U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), of Brookhaven, recently cosponsored legislation to stop states from imposing excise taxes on firearms and ammunition, fees that drive up costs for sportsmen, hunters, and other law-abiding gun owners.

Hyde-Smith is an original cosponsor of the Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act (S.4960), which would prohibit states from implementing excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, or their parts and components, to fund gun control programs. U.S. Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) authored the legislation.

“States shouldn’t be allowed to wield their taxing powers to infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, which is exactly what they’re trying to do with these heavy excise taxes on firearms and ammunition,” Hyde-Smith said.

“Democrats’ latest attack on the Second Amendment looks like an excessive excise tax to fund gun control initiatives,” said Risch. “The Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act ensures states do not place a significant financial burden on law-abiding gun owners to advance their anti-Second Amendment agenda.”

As of July 1, 2024, California implemented a new 10-11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition to discourage the purchase of firearms and fund gun control programs. These added fees now double the tax on gun and ammunition purchases. Colorado, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and New York have proposed similar taxes.

S.4960 would not affect existing federal excise taxes on firearms that go toward federal wildlife conservation programs.

The Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act has received support from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and National Rifle Association.