GOP lawmakers push to halt states from imposing excise taxes on guns

Republican lawmakers are taking a stand against states imposing excise taxes on gun and ammunition sales, particularly in response to California’s controversial 2024 measure. In 2023, California became the first state to implement an 11% excise tax on guns and ammunition sales, with the revenue directed towards gun control initiatives and gun relinquishment programs. Colorado is set to follow suit with a 6.5% excise tax in April, while other states like Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts are considering similar measures.

Republican Senator Jim Risch and Representative Darrell Issa have introduced the Freedom of Unfair Gun Taxes Act in Congress to prevent states from imposing these taxes, arguing that it infringes on Second Amendment rights. Senator Risch stated that states implementing excessive excise taxes to fund gun control initiatives are exploiting the Second Amendment, while Representative Issa criticized California’s new law as an unfair burden on law-abiding citizens.

Excise taxes target specific goods or services for manufacturers, consumers, or retailers, with California’s new excise tax adding to the existing 10-11% federal excise tax paid by gun dealers. Assembly member Jesse Gabriel led the charge for California’s Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act in 2023, which imposed the excise tax to raise revenue for programs like the California Violence Intervention and Prevention program and court-based gun relinquishment initiatives.

Despite Governor Gavin Newsom signing off on the law in 2023, Republican lawmakers are pushing back with the Freedom of Unfair Gun Taxes Act. Co-sponsors of the Act include Senators Lindsey Graham, Deb Fischer, Marsha Blackburn, and Representatives Richard Hudson and Doug LaMalfa, among others. These lawmakers argue that states like California are imposing unconstitutional taxes that undermine the Second Amendment.

Overall, the debate over excise taxes on gun and ammunition sales continues to heat up as Republican lawmakers seek to protect gun owners’ rights and prevent what they see as an infringement on the Second Amendment. The fight over these measures is shaping up to be a significant battle in Congress, with both sides firmly entrenched in their positions.