The Firearms Freedom Act (FFA) is sweeping the Nation.

June 3rd, 2010

Originally introduced and passed in Montana, the FFA declares that any firearms made and retained in-state are beyond the authority of Congress under its constitutional power to regulate commerce among the states.

Following initial Montana enactment, clones of the Firearms Freedom Act have subsequently been enacted in Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota, and other clones have been introduced in the legislatures of twenty-some other states.

The FFA is primarily a Tenth Amendment challenge to the powers of Congress under the “commerce clause,” with firearms as the object – it is a state’s rights exercise.

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  1. Ernest
    May 20th, 2011 at 16:47 | #1

    @Linda
    Go here for more on the subject of jury rights: http://fija.org/
    You are correct we have more choices than guilty or not guilty. Have the right to judge the law as being constitutional.

  2. Ernest
    May 20th, 2011 at 16:51 | #2

    @Linda
    Go here for more on the subject of jury rights: http://fija.org/
    You are correct we have more choices than guilty or not guilty. Have the right to judge the law as being constitutional.

    @Jeremy
    There can be no Nazi’s with out the genocide. Why do you think that The Georgia Guidestones – Reduced population to 500 million some powerful people don’t want just anyone using up “their” resources.

  3. Vincent
    June 4th, 2011 at 23:08 | #3

    ND should have it

  4. ck
    June 28th, 2011 at 04:55 | #4

    @Vincent
    We have no firearms manufacturers. Hence, it would be worthless. Still, I think the states should get together and abolish the 1934 NFA/GCA.

  5. June 30th, 2011 at 17:45 | #5

    Colorado was one state that has a democratic senate and of course they would vote it down. It won’t pass until we get a senate and house who take the oath to protect & defend the constitution that it will pass.

  6. Bob
    July 14th, 2011 at 12:17 | #6

    Praying it becomes a reality in PA.

  7. Nathan
    July 14th, 2011 at 17:14 | #7

    I just listened to Gary’s interview on Fox News, and he made a point about interstate commerce that I think is wrong, and undercuts his arguments. First, for the record, though I am a strong 2nd ammendment rights advocate, constitution advocate for that matter, I do not own a gun. I simply value the implications of such clear and fundamental constitutional rights, and I do think about buying a gun and learning to use it expertly from time to time. Now, here’s the point:

    Gary accepted the premise that if someone from Idaho buys a gun in Montana and then brings it back to Idaho, that interstate commerce has then occurred, and under current law the law would have been broken. I disagree. To his credit, he is making this distinction from the Montana resident who buys a bun and stays in Montana, in order to facilitate his legal challenge, but I think he should not throw out the larger argument in pursuit of his narrower interpretation. Here’s my rationale: The word ‘commerce’ is different than the word ‘transportation’. If that person in Idaho orders the gun over the phone or internet from a supplier in montana and it is shipped to him in Idaho thus he takes posession of the gun in idaho, that’s interstate commerce, because part of the transaction took place in two different states. On the other hand, and this is key, if that person in Idaho drives to Montana, buys the gun in Montana, and takes possession of it in Montana, then all of the transaction, all of the commerce, has occurred in Montana. If that guy from Idaho then drives back to Idaho with the gun, that is simply transportation, not commerce. The commerce ended with the completion of the transaction and transfer of possession in Montana. There are all sorts of other laws on other issues that make this possession point, and it seems quite logical to me.

    The word ‘interstate’ is only one of the key words in that portion of the constitution. The word ‘commerce’ has its own distinct meaning, and is another key word. Both should be considered. Now, I understand if Gary doesn’t want to push his luck, and goes for the smaller victory, though I disagree and believe he should argue for the truth fully, but if he does go for the smaller victory, he should take care with his words so as not to weaken a future case on the larger meaning of that portion of the constitution.

