VICTORY! Court Strikes Down Illegal Firearms Mandate in Pima County, AZ

In a victory for Arizona firearm owners, a state court judge today struck down an illegal law in Pima County that required residents to report lost and stolen firearms to the government within two days…or face $1,000 fines.

Goldwater had sued the county to stop the mandate on behalf of Air Force veteran Chris King and the Pima County-based Arizona Citizens Defense League. As Goldwater attorneys argued before the Pima County Superior Court today, state law prohibits local governments from regulating firearms or firearm-related conduct unless specifically authorized by the state legislature, and the county Board of Supervisors appeared to know as much when it brazenly passed the ordinance.

Judge Greg Sakall agreed that the county’s actions violated multiple provisions of state law. The court’s decision is based in part on the premise that the county cannot enact any firearm-related regulations unless expressly authorized by state law.

The new ordinance wasn’t just illegal—it took aim at the wrong people. Rather than target criminals who steal firearms, the requirement would have revictimized law-abiding gun owners who experience the loss or theft of a firearm. Some may not even realize they are victims until much later.

“I’m grateful the court recognized that Pima County officials are not above the law,” says King, a county resident and NRA-certified firearms instructor whose firearm was burglarized from his home while he was on active-duty out of state. “Firearm owners like me shouldn’t have to pay exorbitant fines as punishment for being robbed.”

“Today’s ruling is a significant victory for the rule of law, for gun owners statewide, and for the state’s ability to prevent rogue cities and counties from creating a confusing patchwork of local firearm restrictions,” adds Goldwater Staff Attorney Parker Jackson.

The Goldwater Institute will always defend the right of armed self-defense and keep rogue government entities in check, especially when they seek to undermine not only constitutionally protected rights, but laws restricting their own authority.

You can read more about the case here and read the ruling here.