The Wyoming chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed SF 102, legislation which would prevent the enforcement of federal gun safety laws, including the laws that prohibit people with dangerous histories from having firearms. The bill will punish local officials for doing their jobs and prevent them from taking action to keep guns away from people with dangerous histories.
“This absurd bill would punish local officials for doing their jobs of protecting our communities,” said Beth Howard, a volunteer leader with the Wyoming chapter of Moms Demand Action. “At a time when gun violence is going up across the country, our state can’t afford to make any wrong moves in this public health crisis. We urge lawmakers to reconsider advancing this bill.”
Nullification bills have led to backlash by law enforcement in the past. According to the Cowboy State Daily, Wyoming Gun Owners said the bill is “horrific and treacherous” and pushed by the worst people in the legislature. Last session, Moms Demand Action volunteers and supporters testified, sent emails and texts, and tweeted at lawmakers to fight legislation to nullify federal gun safety laws. Volunteers were joined in opposition by teachers, law enforcement, and public safety experts. This year, volunteers are prepared to do the same thing to fight this dangerous legislation.
Wyoming has some of the weakest gun laws in the country, scoring 6 out of 100, and has the third-highest rate of gun deaths in the country. The state also has the second-highest household firearm ownership. Despite Wyoming’s gun violence increasing 54% in the last decade, state lawmakers continue to ignore gun safety measures to save lives.
Statistics about gun violence in Wyoming are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Navigator – which shows how Wyoming gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here.
