HJR7: Utah gun restrictions resolution drawing mixed reactions
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In this Jan. 26, 2013, file photo, handguns are displayed on a vendor’s table at an annual gun show in Albany, New York. (AP Photo/Philip Kamrass, File)
A proposed resolution in the Utah Legislature that would enforce existing firearm laws instead of creating new restrictions has prompted a mixed response from the public.
Pro-gun ownership legislator and resolution sponsor Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, said he tried to find a way to prevent dangerous situations, especially gun violence, but found doing so was challenging.
“I couldn’t find a solution that didn’t infringe upon our constitutional rights, referring directly to the Second Amendment,” Maloy said.
Maloy said his resolution balances protecting society with not infringing upon individual rights.
HJR7’s[1] text claims the best way to protect the vulnerable without taking away people’s right to bear arms is by enforcing existing laws in the Utah Code, according to Maloy.
“That’s not to say that there haven’t been people hurt and harmed and murdered,” Maloy said. “But it’s everything we can do to protect our society while also protecting the rights of our people. We cannot just allow law-abiding citizens to be turned into criminals.”
Members of the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standing Committee discussed HJR7 on Feb. 5. The resolution received a favorable recommendation and has since passed the House second reading.
Rep. Val Potter, R-North Logan, supported passing the resolution.
“There are a lot of issues with chiseling away the Constitution. We have the right to bear arms, and the state of Utah has some great laws that protect those who own guns,” Potter said. “The problems that we’ve seen are not, in my opinion, from good, sound, safety-minded gun owners.”
National Rifle Association lobbyist Brian Judy also expressed his support for the resolution.
“In this era when there are heinous and horrific crimes, there is frequently a predictable rush to
