Why It Matters
The National Association for Gun Rights is navigating a rapidly shifting legal and political landscape surrounding the Second Amendment. This year, the Supreme Court issued two major rulings expanding gun rights, including striking down portions of a Hawaii firearms law and unanimously ruling that the federal government could not prosecute a marijuana user for firearm possession based solely on that status. The Court has also agreed to hear consolidated cases that could determine whether the Second Amendment protects AR-15-style rifles.
By the Numbers
The National Association for Gun Rights operates an in-house lobbying program, serving as both the registrant and client. The organization retained the same three in-house lobbyists across most reporting periods, maintaining a consistent advocacy structure during a period of significant Second Amendment litigation.
The Agenda
Recent Supreme Court activity has reshaped the constitutional landscape for Second Amendment cases. In United States v. Hemani, the Court ruled 9-0 on June 18 that the federal government could not prosecute Ali Hemani under the federal prohibition on firearm possession by unlawful users of controlled substances based solely on his marijuana use, holding that the prosecution violated the Second Amendment as applied to him. The following week, on June 25, the Court struck down key portions of Hawaii's firearms law in Wolford v. Lopez by a 6-3 vote. The Court has also granted certiorari in consolidated cases challenging Illinois' and Connecticut's bans on AR-15-style rifles, setting up another major Second Amendment decision.
At the legislative level, H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, eliminated the $200 National Firearms Act tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and certain other regulated firearms and devices, effective Jan. 1, 2026. By contrast, Congress has also considered competing proposals. H.R. 3115 and S. 1531, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, would reinstate a federal prohibition on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, although neither measure has advanced into law as of late 2026.
States have continued to move in different directions. Virginia enacted sweeping firearms legislation in 2026, including restrictions on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, while California adopted additional gun-control measures addressing ghost guns, online firearm parts, firearm storage requirements and transfer regulations.
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