CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A West Virginia Representative Tuesday introduced a bill in the United States House of Representatives aimed at incentivizing gun training and safety.
Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV), who represents Southern West Virginia, Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC) introduced the Firearm Proficiency and Training Act.
The bill would create a tax deduction for people who take certified firearm training and concealed carry courses or who buy gun safety and storage equipment.
If passed, the bill would allow taxpayers to deduct the amount paid for the following gun security measures during the tax year, up to $250:
- Secure gun storage
- Safety devices
- Concealed carry firearms courses taught by certified instructors
- Firearm safety courses taught by certified firearms instructors
It also includes language prohibiting any requirement for gun owners to provide information about the firearms they own as a condition of receiving the tax credit.
“Every American has the right to bear arms, and every gun owner should know how to use and store their firearm,” Miller said. “Training classes and safe storage practices are important ways to educate gun owners and protect our communities. As legislators, we will continue to advocate for proper firearm usage while defending our constituents’ Second Amendment rights.”
This comes amid a push for new gun control laws in the wake of three nearly back-to-back mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Laguna Woods, California.
This bill takes a different approach, which Hudson addressed, saying, “Instead of mandated gun control that threatens the rights of responsible gun owners and law-abiding citizens, we have solutions that prevent school shootings, improve mental health, and save lives.”
World Population Review estimates that 58.5% of West Virginians own guns—the fifth-highest in the nation after Montana (66.3%), Wyoming (66.2%), Alaska (64.5%) and Idaho (60.1%).
