Last week, Representative Quang Nguyen(R-1) sent a letter to Sedona’s Mayor Scott Jablow and its City Council, raising concerns over the validity and enforceability of Sedona Ordinance 12.30.090. Rep. Nguyen told the Arizona Globe that he was responding to a report by AZCDL (Arizona Citizens Defense League) that the city may have violated the state’s laws on firearms. The city’s rule, which passed in 2023, regulates the carrying and discharge of what it defines as “deadly weapons.” Nguyen, the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association President and a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, sent the letter in his official capacity as Yavapai County’s District 1 Representative and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

According to the ordinance:

It is illegal to carry or discharge firearms, projectile weapons, or explosives of any kind in parks, trails, or open space areas. This includes items such as:
– Fireworks
– BB guns
– Pellet guns
– Air guns
– Crossbows
– Longbows
– Slingshots
– Any other device capable of injuring persons or animals or damaging property

It is illegal to carry a deadly weapon into any park, trail, or open space area.
– A deadly weapon is defined as any item designed for lethal use
– This includes knives with blades longer than three and one-half inches

His letter points out that Arizona law generally preempts localities from enacting regulatory ordinances related to the possession, carrying, and discharge of firearms, with exceptions of regulations specific to the “discharge of firearms in parks and preserves,” as outlined in A.R.S. § 13-3108(G)(5). Since 2010, Arizona has permitted individuals to carry concealed weapons without a permit under certain conditions, raising questions about the ordinance’s enforceability.

Nguyen’s letter emphasized that the ordinance may exceed what state law authorizes because it applies not just to parks and preserves but to “trails and open space areas,” which he described as overly broad and vaguely defined. He urged Sedona to conduct a thorough legal analysis to determine if the ordinance aligns with the state law.

Nguyen explained his concerns, posting on X, “I live to defend the Second Amendment. Why? Because I have lived without the Second Amendment.” He grew up in 1970’s Vietnam, emigrating with his brother to the U.S. on a military C-130 one week before the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.

Nguyen told the Arizona Globe that he has not yet received a response from the City, adding that he may need to take additional action if he does not hear from them within the next few weeks. This is a continuing story.