Arizona Gun Buyback Bill Requires Cities To Resell Unwanted Weapons

A bill signed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) requires cities and counties who hold gun buyback programs to sell the surrendered weapons instead of destroying them.

The bill was championed by several Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature. Lawmakers argued that municipalities were skirting a law passed in 2010 that requires police to sell seized weapons to federally licensed dealers.

They also argued that destroying property turned over to the government, including guns, would be a waste of taxpayer resources. But Democrats who argued against the bill stated that it will usurp local control and go against the wishes of those who participate in gun buyback programs.

Buybacks are fairly popular among some police and elected officials. They will pay cash or hand out gift cards in exchange for unwanted weapons. Tucson and other Arizona communities have already destroyed weapons they received during the programs. They explained that the guns were voluntarily surrendered, so the laws concerning weapons seized by authorities did not apply to the situation.

Brewer received almost 2,000 letters, emails, or phone calls about the bill requiring buyback programs to sell guns they received. Only about 25 of the correspondences were opposed to the bill. One letter was sent by the National Rifle Association, which argued that selling the seized or forfeited guns “would maintain their value, and their sale to the public would help recover public funds.”

The NRA also pointed out in their letter that the newly-signed bill doesn’t prevent a private group from holding a gun buyback program, then destroying the weapons.

Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox was one who opposed the new bill. Wilcox, a Democrat who survived being shot in the buttocks, urged Brewer to veto the bill. She wrote:

“[The bill] would force the resale of guns that would otherwise never have been used for violence. How many lives would be lost through the use of weapons our citizens hoped to be removed from the hands of criminals?”

Along with the bill requiring cities to resell guns received at buyback programs, Brewer also signed a bill on Monday that will bar cities, town, and counties from collecting or maintaining identifying information about a person who owns or sells a firearm.

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