Nevada Republican Governor Joe Lombardo blocked legislation last month that would have barred younger adults from possessing certain firearms.

Lombardo vetoed Assembly Bill 245, which sailed through the Democrat-controlled legislature with twenty-seven members of the Assembly in favor and fifteen opposed, followed by a narrower twelve members of the Senate in favor and eight opposed. The votes largely split along party lines.

Had the proposal become law, Assembly Bill 245 would have criminalized possession of semiautomatic shotguns and centerfire rifles by adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty, a demographic currently able to legally own such firearms.

The measure went further, even seeking to prohibit minors under the age of eighteen from handling these weapons, even with valid hunting licenses.

Beyond possession restrictions, the failed legislation contained new storage mandates and would have made selling restricted firearms to young adult buyers a felony offense.

In explaining his decision, Lombardo cited the “facially overbroad” nature of the legislation. His veto message specifically mentioned concerns about restricting commonly used firearms that young people use for activities like waterfowl hunting.

The veto marks a shift from Nevada’s recent gun control trajectory. Since 2017, the Silver State has implemented expanded background checks and banned bump stocks. Nevada previously enacted red flag confiscation orders in 2019 and mandated secure storage requirements.