Beating Back the Wolves
This year marks the second in a row in which we had a pro-rights majority in the state legislature but a virulently anti-rights governor. What that means for AzCDL is we mark our successes by how many good bills get to the governor’s desk, not how many she signs. Success also comes in the form of stopping bad bills before they see the light of day.
We’ve heard it for years from gun owners who want nothing to do with politics or are apathetic about how good we have it here. ”This is Arizona, it can’t happen here.” IT being the erosion of our right to keep and bear arms. IT being enactment of a batch of bad gun laws. IT being a return to the bad old days of needing a government permission slip to exercise a fundamental, Constitutionally-protected right. IT being unable to protect yourself and your loved-ones from criminals. IT being to call the defensive display of a firearm, “brandishing a weapon.”
Patrick Henry offered this advice:
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.” Let me assure you, IT can happen here and WILL happen here unless we remain constantly vigilant. Unless we guard our liberty jealously. Believe it or not even in Arizona,
Your Right to Keep and Bear Arms is under CONSTANT ATTACK
Along with our allies in the legislature, AzCDL managed to kill 19 bills this session that would have infringed on your right to keep and bear arms. Nineteen times legislators tried to change the law and impair your right to keep and bear arms.
Nineteen times in a single legislative session
This happens every year.
I don’t say this to depress or frighten you, but to motivate you. With your help, AzCDL will always be on guard, preventing those that would disarm you from succeeding. AzCDL will always be pushing our elected officials to protect and expand your right to keep and bear arms. AzCDL will remain the watchmen on the wall.
But we can’t do it without your help.
What can you do to protect freedom in Arizona?
• Join or renew your membership in AzCDL
• Contact your legislators and elected officials when AzCDL sends out Action Alerts
• Recruit a friend or neighbor who carries a firearm or enjoys the shooting sports
• Donate to AzCDL and the AzCDL PAC
If every AzCDL member would sign-up just one friend, it would double our impact at the Capitol and give us the resources to expand our fight against the gun-grabbers. Don’t sit on the sidelines in the fight for freedom, join us and be part of the winning team!
—Michael Gibbs
AzCDL President
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This is Goodbye—Alan Korwin
Award-winning author, consultant and musician Alan Korwin, has written 14 books, ten on gun law, and has advocated for gun rights for more than three decades. Alan was instrumental in the development of the Guns Save Lives promotion and the TrainMeAZ program, now a part of AzCDL. Alan remains a tremendous asset and friend of AzCDL and is writing his 15th book, Science Can’t Be Wrong, Right? See his work or reach him at GunLaws.com.
Be honest about it. Arguments about guns are basically on our side. Guns are good. Guns save lives. Guns protect you…and our nation. Guns are why America is still free. Your guns are constitutionally guaranteed—for good reason. It’s been my message for decades, and our nation’s for centuries. It’s our fabric. After decades at this and with 75-year-old tremoring fingers, my age is telling me, “Step aside, let others carry the ammunition.”
Like it or not, guns are out of the genie’s bottle. There is no way to put them back in. I’ve concluded that people wishing guns would “just go away” are idiot losers (and I’m being nice about that), they are detached from reality. If bad guys and nation-states remain armed—and they do—we must too. This is what America’s Founders understood and immortalized. It may be ugly. It’s real.
Guns Have Enemies
The enemies of our guns are enemies of freedom and you and me. We generally call them leftist-socialist-progressive tyrants, truly ignorant and hoplophobic. They have many names. My gentile friends think they’re pawns of the devil. People who hate guns have no decent arguments so they’ve basically invented mythologies to vilify you, your guns and the righteous power they represent. Rummage through this publication’s online archives.
I’ve dissected and cataloged scores of concocted myths, also archived at gunlaws.com. Nation states don’t hate guns like our misguided countrymen do. Foreign nations love them, for the power they bring and ensure.
To further irrational public hatred of guns, and you defenders of liberty, anti-rights advocates have inaccurately equated guns with crime, and amplified every criminal act by armed villains. They do this to assault we decent people who keep and bear arms. I’ve been pointing this out for decades now, and it falls on deaf leftist ears, though not yours.
To our side, the right side, we get it. We remain heavily armed against opposition to our precious RKBA (the Right to Keep and Bear Arms), opposition that comes solely from the left. Using subterfuge, deceit and massive propaganda, freedom’s haters attack us in direct and subtle ways. It is exhausting, but we press on in defense of all that is good.
