NRA-ILA | Maine: Waiting Period Law May Force Kittery Trading Post Out of State

Last month, after a barrage of procedural games and inaction by Governor Janet Mills, radical progressive politicians passed LD 2238, “An Act to Address Gun Violence in Maine by Requiring a Waiting Period for Certain Firearm Purchases,” into law. This law, which goes into effect 90 days after the Maine Legislature adjourns, greatly restricts Mainers’ Second Amendment rights by placing an arbitrary three-day delay on firearm purchases purchased through a Federally Firearms Licensee. The passage of this bill has left the state reeling, with concerns over an individual’s ability to obtain a firearm for urgent self-defense needs and the immediate and long-term economic loss to the state. 

Last week, Maine’s iconic outdoor outfitter and firearms retailer, Kittery Trading Post, announced that if Maine’s new 72 hour waiting period goes into effect it will force them to relocate their firearms business out of state. Kittery Trading Post, an internationally known Maine landmark that has proudly served sportsmen since 1938, employs hundreds of locals and is an economic catalyst for southern Maine. Now, because anti-gun politicians were more concerned about Michael Bloomberg’s approval than their own state’s well-being, this family-owned business may be forced to move to neighboring New Hampshire if this extreme gun control law goes into effect. 

Luckily for Mainers, supporters are fighting back. Local gun-rights groups, Gun Owners of Maine and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine have announced they will be launching a lawsuit challenging the law. To learn more about the court case, click HERE.