In 2021, more Nevadans purchased firearms than ever before. It’s too bad that state lawmakers responded by passing legislation that criminalized custom gun makers and their customers.
Thankfully, the law didn’t stick — a state judge struck it down earlier this month.
But as we head into the new year, lawmakers should spend less time trying to strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights and focus instead on fighting actual crime. Signed into law by Gov. Steve Sisolak earlier this year, A.B. 286 singled out Polymer80, a company that sells unfinished receivers and tools for gun kits, maligning them as a maker of “ghost guns” (untraceable firearms) — which they aren’t.
Even worse, however, the new law intentionally criminalized both the company and its customers for selling and possessing “unfinished firearms frames or receivers,” respectively.
The state judge who struck the bill down determined its vague definition of “unfinished frame or receiver” would cause the company “significant economic loss” and subsequently violate the due process clause of the Nevada State Constitution. In response to the ruling, Polymer80 CEO Loran Kelley declared the law is “vague and unlawful legislation that targets our company specifically for conducting a lawful business. We will continue to challenge lawless attempts to curtail our rights and the rights of our customers.”