I’ve described why the Founders wisely ensconced arms (not just guns) in our Constitution. How so-called “news” media have turned against it, and us. I’ve written about the laws (ten books) and the lies over the years. How firearms have improved in safety, accuracy, reliability and total goodness. The stats—if you look at them fairly—are on our side. Criminals dispatched, crimes prevented, feeling safe and secure, teaching our young, the Olympics, competitive sport, hunting for food, ranges always busy. We are the good guys, the guys in the white hats. We got the memo, half the nation hasn’t.
I may be convinced to do another story or two here. Something special may happen that motivates me to do another, but it’s time to pursue other interests as my eyesight, typing, memory, strength, and endurance inexorably fade with age. I resist that, fight it, I don’t like it, but I can’t deny it. You, my readers and fans are aging too. I’ve other fish to fry—like, science, which has gone way off the rails. Science can’t be wrong, right?
We’re not in times like the 1990s, a Golden Age when we were ascendant, we got concealed-carry laws and scores of similarly righteous laws enacted, to the displeasure of the anti-rights left.
The Red Threat—communism—(when colors were properly assigned), was a recognized existential threat. Now it’s praised by some leaders. The map of dangerous commie red influence was changed under Clinton and The New York Times in1992, I have that map. I saved it figuring the historical record would be expunged. Boy did I get that right. Fake news now has us as the red states, what a laugh.
Carry a Concealed Weapon, CCW, a phrase I’ve always disliked, has a foothold. By rights it should be Discreet Carry, the standard in polite society, discretion. Criminals conceal things. Decent people are discreet. We enacted CCW laws, benefiting society everywhere. Among the left’s worst myths has always been Blood-In-The-Streets, the BITS myth—if we carry guns (ending government’s infringements), we will shoot each other indiscriminately. BITS is BS. Leftists have dropped that BITS slogan, it is so, so false.
BITS was merely psychological projection by hoblophobes, because if they had guns, without the impulse control we enjoy, they would lash out and shoot their neighbors and themselves. The fear they have that we will shoot our neighbors is basically an impossibility. There are 100 million of us, and we don’t shoot our neighbors. We take great care in bearing arms. Criminals shoot their neighbors or strangers. When that happens, rarely in your neck of the woods, media portray it as decent people going crazy with arms. This virulent myth ignores that crime and illegal gunfire, when graphed on maps, show relatively few neighborhoods where most of it occurs.
Congratulations to experts at The Chicago Tribune, or Dr. John Lott and others, who did the work and showed how intensely localized crime is—gunfire happens in the bad parts of town, not yours. That’s hidden to hide the demographics, ugly, racial, ethnic, politically incorrect realities. Crime is a social problem, not a gun problem as mess media likes to portray. To the extent truth pokes through the noise the leftist arguments collapse.
Slaughter and bloody mayhem were far worse when we lived in a gunless world-before gunpowder. If leftists succeed in banning guns they will succeed in bringing back types like Genghis Khan, Vlad the Impaler and more Julius Caesers with their crucifixions. And of course, the gun banners will remain armed. Heavily armed. Don’t fall prey to their dystopian hoplophobic fantasies. Any plan that simultaneously disarms Jews, no matter how “good” they say it will be, must be stopped.
Those blockbuster stories about gunfire in the bad parts of town have since been forgotten and suppressed —but they remain true. The Chicago Tribune’s interactive map of where the bad guys are active has been removed. Police know where the problem areas are. You do too, so you shop elsewhere. Media rarely mentions this in so many words (or hides behind bogus “profiling” lies). They just mindlessly vilify your guns. Even candidates for office speak irrationally about guns on the streets, a total fabrication, as if that is our big threat. Guns on the streets is The Big Lie. Guns are in people’s homes, closets, safes, drawers, vehicles, away from prying eyes. The only guns “on the streets” are with armed unimprisoned criminals, “strapped,” proud of being dangerous, and going armed. The rest of us are tastefully armed, and discreetly holstered and ready. Stay that way.
I’ll keep watching the show play out. You get us to the goal. Thank you for the memories and support.
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Copper Dome Update
Overview of 2025 Firearms-Related Legislation
The 2025 legislative session featured a variety of firearms-related bills that underscored a philosophical divide in how lawmakers view your rights, school safety, preemption authority, and regulatory oversight. The AzCDL tracked numerous pieces of legislation, largely supporting measures aimed at reaffirming firearm rights and opposing those that sought to restrict access or expand regulatory control.
