Article first appeared at NRAmedia.org

Despite the rhetoric, this radically misguided ballot initiative will not reduce crime.  As seen in Oregon and Washington, this initiative is another attempt by former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg, to push his New York City ideas that restrict the freedoms of law-abiding gun owners.

Currently, it is illegal to knowingly sell a firearm to someone who is a prohibited person. Likewise, it is a felony for a prohibited person to buy, own or possess a firearm.  However, this initiative seeks to make drastic and unnecessary changes to current laws that will place excessive restrictions on law-abiding citizens rather than addressing the true problems associated with straw purchases and the lack of enforcement of current laws.

This initiative would do nothing to prevent criminals from breaking the law and getting their hands on firearms.  Criminals will continue to use the black market, straw purchasers and theft in order to obtain firearms.  This initiative would only turn law-abiding gun owners into criminals. Simply loaning a firearm to a friend could turn a law-abiding gun owner into a criminal overnight.

According to a Department of Justice report from January 2013, laws like this would be entirely unenforceable without requiring a full gun registration.  With limited resources, this deeply flawed initiative would simply place a burden on law enforcement.

Don’t let Michael Bloomberg and his out-of-touch bank account control your state and its politics!  We urge you to speak out against the Bloomberg gun control initiative in Maine. Your NRA-ILA will continue to update you on any further developments on this issue.