Gov. Doug Ducey is being asked to deny future legislatures-- and future voters-- the power to mandate background checks on the private sale of guns.
The measure would require Arizona to enter into a compact with other states agreeing not to impose any new requirements on the sale or transfer of firearms. More to the point, it would override a provision in the state constitution that allows voters to make their own gun laws.
Rep. Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff, said there's a good reason for it. He wants to protect Arizonans from being talked out of their gun rights by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"Mike Bloomberg, with his millions of dollars, he's gone from state to state trying to push constitutional amendments within the state that take away people's Second Amendment rights and basically watering down those rights," he said.
Thorpe said it's already happening. Everytown for Gun Safety, financed by Bloomberg, was the largest source of funds behind a successful 2014 initiative in Washington to expand the law to require background checks when weapons are sold at gun shows.
National Rifle Association board member Todd Rathner said he believes the preemption of voter-approved law is legal, and it's worth pursuing as a roadblock for Bloomberg.
"The whole point would be to force them to go to court over it and to force a fight. The whole point is, this is a strategic way of raising the bar to interference by a New York liberal," Rathner said.
Gov. Ducey has given no indication of whether he will sign or veto the measure.