SALT LAKE CITY — Many gun advocacy groups in Utah are in support of the recent executive order signed by President Biden and encourage further enforcement of already existing laws.
President Biden's new executive order, aimed at improving investigations into crimes using firearms, making sure gun dealers are complying with background check laws, and enhancing transparency and reporting of guns and ammunition stolen or lost during transit.
Utah Gun Violence Prevention Advocate, Nancy Halden, and Utah Gun Rights Advocate, Clark Aposhian agree on some aspects of President Biden's new Executive Order.
"He's basically telling the ATF (The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) to enforce existing laws which is something that the gun industry and owners wanted them to do all along," Utah Gun Rights advocate Clark Aposhian said.
Halden believes this can be the first step towards more legislation to protect more Americans from gun violence.
"I'm happy to see that he continues to do something that the American people want to see happen," Halden said.
A major focus of the order is the enforcement of background checks and more transparency around gun dealers cited for firearm violations.
"5% of the gun dealers in the country sell 90% of the crime guns so there's a lot we can do by cracking down on those bad dealers without impacting other law-abiding gun dealers," Halden said.
Aposhian worries regulators will now be too focused on clerical errors.
"The gun dealers work well with the ATF... it's really going to mess with that relationship I think if they start cracking down on very simple clerical errors," Aposhian said.
Most federally licensed firearm dealers like Xtreme Pawn in West Jordan view following federal and state firearm laws with the utmost importance.
“We make sure that no guns leave the store to anyone that hasn’t passed a background check this is something new all licensed dealers make sure every gun they sell goes through a background check before it gets transferred," said Ash Jenkins, Xtreme Pawn General Manager.
Although how they believe the country moves forward regarding gun laws may differ, Jenkins, Aposhian, and Halden all believe in responsible gun ownership.
“We believe that responsible gun ownership and the right to bare arms is an important part of making our country and our communities safer and stronger," Jenkins said.
"Gun dealers and gun owners have supported The Fix NICS Act, they have supported if people are in the business selling firearms they need to have a federal firearms license to do that," Aposhian said.
"Most of the gun owners in Utah are responsible, I just really encourage responsible ownership I encourage people to know our gun laws," Halden said.
