On Tuesday Maine Governor Paul LePage signed legislation prohibiting public housing landlords from denying the Second Amendment rights of their tenants.
The legislation –“An Act To Ensure Nondiscrimination against Gun Owners in Public Housing” (LD 1572) — was introduced after 67-year-old Rockland, Maine resident Harvey Lembo bought a gun on August 31, 2015 and used it when someone allegedly broke into his apartment to steal his painkillers.
Breitbart News reported that the company managing Lembo’s apartment informed him he would have to get rid of the gun or move out of the apartment. But Lembo’s apartment complex is categorized as Section 8 housing, which means they receive public funding. So Maine state senator Andre Cushing III (R-Hampden) stepped in and introduced LD 1572, explaining that landlords who receive “public money” are not allowed to pick and choose which Constitutional rights their tenants can exercise.
Cushing’s legislation passed and Governor LePage signed it into law on April 12.
The NRA-ILA‘s Chris Cox commented on the new law, saying, “Law-abiding gun owners should not be denied their Second Amendment rights just because of their economic status or street address. The right of self-protection is fundamental, and now public housing residents throughout Maine will not be denied that right.”
Cox added, “On behalf of our five million members, I want to thank State Senator Andre Cushing and Governor LePage for their leadership on this important issue.”
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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