Arizona Lawmakers Push for Expanded Gun Rights in Upcoming Session
As Arizona gears up for the 2026 legislative session, Republican lawmakers have put forward multiple proposals aimed at broadening gun rights across the state.
Two notable pieces of legislation focus on eliminating existing limitations on carrying concealed weapons in educational institutions and commercial properties.
Currently, colleges and universities in Arizona can set their own regulations on concealed firearms. However, a bill proposed by Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff) seeks to override these rules.
This proposal mirrors a previous attempt, which was vetoed by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs last year.
Similarly, a bill by Sen. Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) aims to prevent retailers from banning concealed weapons on their premises, with the exception of patrons consuming hard liquor.
If passed, this legislation would stop businesses from using signage to prohibit firearms.
Additional bills introduced by Sen. Rogers include measures to lift bans on silencers and significantly reduce the cost of concealed weapon permits for state residents, setting the fee at 10% of what out-of-state applicants pay. These proposals have also faced vetoes from Governor Hobbs in prior sessions.
Another initiative from Rogers seeks to prohibit government entities from maintaining any records of gun owners or sellers, unless related to criminal investigations.
The bill explicitly states, “A government entity may not knowingly keep or cause to be kept any list, record or registry of privately owned firearms or the owners of the firearms.”
To enforce this, the attorney general or county attorney would be mandated to investigate breaches of this law and levy penalties. This measure, too, has encountered a veto from Hobbs before.
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