Arizona Democrats' Trifecta Puts AR-15s, Permitless Carry on Chopping Block

Arizona Democrats just won full control of the state government for the first time in 60 years, and Bearing Arms reports that gun control groups are ready to use that power to rewrite the state's gun laws.

Snapshot

Democrats flipped both legislative chambers and now hold working majorities large enough to pass bills without needing rural Democrat holdouts. Bearing Arms' Cam Edwards writes that Giffords, which currently gives Arizona an "F" on its gun law scorecard, has a detailed wish list it wants Gov. Katie Hobbs and the new legislature to enact.

Key points

• New majorities: Democrats hold a projected 37-23 House edge and 20-10 Senate edge, up from Republican control before the election, per the article.
• Giffords' agenda: The group is pushing universal background checks, owner licensing with safety training, red-flag laws, waiting periods, and child access prevention laws, Edwards reports.
• Named bans on the table: Giffords wants to ban or heavily restrict open carry, "assault weapons" like the AR-15, and large-capacity magazines, according to the piece.
• Permitless carry at risk: Edwards predicts Arizona, the state that started the permitless carry movement in 2010, could become the first to repeal it.
• Courts and politics: The article notes Arizona sits in the Ninth Circuit, called hostile to gun rights, and warns that lawsuits take time even if laws are eventually struck down.

Quick take

Edwards compares the setup to Virginia's 2020 trifecta, which produced a dozen gun control laws in one session, and doubts Arizona Democrats will moderate even if some voters didn't vote for this. For gun owners in the state, the fights over named bans and permit requirements are likely headed to the legislature soon, then to court.

Read the full story: bearingarms.com