A central theme of the session was enhancing school safety through responsible firearm possession. Two bills, HB 2022 and HB 2074, received AzCDL support and passed the House. These measures proposed arming trained school staff and allocating resources for emergency preparedness, safety technology, and officer training, including how to respond to students with disabilities. This legislation favored deterrence through lawful carry rather than disarmament zones.
Other high-priority bills addressed Arizona’s Transaction Privilege Tax (HB 2635, SB 1605) by proposing exemptions for safe firearm storage devices—policy positions consistent with AzCDL’s view that firearm ownership and choosing secure storage options should not be financially penalized. The legislature also entertained proposals that would repeal outdated or overly broad definitions of “prohibited weapons” (SB 1014, HCR 2037), and bills promoting the privacy of firearm transactions, such as SB 1143, which blocks the use of merchant codes to track purchases at gun retailers.
A significant trend this session involved strengthening Arizona’s firearms preemption statutes. SB 1705, one of the most critical bills supported by AzCDL, allows for civil penalties against government officials who knowingly violate preemption laws. This measure sought to curb local attempts to override statewide protections, reinforcing consistent legal expectations for firearm owners across all jurisdictions. This measure was vetoed by Governor Hobbs, saying in her explanation, “There are existing mechanisms to challenge city ordinances.” This proves once again she does not understand.
Legislation also surfaced around financial and civil liberties, including SB 1094, which bars financial institutions from using political or social scoring systems in determining service eligibility—a growing concern in the national Second Amendment community.
Dead Bills: Restrictive Measures That Failed
Numerous bills aimed at increasing firearm regulations were introduced by legislators with opposing views on gun rights, but they failed to gain traction in committee or on the House floor. These proposals predominantly originated from urban Democratic lawmakers and included measures such as:
• HB 2211 and HB 2512, which would have created or expanded red flag mechanisms through Severe Threat Orders of Protection and prohibited possessors based on domestic violence or protective orders.
• HB 2214 and SB 1476, which attempted to criminalize firearm access by minors under broad negligence standards, with felony implications for owners.
• HB 2621 and HCR 2034, which proposed mandatory background checks for all private firearm transfers, aiming to restrict lawful person-to-person transactions without going through a licensed dealer.
• HB 2619, one of the most sweeping failed proposals, sought to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines outright while mandating a complicated registration and liability framework for current owners.
• HR 2002 and HR 2007, symbolic resolutions attempting to frame firearm ownership as a public health crisis, failed to advance but were part of a coordinated messaging effort to shift the public narrative around gun rights.
Collectively, these bills reflect a recurring strategy by anti-gun legislators to create broad new classes of “prohibited possessors,” mandate storage and transfer restrictions, and chip away at Arizona’s historically strong preemption laws. AzCDL’s opposition to these measures was based on constitutional grounds, perceived overreach, and concern for the erosion of lawful self-defense rights.
The legislative divide is likely to persist in future sessions, with pro-rights groups focusing on solidifying gains and reinforcing state-level protections, while opponents continue advancing regulatory frameworks rooted in civil liability, mental health intervention, and criminal penalties. The bills that failed this year provide a roadmap of potential reintroductions and future ballot initiatives that AzCDL and other rights-focused organizations will need to continue monitoring closely.
Our team is also exploring options to compel municipalities that have unclaimed firearms in their possession to dispose of them according to state law. There are several political sub-divisions that are storing excessive amounts of firearms at an exorbitant cost to the taxpaying public. This is what Arizona Revised Statute says, in part:
12-945. Sale of property
B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, if the property is a firearm, the agency shall sell the firearm to any business that is authorized to receive and dispose of the firearm under federal and state law and that shall sell the firearm to the public according to federal and state law, unless the firearm is otherwise prohibited from being sold under federal and state law…
Every Friday AzCDL hosts a Legislative Update via Zoom. It doesn’t take very long and I share what has been happening that week not only at the State Capitol but I cover a few items from the Federal level an individual should keep an eye on.
You can access the Legislative Update by visiting https://zoom.us/j/98608594998
Keep your powder dry and stay frosty.
—Michael Infanzon, EPIC Policy Group
AzCDL Chief Lobbyist
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Donate to Protect your Freedoms for the Next Two Years— and Beyond
We have endured 2 years of the Hobbs Administration, and we have witnessed a full-scale assault on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, firearms in general, the 2nd Amendment and Article 2 Section 26 of the Arizona Constitution. We need your help today and every day that this administration is in control.
Pitch in now—every dollar goes toward growing our movement, fueling our legal fights, and lobbying our elected officials to protect our freedoms and our future. Donate Today!
