As a father raising two young boys in the United States of America, a nation founded on liberty, not permission, I am deeply disturbed by SB 704. This bill is not about safety. It is about control. It proposes to criminalize the private transfer of a barrel, a non-regulated component that is not legally defined as a firearm under federal law. It turns lawful citizens into criminals for engaging in basic maintenance of constitutionally protected arms.
Let’s be clear, the Second Amendment is not a suggestion. It says "shall not be infringed", and that applies to all arms, not just those the state approves. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court made it plain: The Second Amendment protects individuals' right to possess firearms for lawful purposes, including self-defense. McDonald v. Chicago (2010) incorporated that right against the states. And most recently, in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), the Court rejected modern interest-balancing and reaffirmed that the burden is on the government to show that a regulation is consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.
There is no historical tradition of regulating barrels like firearms. There is no precedent for requiring background checks to replace worn parts.
Furthermore, as Marbury v. Madison (1803) taught us, any law repugnant to the Constitution is void. This bill, SB 704, is repugnant.
As a father, I refuse to teach my sons that freedom is something to be licensed. I will teach them to obey just laws, and to challenge those that trample the liberties their forefathers died to protect.
Uphold the Constitution. Oppose SB 704.
Congressman Bera, while SB 704 is a state bill, it reflects a growing trend of unconstitutional firearms restrictions being normalized across the country. As a concerned father and a citizen of your district, I urge you to stand for constitutional rights and oppose any federal policy or funding that supports such overreach.
