(March 7) Pima County has a new ordinance aimed at “straw purchasers,” or people who get around gun laws by buying guns for people who are prohibited from owning them. Under the ordinance approved this week, if you lose track of a firearm you bought, you better report it to county officials. ****If not, you could be fined up to $1,000. County Supervisor Rex Scott said ****straw purchasing is a big problem in Pima County and the ordinance won’t be a problem for law-abiding citizens.

"There is no risk, no threat to the Second Amendment or to law-abiding citizens," Scott said. "It is predictable, but absolutely ridiculous, to assert otherwise."

The ordinance passed 4-1 at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday. Supervisor Steve Christy cast the lone "nay" vote, saying “it’s very obvious that it’s election time” and calling the ordinance a political tactic by the Democrats on the board to distract the public. Scott said it was a "small step" toward dealing with the staggering toll of gun violence, but “we have to do what we can.” Supervisor Matt Heinz agreed, saying as a former legislator he's aware there will be little action taken on gun violence in the Republican-controlled Legislature. (Tucson Agenda)

(March 14) First challenge: In a move that should come as no surprise, a state lawmaker is calling for a repeal of the firearms-related ordinance the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved last week. Rep. Quang Nguyen sent a letter to the supervisors saying the ordinance violates state law by “imposing on lawful gun owners mandatory and stringent reporting requirements for a ‘knowing loss or theft of a firearm’ and places significant penalties up to $1,000 for each violation.” Supervisor Rex Scott said at last week’s meeting the ordinance was designed to combat straw purchasing, where a person buys a gun on behalf of another person who’s prohibited from owning a firearm.

(May 3) Legal showdown: The Goldwater Institute has filed a lawsuit challenging a new Pima County ordinance that requires gun owners to report when their weapons are lost or stolen, KJZZ”s Reznick reports. Under the rule, gun owners have 48 hours to report their missing or stolen firearm or face a $1,000 fine. Officials say the ordinance will help keep track of missing guns and fraudulent purchases, but the Goldwater Institute says it’s illegal and “re-victimizes law-abiding gun owners” whose firearms have been lost or stolen.