected information from seven counties with 37 percent of the state’s population – Baldwin, Cullman, Madison, Montgomery, Jackson, Jefferson, and Shelby – and assumed that sample represented the entire state.

To learn more about conceal carry and your Second Amendment rights, come to one of the two NRA town hall events this weekend in Alabama:

— Huntsville: 7-9 p.m. tonight, at Cabela’s, 7090 Cabela Drive NW.

— Birmingham, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Hoover Tactical Firearms, 1561 Montgomery Highway.