Nevada Governor Blocks New Gun Control Restrictions in Landmark Veto

Earlier this month, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed Assembly Bill 245, a contentious piece of legislation that would have barred individuals under 21 from possessing semiautomatic rifles and shotguns. The bill, passed by the Democratic-controlled Nevada Legislature, was one of the most high-profile gun control measures of the 2025 session.

AB 245 advanced through the Nevada Legislature on largely party-line votes. In the Assembly, the bill passed 27-15, with all Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. A similar partisan dynamic took place in the Nevada Senate, where the measure was approved by a margin of 12-8, with one senator excused from the vote. 

AB 245 was sweeping in scope and included several provisions that alarmed gun owners and advocates of gun rights.

The bill would have raised the minimum age for possessing semiautomatic shotguns and semiautomatic centerfire rifles to 21 years old. Many gun rights advocates view this as an infringement on the Second Amendment rights of young adults, who are legally considered adults at 18. In addition to the age restriction, the bill would have imposed expanded criminal penalties, including felonies, for anyone aiding or knowingly permitting individuals under 21 to possess these restricted firearms.

Further, the legislation prohibited children under 18 from handling or possessing semiautomatic shotguns or semiautomatic centerfire rifles, even if they held a valid hunting license. The bill also mandated secure storage of firearms to prevent access by individuals under 21 or minors under 18, introducing new requirements for how firearms must be kept in homes.

Sales of semiautomatic shotguns or semiautomatic centerfire rifles to individuals under 21 would have been classified as a felony under the proposed law.

Gun rights activists expressed concern that such measures could set a precedent for further age-based or categorical restrictions on firearm ownership, potentially paving the way for more expansive government control over firearms.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other pro-gun groups were naturally opposed to AB 245 from the outset. The NRA called on its members and Second Amendment supporters to submit opinions against the bill, labeling it discriminatory and an infringement on constitutional rights. After Governor Lombardo’s veto, the NRA publicly praised his decision, stating:

“NRA applauds Governor Lombardo for defending the Second Amendment rights of Nevada’s law-abiding adults, and for protecting hunting and recreational shooting opportunities for youth across the Silver State!”

In his veto message, Lombardo cited concerns that the bill was “facially overbroad” and would even prohibit the most commonly used firearms for activities like waterfowl hunting among young people. He noted that the measure went further than previous bills he had vetoed, such as AB 355 from the 2023 session, and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Nevadans’ gun rights.

Lombardo’s veto represents a notable blow to the anti-gun momentum that has gathered steam over the last decade. 

Since 2010, Nevada has enacted a series of gun control measures. In 2017, Nevada voters approved Ballot Question 1, which required background checks for virtually all private firearm sales and transfers.

However, due to administrative and legal challenges, the law initially went unenforced. In 2019, the legislature passed Senate Bill 143, which corrected the earlier initiative’s flaws and established a state-run system for conducting background checks on private sales through the Central Repository of Nevada Records of Criminal History. 

Another significant set of reforms came in the wake of the 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. In response, Nevada lawmakers enacted Assembly Bill 291 in 2019, which included a ban on bump stocks as well as the establishment of a “red flag” gun confiscation order. The red flag law allows family members or law enforcement to petition a court to confiscate firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others. AB 291 also implemented a storage requirement, mandating that firearms be stored securely to prevent access by children or unauthorized individuals, and included provisions for child access prevention.

In addition to these major measures, Nevada has taken several other steps to strengthen its gun control framework. On top of that, the state prohibited the manufacture, sale, and possession of “ghost guns”—homemade firearms assembled from kits.

With the fate of Assembly Bill 245 sealed, Nevada’s gun laws remain unchanged for now, but the controversy is likely to fuel future legislative battles.

About José Niño

José Niño is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. You can contact him via Facebook and X/Twitter. Subscribe to his Substack newsletter by visiting “Jose Nino Unfiltered” on Substack.com.