Will Oklahoma lawmakers increase firearm access? More than 100 bills are seeking just that

One bill would allow guns in parked cars on school property. Another wants to expand access to a firearm while on a boat. And one proposal would increase the area in which a person can reasonably discharge their gun in self-defense.

Four years after Oklahoma’s Republican Legislature approved "permitless carry," removing any training or licensing requirements to handle a firearm, lawmakers have filed more than 100 bills to expand gun access even further.

With a history of being the first to pass some pro-firearm laws, including the nation's first ban on “red flag” laws in 2020, Oklahoma’s Legislature often provides a glimpse of what gun-related policies will be a focus for gun rights groups across the nation.

No red flag: Oklahoma officials barred from limiting guns based on risks

"We try to be ahead of the curve in Oklahoma," said Don Spencer, leader of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, a local organization that aggressively pushes for pro-gun laws.

“Right now, the big focus is on pushing back on federal government overreach or getting ahead of it, which I think you will see a lot more of."

House Bill 1002 would allow county sheriffs to arrest federal employees who enforce laws that are “counter” to the Second Amendment, while House Bill 2643 would make Oklahoma-made firearms exempt from federal gun laws.

Those bills have not yet been scheduled for a committee hearing, but they would likely face legal challenges if passed into law.

The politics of pushing back on federal firearm restrictions are already in play in some parts of the state, including in Oklahoma and Logan counties where sheriffs recently said they would not enforce U.S. Department of Justice rulings against some gun accessories.

Some bills seek to expand 'permitless carry' locations

In 2019, Oklahoma's Republican Legislature and governor approved "permitless carry," which allowed residents to carry a firearm in public with no training or license.

Some lawmakers have tried to clarify where the new law applies, including this year's House Bill 1404, which would allow individuals to carry guns onto a boat without a permit.

“I can drive to the lake, I can walk down the ramp with my firearm but I can not get in my boat with it,” said Rep. Bob Culver, the bill’s author. He said the state’s "permitless carry" law erroneously excludes boats.

More:As Oklahoma's gun access expanded, deaths from firearms increased

Asked in a House committee hearing this week whether firearm protection was needed on a boat, Culver said being out on an Oklahoma lake can be a dangerous place.

“I have seen all kinds of altercations on the lakes, people ramming boats, drunks,” said Culver, R-Tahlequah.

“So is this the ‘shoot the drunks' bill?” asked Rep. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa.

“It depends,” Culver responded.

The bill passed the House Committee on Public Safety.

Democrats seek a three-day waiting period for gun purchase

Other pro-gun bills filed this year include Senate Bill 80, which clarifies a person's right to point a gun in self-defense. Multiple other bills attempt to strengthen the burden of proof needed for a prosecutor to claim a person unlawfully used a gun in an act of self-defense.

Spencer, leader of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, said numerous bills this year seek to strengthen the use of guns in cases of self-defense, including language that specifies a person's home extends to the property line.

Spencer's group also is pushing for guns to be allowed at the state fair and in all businesses.

"We are working to eliminate no gun zones because that’s where the crazies go to do their worst," Spencer said.

But three of the state’s largest business groups continue to oppose laws that would prevent a business or event from banning guns.

In joint statements this month, chamber organizations representing the state, Oklahoma City and Tulsa opposed “legislation that would negate the rights of businesses, property owners and event hosts from prohibiting firearms.”

More:Oklahoma Gov. Stitt still supports ban on banks that 'discriminate' against gun companies

The three chambers also oppose bills that would allow guns to be carried on college campuses.

Democratic lawmakers have filed several bills aimed at regulating firearms and tracking gun deaths, although the proposals face long odds within the Republican-controlled Legislature.

House Bill 2047 would impose a three-day waiting period to obtain a purchased gun.

Rep. Monroe Nichols, D-Tulsa, who authored the bill, said the need for a waiting period was especially evident following last year’s mass shooting at a Tulsa hospital when the shooter purchased an assault rifle just an hour before killing four people.

Nichols also has authored a bill that would create a firearm usage database, although similar proposals have been quickly opposed by Republicans.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Legislature propose over 100 pro-gun bills to increase access