POLITICAL ROUNDUP: Tax exemption for gun safety equipment debated

Jan. 19—A state senator has proposed a tax exemption to encourage the purchase of safety equipment for firearms, but many are skeptical that it will do any good.

Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-District 35, said Senate Bill 1476 will cover gun safes, lock boxes, trigger locks and more. The state tax commission projects a $271,555 revenue impact if this exemption is passed. The Center for Disease Control figures suggest taxpayers spend more than $200 million each year on gun deaths and injuries.

According to the CDC site, 48,117 people died in 2022 by guns — an average of one person every 11 minutes. The overall gun death rate declined 1.9% in 2022 from 2021.

"While this overall decrease in the gun death rate was small in relative terms, 713 fewer people died by guns in 2022 compared to 2021," states the site.

The question of whether a tax exemption for the purchase of gun safety equipment would curtail gun violence was posed on the TDP Facebook Saturday Forum on Jan. 13. Respondents chimed in with their thoughts, and elected leaders and law enforcement also voiced their opinions on the question.

U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, was asked to comment, and while he did not address the question about the state legislation, he spoke to the right to bear arms.

"I will always defend the constitutional right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms for self-defense and recreation," said Mullin. "Our founding fathers understood the essential role of an armed citizenry in safeguarding individual liberties and deterring tyranny. I will oppose any federal legislation that seeks to infringe upon these fundamental rights, ensuring that the Second Amendment remains secure for generations to come."

State Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-District 9, believes individuals who are responsible already secure their firearms, and that a tax exemption would not change anyone's behavior.

"As a gun owner, I am well aware that every gun purchased now comes with a firearm safety device or trigger lock. I feel this tax exemption will have little, if any, impact on gun deaths or injuries," he said. "The exemption will be used to purchase gun safes, which is a good thing, but just about every gun owner I know already has one or two. Gun owners will benefit from this exemption momentarily with their next safe purchase."

State Sen. Blake "Cowboy" Stephens, R-District 3, is pro-Second Amendment and the right to own firearms, but is also an advocate of gun safety and responsible gun ownership.

"While I have not reviewed this specific piece of legislation in depth, I appreciate my colleague, Sen. Dossett, for doing her due diligence and studying this matter. I look forward to reviewing S.B. 1476, speaking with different organizations like the NRA, OK2A, and other pro-Second Amendment groups while this piece of legislation makes its way through the process," Stephens said.

State Sen. Tom Woods, R-District 4, was not available for comment.

Yolette Ross, chair of the Cherokee County Democratic Party, said any initiative that promotes public safety is a positive.

"The idea has merit; however, it's a challenge to legislate responsible behavior. Providing a tax break will reduce the incidents of gun deaths or injuries and will cost the state in lost revenue," Ross said.

Carol Sneed-Jalbert, chair of Cherokee County Republican Party, had not responded to requests for comment by press time.

State Rep. Bob Ed Culver, R-District 4, doesn't hold out hope of the exemption making any difference in gun deaths or injuries.

"Most firearms that are sold come with a locking device included. Gun safety and proper training will do more to prevent gun fatalities than a tax exemption," Culver said.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jason Chennault thinks along the same lines as Culver.

"I don't believe this tax exemption will make a big enough difference in firearm injuries or deaths to see a noticeable change in the statistics. In my experience, lack of firearms safety has very little to do with money, but more to do with lack of training and laziness," Chennault said.

District Attorney Jack Thorp is always in favor of reasonable tax exemptions, but also agrees with Chennault.

"Clearly this is an attempt to offer a benefit to a taxpayer for the purchase of safety devices. However, individuals who do not want the government to have notice of gun ownership will likely not utilize the exemption. I do not believe the exemption will have a noticeable impact on injuries or deaths," Thorp said.

Respondents on Facebook addressed the Saturday Forum question: "Do you support tax breaks for Oklahomans willing to voluntarily take steps to promote firearms safety?"

Aaron Roberts, a Tahlequah resident, pointed out that people aren't going to buy gun safes when they can't afford groceries.

Jack Webb, a resident of Washington state, formerly of Tahlequah and a regular contributor to the Forum, said it is a start, but he doesn't believe gun laws have much of a chance of passing in Oklahoma.

"We here in Washington state just enacted a 10-[day] waiting period for all firearm sales, and we're either required to attend a firearm safety class or show proof of attending a class. All firearms are required to be locked up. We've had a Red Flag law for some time. Any person who has an extreme-risk protective order filed against them cannot have a firearm or purchase a firearm. Of course, laws like these would never fly in Oklahoma," Webb said.

Terry Anderson, a resident of Tahlequah, had this to say: "Because me locking up my guns is going to stop other's thug activities."

Asa Pendley, also of Tahlequah, believes it is incumbent upon parents to teach gun safety to children.

"Teach proper firearm safety to your kids and you have no need for safety devices that slow you from protecting yourself and your home," Pendley said.

Eric Swanson, of Ada, is skeptical of any bill designed to curb gun violence, but since he hasn't read the bill, he isn't sure whether it is a good idea.

"I am skeptical that any bill designed to curb gun violence will find much support in the Legislature, even if it is a fairly common-sense measure," Swanson said.

What you said

In a poll on TDP's website, followers weighed in on the question: "Do you support a tax break for the purchase of gun safety devices?" The answer that received the most votes was "Definitely not," with 47.6%; those who responded "absolutely" came in at 31%; 7.1% voted "probably"; 7.1% answered "probably not"; and "undecided" came in at 7.1%.