Firearm Registration In Idaho?
Firearm Registration in Idaho?
A couple of weeks ago, Idaho Dispatch broke a story about what seems to be firearm registration happening in cities across Idaho. The story was broken in the Twin Falls area by the Idaho Dispatch and the owners of Quick Response Firearms (Tara and Daniel Corsini) and Homestead Tactical (Joshua Van Dyke).
According to some local gun shops, the Twin Falls Police Department (TFPD) was pushing firearms store owners to enroll in the “LeadsOnline” program, a third-party data collection software system for certain local firearm transfers. LeadsOnline requires information on the firearm and personal information on the person selling that firearm.
Several local gun shops refused to use LeadsOnline, saying they want to protect their customer’s personal information and they don’t believe in firearm registration.
Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld submitted an inquiry to Idaho’s’ Attorney General Raul Labrador; his office said local police can’t keep firearm registries/lists in Idaho, which is against the law.
In the 2023 legislative session, HB295 was passed by the legislature, increasing transparency and protecting the rights of individuals from firearm registration and lists. HB295 was signed into law, and in part now IC 18-3326 reads:
“(2) Except for those records kept during the regular course of a criminal investigation and prosecution or as otherwise required by law, a state government entity or local government, special district, or other political subdivision or official, agent, or employee of the state or other government entity or any other person, public or private, other than the owner or owner's representative, may not knowingly and willfully keep or cause to be kept any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or any list, record, or registry of the owners of those firearms. ”
Idaho Code 18-3326A (8) provides that the AG can investigate alleged violations. The AG’s office will provide written notice to correct the violation. If corrective action is not taken, the AG may pursue an injunction.
I am so proud of the gun owners, and specifically QRF and Homestead Tactical gun shops, for standing up for the right to keep and bear arms. Our rights are only protected when citizens stand up and fight.
The Attorney General's opinion confirms that local government agencies’ requirement to turn over private information about citizens and their firearms is against the law. Moreover, the AG’s opinion clearly says that gun shops cannot even voluntarily turn over this information, as the records being kept by any Idaho police agency violate Idaho law and the Second Amendment.
I am grateful for Attorney General Labrador’s office protecting the rights of Idaho’s gun owners.
If government entities are looking for ways to skirt the law by having backdoor registries, revisiting the law to impose harsher penalties may be needed to discourage violations of our constitutional rights.
To read the breaking story on the use of the LeadsOnline program and follow links to important supportive information, read these stories in the Idaho Dispatch here:
Idaho Dispatch, 8/14
https://idahodispatch.com/twin-falls-gun-shops-police-at-odds-over-alleged-gun-registration-program/
Idaho Dispatch, 8/21
https://idahodispatch.com/national-gun-group-looking-into-twin-falls-gun-shop-police-controversy/
Idaho Dispatch, 8/22
https://idahodispatch.com/breaking-twin-falls-p-d-denies-gun-registry-accusation/
Idaho Dispatch, 8/29
“Those powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Freedom is in the hands of the states.
God Bless,
Christy Zito
Republican Nominee, LD 8 Senate
Registration leads to Confiscation.
Confiscation leads to Extermination.
Joanna Martin of Tennessee
2A protects all other liberty.