Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott has collaborated with Senators John Kennedy, Jerry Moran, and 13 other colleagues to propose the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. This legislation aims to safeguard veterans' rights to own firearms even when they seek assistance in managing their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.

According to Senator Rick Scott, “I’m proud to stand with our veterans to ensure equal protection of their rights with the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. Our veterans have fought to protect our nation and defend our rights, and they deserve to be treated fairly with the same due process under the law.”

Senator John Kennedy emphasized that veterans should not face reduced due process rights because of their service or reliance on federal assistance. He stated, “Our veterans should not receive less due process rights than other Americans just because they served our country and asked the federal government for a helping hand."

Senator Jerry Moran added that veterans should not have to choose between receiving VA support and maintaining their Second Amendment rights. "Veterans should never be forced to choose between receiving assistance from VA to manage their benefits and their fundamental Second Amendment rights," he said.

Representative Mike Bost, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, also introduced this bill in the House of Representatives. He noted that current laws can treat veterans unfairly if they require financial management help: “It should go without saying that veterans should not be treated like second-class citizens simply because they need help managing their books—but under current law they are."

The legislation seeks a permanent solution by prohibiting the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from sharing personal information with NICS unless there is a judicial ruling declaring a veteran dangerous.

The bill has received backing from various organizations including Vietnam Veterans of America, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, and several others advocating for gun owners' rights.

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