    To sum it up, once the gun transaction is completed and transfer of possession has occurred, the ‘commerce’ has been completed. The new gun owner can take that gun with him wherever he moves or travels, as he sees fit, as long as he doesn’t break other laws out there… but then many of those other laws might be worthy of debate as well, and that’s another topic altogether.

    I hope someone who reads this brings it to Gary’s attention.

    Thank you.

  8. Mario
    July 14th, 2011 at 18:38 | #8

    If guns kill people, then pencils misspell words, cars make people drive drunk, and spoons made Rosie O’ Donnell fat!

  9. Brandon
    July 14th, 2011 at 23:28 | #9

    While we’re not making any guns in Hawaii, we suffer from some of the most hanious politicians ever and our guns laws are non-existent. Further more, just about every facet of our lifestyle is shipped in from Washington, Oregon, and California.

    I’m not part of any organization, but write my state representatives often. How can I go about officially introducing this bill in Hawaii?

    Aloha!

    Brandon

  10. Vincent
    July 20th, 2011 at 23:03 | #10

    @Ck ever heard of gunsmiths?

  11. CathyR
    July 29th, 2011 at 18:55 | #11

    @Nathan Excellent Deductions… and Great Comments…I could not agree more…!
    Once the ‘Transaction’ is complete in whatever state your bill of sale was made… what the owner of <said Weapon does and or goes.. with Said Weapon… is secondary to the issues of the 'Transaction/Commerce'… The the Seller is no longer Responsible once the Gun and Money has Exchanged Hands.. Commerce Has Been Completed..Deal Done! Owner of Transaction is then Free to take Purchase where ever he/she chooses.. a cording to permit and or state laws.

  12. Mark
    August 23rd, 2011 at 02:20 | #12

    @Steve in NC
    Steve, where do you live in NC? Glen Bradley introduced ours in the NC house…do help support him at http://www.GlenBradley2012.com
    NC is not the best state for this…read Article I section IV and V of the NC constitution and you’ll see why.

    I live in Burlington BTW

  13. Carl
    September 9th, 2011 at 10:18 | #13

    @Nathan
    Your comment sparked a curiosity about the legalistic definitions of the word commerce and in pursuing the idea I found an excellent article in the St. John’s law review concerning the matter.

    http://www.umt.edu/law/faculty/natelson/articles/Commerce%20Clause.pdf

    While it is subject to human error,(What is perfect right?) it does tend to open up the larger vista as to what the writers of the constitution meant when they included the term in the document, mercantile transactions as you point out in your post or the larger scope of economic activity as the mentioned Professor Crosskey has argued it does. I would say from the research presented, it would be very likely that a strict reading of the constitution would mean the commerce clause would indicate a very narrow definition of what commerce is.

    The only thing that concerns me is the wording in HB 246 is that the bill explicitly states that the articles in question remain within the boundaries of the State of Montana to be free from any requirements. Thus, while it is not the whole kit and kaboddle, Mr. Marbut’s comment stays consistent with the wording in the bill.

    I would also guess the bill was written in this way to avert a Mann Act type response, in which transportation is tied in with the commerce and thus regulated by the federal government.

  14. Jeff Phillips
    September 13th, 2011 at 14:00 | #14

    One issue with this approach is that we have to have all these separate manufacturers in each state. What is a gun? Can we make “most” of a particular kind of gun in one state, “most” of a particular kind of gun in another state, and so on, trade them, and then finish the final production and stamp the state’s insignia on the gun in the state we want to sell it in?

  15. September 28th, 2011 at 18:50 | #15

    The states are stepping up to reclaim their sovereignty EXCEPT when and where they want Fed interference. Like with Montana’s med cannabis law allowing it’s use!
    Check out the latest govt intrusion on state’s rights. http://www.mtcia.org

  16. September 28th, 2011 at 18:53 | #16

    I forgot to make the connection of fed interference between med cannabis and our gun rights.

