States Say No to
Backdoor Firearms Registration

By Mark Chesnut. June 6, 2023

The movement by some Second Amendment-supporting state legislatures to protect the financial privacy of those making purchases with credit cards at firearms retailers continues to gain momentum.

In late April, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed such legislation. The Montana 2nd Amendment Financial Privacy Act, S.B. 359, prohibits the use of a special Merchant Category Code (MCC) for credit-card purchases and prevents personal financial information from being shared by financial institutions.

“Activist, woke capitalism through ESG investing is trending on Wall Street,” said Gianforte upon signing the measure into law. “It won’t fly in Montana, and neither will efforts by woke banks to discriminate against gun manufacturers”.

“Our right to keep and bear arms is part of our state and nation’s rich heritage. Law-abiding gun owners should not be targeted by financial institutions, like the big banks who adhere to ESG principles, just for exercising their Second Amendment rights.”

A similar measure in Texas, H.B. 2837, has been passed by the state legislature and was recently sent to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for his consideration. That measure protects the privacy rights of lawful purchasers of firearms or ammunition by prohibiting the misuse of payment card processing systems to surveil, report, or disclose these legal transactions.? Gov. Abbott is expected to sign the bill. .....