An Idaho lawmaker’s effort to limit the federal government’s regulation of guns is picking up steam.
The House State Affairs Committee Thursday approved a bill that would make firearms manufactured and sold in Idaho exempt from national gun laws. That could include federal regulations requiring background checks on gun buyers.
Similar bills have cleared in the Montana and Tennessee legislatures.
St. Maries Republican Rep. Dick Harwood says the bill shows Idaho is willing to stand up for its rights, and he says the state should be prepared to defend its position in the courts if necessary.
The Idaho Attorney General says the bill could be declared unconstitutional if it is used to regulate guns in ways that contradict federal law. (AP)