  17. Randy Howard
    November 18th, 2011 at 14:55 | #17

    @ck
    Pass this and see how quickly someone opens up a plant to make them. It will be profitable and left alone by the feds.

  18. January 7th, 2012 at 21:53 | #18

    I live in Washington State. I would love for someone to e-mail me the proposed legislation that my state has to follow the FFA. I am dieing for the day it passes here. As I own several firearms made in Washington. Every time I have brought it up the clowns in the state capitol tell me no. And I am just a voting citizen.

  19. January 12th, 2012 at 17:32 | #19

    States should control what happens within their respective borders.

  20. Charles U. Farley
    February 15th, 2012 at 12:17 | #20

    @Nathan
    Sorry, but even though you make a wonderfully lucid and common sense point, the Supreme Court of the United States says you are wrong and more than one person has learned this lesson the hard way. Congress has been infamous in its arbitrary use of the Commerce Clause as a hammer to drive through legislation for just about anything they want. And the Supreme Court has been famous for letting them get away with it, by acquiescing to Congress’s desires. Only since 1995 has the Supreme Court seemed to awoken and made some start at correcting the perverted use of the Commerce Clause by Congress to be a means to whatever end they desired. As for now, the situation that you describe gives the Federal government power over you via the Commerce Clause, as ridiculous as that sounds.

  21. Dave
    March 21st, 2012 at 23:02 | #21

    Are there any updates on if this is going to the Supreme Court?

  22. PK
    June 7th, 2012 at 02:05 | #22

    Now that Nordyke v. King is out of the way, what happens?

  23. Ken
    June 19th, 2012 at 01:04 | #23

    Is this back on track now that Nordyke v King is done?

  24. forest
    June 20th, 2012 at 07:57 | #24

    You can buy gas in one state and transport it across state lines with no problems what is the differace

  25. Laurita
    July 23rd, 2012 at 04:55 | #25

    @Nathan
    Thank you, Nathan; I believe you are right.

  26. al kipf
    November 11th, 2012 at 16:36 | #26

    Colorado is lost to the collectivists.

  27. pete
    November 21st, 2012 at 20:35 | #27

    The Dick Act of 1902 relegates ALL federal firearms laws illegal!

  28. nick
    December 19th, 2012 at 20:10 | #28

    This means…all the green states…can have machine guns and everything? I am super jealous.

  29. Steve
    December 20th, 2012 at 02:33 | #29

    http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/404/336/case.html

    The U.S. Supreme Court in 1971 already ruled that the feds can’t regulate guns that did not travel in interstate commerce. U.S. v. Hayes 404 U.S. 306 (1971). click on above link… or here:

    http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/404/336/case.html

  30. Steve
    December 20th, 2012 at 02:34 | #30

    That’s 404 U.S. 336 (1971)@Steve

  31. T.L. Headley
    December 23rd, 2012 at 21:53 | #31

    The Georgia Guidestones have nothing to do with Nazis, Agenda 21, nothing. They are nothing more than a well-intentioned guide for a post-apocalyptic world to guide its redevelopment.
    I do not share the philosophy but that doesn’t mean they are the creation of some evil organization bent on mass genocide. My advice … loosen up the tinfoil.

  32. Allerg
    December 24th, 2012 at 06:06 | #32

    @Nathan
    Nathan makes a great point. Commerce wholey completed within a State is not interstate commerce. And, actually is the result of that “intra” state commerce that may be dealt with by the party of the transaction as that party sees fit, regardless the residency of any party. If i were traveling accross the country from NY, and i stopped somewhere in Idaho and bought potatoes, no interstate commerce happened regardless of where i take those potatoes. On the otherhand, if i ordered, and paid for those potatoes from Idaho in NY, THEN, interstate commerce will have occurred. The FFA should be inclussive of ALL products, not just arms.

  33. steve oldiges
    December 24th, 2012 at 14:08 | #33

    @Nathan
    who buys a bun ?

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