Bill would send measure allowing silencers, automatic weapons to Arizona voters next year

Arizonans who want to possess pipe bombs and hand grenades will have to instead settle for getting automatic rifles, sawed-off shotguns and silencers under the terms of a proposal approved Wednesday by an Arizona House panel.

The bill would amend the state constitution to allow Arizonans to have silencers, automatic weapons and short-barrel rifles and shotguns.

Those are already legal under federal law with approval from different government agencies.

In his original draft of the bill, Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin also sought to legalize the possession of some explosives and Molotov cocktails. Those portions have since been removed.

“The people, who really are the government, should be able to possess, keep and bear these arms. So we have to rectify this terrible error and give the people the opportunity to reclaim the liberty that God has really given them," Kolodin said.

If passed, it would go to voters next year.

Many portions of the bill would allow Arizonans to finally possess things that federal law already allows.

Silencers are regulated -- not banned -- by the National Firearms Act. Possession requires passing a background check, be legally eligible to purchase a firearm, and pay $200 for a federal tax stamp.

But in Arizona, it's a crime to have "a device that is designed, made or adapted to muffle the report of a firearm." Under HCR 2037, if approved by voters, that prohibition would go away.

Ditto an Arizona law that makes it illegal to have a firearm capable of shooting more than one shot automatically. This, too, is legal under federal law with approval from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

And also gone would be a state law that outlaws rifles and shotguns with an overall length of 26 inches. something also allowed under federal law for those who can pass the background check and pay the federal tax stamp.

Only Anne Thompson, a volunteer from Moms Demand Action which lobbies for gun regulation, testified against the bill. But most of her comments were against the original bill to legalize weapons not permitted under federal law.

Even in stripped-down form, the measure was approved by the committee on a 6-3 vote, with all three Democrats on the panel opposed.