PHOENIX - A Republican proposal barring enforcement of any federal laws affecting semi-automatic weapons or high-capacity ammunition magazines appears dead after it was pulled from consideration in the Arizona Senate over constitutional questions, the proposal's author said Monday.
Sen. Kelli Ward of Lake Havasu City said Senate lawyers believed her bill was unconstitutional because federal law trumps state law. She said it was pulled after she realized all the Democrats and even some fellow Republicans on the Rules Committee would not vote for it.
A similar measure introduced in the House remains active and awaits a committee hearing.
Ward doubts her bill will be revived, which she said "is disappointing, because I do want to send a message to the federal government not to step on Arizona and our right to bear arms," Ward said.
She acknowledged she knew the bill raised constitutional questions, but said, "I also thought that it was very important to send that message that the Second Amendment is very important."
"Why they even wasted committee time hearing a bill that's unconstitutional is ridiculous," said Sen. Steve Gallardo, a Phoenix Democrat. "There's so many issues facing the state of Arizona, and when you have silly bills like that it just gets in the way of some of the priorities."
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