Guns are shown at Caso’s Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, New Jersey, which has been open since 1967. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor)
Utah Senators dealt another blow to the House on Wednesday, preventing a bill from advancing that sought to expand gun rights for 18-year-olds while clarifying a number of firearm-related measures in state code.
Sponsored by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Syracuse, HB133 was held up during a Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee meeting on Wednesday after a 2-4 vote. Sens. Mike McKell of Spanish Fork and Evan Vickers of Cedar City joined the committee’s two Democrats to vote “no.”
It’s the second time in two days that the Senate has shot down a high-profile House bill. On Tuesday, lawmakers voted “no” on an immigration-related bill that would have increased the maximum sentence for class A misdemeanors to 365 days, which per federal law, would automatically initiate deportation proceedings.
Senate leadership said it’s likely the immigration bill will be revived this session, if it’s amended. But based on the sentiments from Senate leadership and Lisonbee on Thursday, it could be the end of the road for the gun bill this year.
The lengthy, 9,000-line bill would have made a number of incremental changes to the state’s gun laws. Some of the more substantive provisions included preventing property owners from restricting gun ownership in lease agreements, making state code align with federal law regarding sawed-off shotguns and other modified weapons, and prohibiting 18- to 21-year-olds from carrying firearms in K-12 schools, whether they have a concealed carry permit or not.
But the most controversial piece was a change to open carry laws for people under 21 years old.
Current state law allows anyone over 21 years old to openly carry a loaded firearm, while 18- to 21-year-olds can openly carry a loaded firearm in their vehicle, or an unloaded firearm anywhere that permitless carry is allowed in Utah.
Lisonbee’s law would allow 18- to 21-year-olds to openly carry a loaded firearm in those areas.
“We’re not changing any code significantly in this bill, we’re just recodifying and making it really clear for constituents and law enforcement what is and isn’t allowed,” she told the committee on Wednesday.
But the committee, fueled by concerns that the bill could encourage irresponsible behavior among young gun owners, ultimately voted it down.
“I think common sense prevailed in the committee,” McKell said on Thursday.
In a statement, Lisonbee said there’s been a “large amount of misinformation” directed at the bill, telling Utah News Dispatch that it was mainly focused on recodification.
“Law enforcement, the public, the courts, and prosecutors should be able to understand Utah’s dangerous weapons law. One thing I learned in running HB133 this year is just how confusing the code is in its current form,” she said.
Lisonbee said she plans on bringing back the bill during the interim, where lawmakers meet outside of the 45-day general session.
Tension between the House and Senate?
Two much-anticipated House bills have been shot down in Senate committees this week — Lisonbee’s bill had been public and debated leading up to the session, while the immigration bill was touted as a key policy that would help the Trump administration achieve its immigration goals in Utah.
In both committees, McKell was a key “no” vote.
When asked about the relationship between the House and Senate on Thursday, McKell said it was typical, healthy disagreement that often happens between the two bodies.
“I think we’re working well together. I think disagreements are healthy. I think we should disagree, and I think we should ask tough questions. But I had concerns with that bill,” McKell said.
In the House, Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, echoed McKell. There’s always tension between the House and Senate, he said, which he said leads to productive debate.
“That’s the way the system is set up,” he said. “You take 104 lawmakers, people, most of which have Type A personalities, throw them all in the same room and tell them to find good policy … there’s going to be a little tension.”
Schultz, wrapping up his comments, joked: “we’re looking forward to killing a couple of our Senate colleagues’ bills.”
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