Arizona Law Bars Destroying Guns from Buybacks

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) signed H.B. 2455 into law Sunday, thereby banning the destruction of guns turned in at gun buybacks or otherwise seized by or surrendered to authorities.

Brewer’s office said she received, “2,000 letters, emails, and phone calls” about the bill, of which only 25 opposed to its passage. 

While this bill is chiefly aimed toward cities and counties that hold gun buybacks, the NRA pointed out that this bill allows “seized or forfeited guns to retain value.” And it ensures “that taxpayer dollars are not utilized to pursue a political agenda of destroying firearms.”

This law was making its way through the AZ legislature when Gabby Giffords’ husband Mark Kelly was telling everyone he was going to buy an AR-15 and then turn it over to the police. Had the gun store allowed him to buy that AR–which they didn’t–and had he waited till now to turn it in, it would have then been sold to a home owner who needed a good gun for home defense or to a hunter or a target shooter. It would not have been destroyed.