BATON ROUGE, La. – Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has signed FPC-supported House Bill 407, which repeals residency restrictions and expands access to the right to bear arms in the state. HB 407 is a legislative response to an FPC right-to-carry lawsuit, Mate v. Wescott, that was filed as part of FPC’s work to eliminate unconstitutional residency requirements throughout the United States.

“On behalf of our members, we thank Rep. Ventrella for her leadership on this important issue and Gov. Landry for signing this bill into law,” said FPC President Brandon Combs. “We are thrilled that Louisiana has made this critical change to improve access to the right to bear arms. We and our members are working to unlock the right to carry throughout the United States, and this bill helps do just that.

“Now it’s time for Congress to fix and pass H.R. 38 so that all Americans can exercise their right to bear arms without fear of arrest and prosecution.”

Under HB 407, residents of any state will be able to acquire a Louisiana carry license and lawfully exercise their right to bear arms in the Pelican State without violating its “firearm-free zone” restrictions or the federal prohibition on possession of firearms in a “school zone.” Under federal law, a person must be “licensed to [carry] by the State in which the school zone is located” in order to avoid serious criminal liability for walking or driving armed within 1,000 feet of an unmarked ‘zone’.

While FPC strongly believes that no peaceable person should have to acquire a permit to exercise their natural right to keep and bear arms—and that such requirements are unconstitutional and immoral—we recognize that, unless and until state and federal laws such as those at issue here are repealed (or preempted by strong national reciprocity statutes), having a carry license issued by every state in which a person carries a firearm for self-defense is the only mechanism by which a person can lawfully exercise that right in the United States at this time.

FPC encourages gun owners to contact Rep. Ventrella and thank her for her leadership on HB 407 here, and thank Gov. Landry for signing the bill here.

FPC also encourages gun owners to contact Congress and urge them to fix and pass H.R. 38 here.

Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org), a 501(c)4 nonprofit membership organization, exists to create a world of maximal human liberty, defend constitutional rights, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom. We work to achieve our strategic objectives through litigation, research, scholarly publications, amicus briefing, legislative and regulatory action, grassroots activism, education, outreach, and other programs. Our FPC Law program is the nation’s preeminent legal action initiative focused on restoring the right to keep and bear arms throughout the United States. Individuals who want to support FPC’s work to eliminate unconstitutional laws can join the FPC Grassroots Army at JoinFPC.org or make a donation at firearmspolicy.org/donate. For more on FPC’s lawsuits and other pro-Second Amendment initiatives, visit FPCLegal.org and follow FPC on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube.

CHICAGO – Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) praised the filing of an important “friend-of-the-court” brief by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in support of FPC’s lawsuit challenging the Illinois Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA), which bans so-called “assault weapons” and “high-capacity magazines”, all constitutionally protected arms. The DOJ brief urges the Seventh Circuit to uphold FPC’s victory at the district court and marks a critical step in fulfilling President Trump’s commitment to protect Americans’ fundamental right to keep and bear arms.

“Just a few months after Bruen, Illinois outlawed some of the most commonly used rifles and magazines in America via a so-called ‘assault weapons’ ban,” says the DOJ’s brief. “In doing so, Illinois violated the Supreme Court’s clear directive that States cannot prohibit arms that are ‘in common use’ by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”

“We are gratified that the federal government recognizes the importance of supporting our fight to eliminate this ban on constitutionally-protected arms,” said FPC founder and President Brandon Combs. “This important brief underscores our argument that the Seventh Circuit must affirm our district court victory in this case under binding Supreme Court precedent. We hope Solicitor General Sauer will stand with us on this issue at the Supreme Court when this case inevitably heads up.”

The DOJ brief and other key case documents in Harrel v. Raoul can be viewed at firearmspolicy.org/harrel.

FPC is joined in the litigation by individual and retailer members as well as Illinois State Rifle Association and Second Amendment Foundation. The plaintiffs are represented by David H. Thompson, Peter A. Patterson, and William V. Bergstrom of Cooper & Kirk as well as David G. Sigale. FPC thanks FPC Action Foundation for its strategic support of this FPC Law case.

Individuals who want to JOIN THE FIGHT and be a part of the FPC community’s mission to eliminate unconstitutional laws throughout the United States should join the FPC Grassroots Army at JoinFPC.org.

About FPC

Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org), a 501(c)4 nonprofit membership organization, exists to create a world of maximal human liberty, defend constitutional rights, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom. We work to achieve our strategic objectives through litigation, research, scholarly publications, amicus briefing, legislative and regulatory action, grassroots activism, education, outreach, and other programs. Our FPC Law program is the nation’s preeminent legal action initiative focused on restoring the right to keep and bear arms throughout the United States. For more on FPC’s lawsuits and other pro-Second Amendment initiatives, follow FPC on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.

Gun Owners of America (GOA) is calling on Congress to stand firm in support of Section 70436 of H.R. 1—the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—which would fully repeal the unconstitutional excise taxes on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons under the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA).

GOA is demanding that lawmakers preserve Section 70436 and adhere to their Independence Day deadline to pass this legislation and deliver a historic win for the Second Amendment.

GOA will continue working with congressional allies and mobilizing grassroots support to ensure this key section remains intact and becomes law.

Sam Paredes, Gun Owners of America Board Member, issued the following statement: “July 4th is the perfect day to strike down the tyranny of the NFA’s unconstitutional tax scheme. This represents a long-overdue restoration of rights that never should have been taken away in the first place. Congress must not cave or delay. Gun owners expect action—and GOA will hold accountable any lawmaker who tries to gut this historic provision.”

Aidan Johnston, GOA’s Director of Federal Affairs, issued the following statement: “The One Big Beautiful Bill is a generational opportunity to reclaim ground for the Second Amendment. This would end nearly a century of illegal taxation and federal harassment of gun owners with suppressors and short barrels. We’re urging Congress to keep this GOA-backed provision intact, send the bill to President Trump’s desk by Independence Day, and restore our lost gun rights—no excuses.”

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization representing over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.