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AzCDL Has a New Treasurer
Please welcome Judy Churchill as AzCDL’s new treasurer. Judy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job having spent most of her career in finance and accounting roles.
Ms. Churchill is a long-time, life-member of AzCDL as well as a professional accountant and tax preparer. She has a degree in accounting from Arizona State University and owns her own bookkeeping firm.
Judy also serves as the treasurer for the new AzCDL Political Action Committee (PAC). Judy’s passion for AzCDL’s mission and her formidable accounting skills will serve AzCDL and the AzCDL PAC well!
A special thank you to Tom Woodrow, our outgoing treasurer. Tom stepped up to fill a role requiring near super-human abilities at a time when the AzCDL needed him most. His contributions of time, effort and sweat cannot be overstated.
Thank you, Tom!
Tom remains on the AzCDL Board of Directors and will continue to serve as the organization’s Secretary.
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AzCDL Weekly Legislative Update
Join AzCDL Chief Lobbyist Michael Infanzon for our weekly Legislative Update every Friday at 4:00 PM on Zoom.
If you care about your Right to Keep and Bear Arms, this is where you get the real story — no spin, no filters — just the facts on what’s happening at the Arizona Legislature that could impact YOUR rights.
Join us live on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/98608594998
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The Times They Are a Changin’
As many of you know, I’ve been on the AzCDL Board of Directors for 16 or 17 of our 20 years, as ‘Membership Director’, ‘Recruiting Director’ and plain old ‘Board Member’. I’ve worked shows all over the state with some exemplary people, and helped to train a couple of generations of outstanding volunteers and coordinators. I missed one term as a reaction to a hit piece in the Tucson daily birdcage liner and fish wrap, but still refused to miss any opportunity to set up a recruiting table at any venue that would have us. I organized our annual Front Sight outing for over a decade. I signed up at our first Tucson gun show with Dave, Fred and Charles, and by the second one, I was signing people up at the table.
Why am I telling you all this? Simple: I’m tired. I’ve survived a shooting war, assorted auto and aircraft crashes, cancer, about 8 surgeries, and a street gang attack or six. I’m missing a few pieces, and some others don’t quite work anymore – at least not the way they used to.
According to Tom, my current term is up this year, and after almost 8 decades, I’ve decided not to run again, to let some of our rising stars shine – they’ve proven their competence, let them spread their wings.
It’s also a different world than it was 20 years ago, when recruiting was a more personal affair and the internet was still relatively young, people got out in public – at gun shows, political events, Gunburger dinners, not buried themselves in their phones with instant messages, emoticons, QR codes and unending selfies. A world where we had one specific purpose and mission, and a fierce desire to be beholden to no political party or corporate sugar daddy. A world where if we had a better idea than some national ‘gun rights’ group, we fought for it, and worked with anyone who’d work with us, and even let them take the credit (and we all know one glaring example…). We were effective in part because we were the best kept secret in Arizona.
This ain’t my world anymore.
I may be stepping down, but (sorry to disappoint you) I’m not going away. I’ll still work gun shows, rallies, and anywhere else we set up (if I can get there). I’ll still be mentoring new volunteers and supporting our coordinators. I’ll still find and work any new venues we can come up with.
And I’ll be watching you, and cheering for anyone who finally breaks my record!
—Duke Schechter
AzCDL Director
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Celebrate AzCDL’s 20th Anniversary
Save The Date- October 25!
The Arizona Citizens Defense League’s Annual Meeting will be held at the Tucson Marriott University Park on October 25. Since this is our 20th Anniversary, we are hoping to entice members from throughout the state to come join us for the afternoon.
Massad Ayoob is our keynote speaker!
“If I could only have one firearms instructor for how to carry and use a handgun, when to use it, the consequences concomitant with using it—or not—it would be Mas Ayoob. And if I wanted to kick back with a friend, a smoke, and an adult beverage, I’d make the same choice.” —Duke Schechter
We’ll have activities, raffles, door prizes and opportunities to meet others who care about maintaining our Constitutional rights.
We have secured some sponsors and vendors to help defray expenses but we are always looking for more. If you have guns, ammo or other items you want to donate for raffles, door prizes or auctions, let us know!
As the team leader for this event, I am looking for ideas from you on how to make it special for you. If you want to volunteer with planning or on the day of the event, please let me know.
This is sure to be a memorable event. Hope to see you there!
—Colleen Bathe
AzCDL Volunteer Coordinator
batheAZUSA@proton.me
(559)769-5600