HB2930, titled the “PROTECT the Second Amendment Act,” would prohibit residents of covered federally assisted rental housing from being barred from lawfully possessing firearms in their own dwelling units. It also bars additional restrictions or conditions on lawful firearm possession in common areas when a resident is carrying or transporting a firearm through those areas while going to or leaving the unit. The bill is framed as a tenant-rights and Second Amendment measure focused on housing rules rather than general gun regulation.
The bill defines “covered federally assisted rental housing” broadly to include housing receiving assistance through major federal programs administered by HUD or USDA. That includes public housing, Section 8 rental assistance, HOME Investment Partnerships, the Housing Trust Fund, Section 811 supportive housing, AIDS Housing Opportunities, Native American housing programs, Native Hawaiian housing assistance, and rural rental housing programs. In effect, it would limit the ability of landlords, housing authorities, and program administrators in these federally assisted settings to impose firearm bans or extra conditions on residents who otherwise lawfully possess firearms.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would create a federal statutory protection for firearm possession in a wide range of federally assisted rental housing and would preempt contrary housing policies, lease terms, or program rules to the extent they prohibit or add conditions to lawful possession in the covered settings. It would affect public housing authorities, subsidized housing providers, and administrators of HUD- and USDA-supported rental programs, while leaving in place general laws governing unlawful possession, storage, carrying, and other firearm restrictions outside the specific housing context.
Sentiment
The available record shows the bill was introduced by Republican sponsors and referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s title and sponsors, the measure appears to be supported as a protection of tenant gun rights and the Second Amendment. No opposing statements are included in the record, but the subject matter suggests the bill would likely draw concern from housing providers, public housing administrators, and gun-safety advocates who may view it as limiting local housing rules and safety policies.
Contention
The central point of contention is the balance between a tenant’s right to keep and transport a lawful firearm and the ability of federally assisted housing providers to regulate weapons in shared residential settings. Supporters are likely to emphasize constitutional rights and uniform protection for lawful gun owners in subsidized housing. Critics are likely to focus on safety, landlord authority, the management of common areas, and whether the bill could complicate enforcement of housing rules intended to protect other residents, staff, and visitors.