Many local governments have shifted to online meetings and aren’t accepting in person public comments as part of their efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, but most localities are still holding their meetings and making decisions on all kinds of issues, including resolutions declaring their communities Second Amendment Sanctuaries.

While the wave of Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions has definitely subsided compared to what we saw in January and February of this year, there are still several towns and counties across the country that are debating the issue, and this week the city council in Albany, Oregon is set to consider a resolution that would declare the town to be a Second Amendment safe haven.

From the Gazette-Times:

The proposed resolution reaffirms rights granted in the U.S. Constitution and cites the federal document as well and comes at the request of Councilor Mike Sykes.

In February, Sykes asked that the city look into creating a sanctuary city designation for gun owners in the same vein that cities around the country have declared themselves sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants.

Citing measures pending in the Oregon Legislature that would hold gun owners responsible when their firearms fall into the wrong hands and give local schools and governments the right to bar individuals with concealed carry permits from entering their buildings, Sykes said Albany should create its own ordinance.

The resolution states that the citizens of Lawrence County have the security of a free state and the right to keep and bear arms and that right shall not be infringed.

The Commissioners have sworn an oath of office that includes the solemn promise “to support the Constitution of this State and of the United States.”

The Commissioners hereby join the citizens of Lawrence County in opposition to any law or regulation that is repugnant to or infringes upon the rights of all citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and the State of Indiana including the rights to keep and bear arms.

It’s true that the hundreds of Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions that have been approved across the country are largely symbolic, but they may take on more importance during the shelter-in-place orders that exist in most states at the moment. Could a Second Amendment Sanctuary county or city refuse to enforce orders that would close gun stores, for example? So far we haven’t run across any 2A Sanctuary that’s taken that step, though towns like Solon, New York have vowed not to enforce any new gun control laws signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Solon is home to any gun stores, so the town’s residents may not get to see how much teeth their resolution actually has.

While it might be impossible at the moment to get the large public crowds in support of Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions that were common before the coronavirus turned our lives upside down, it’s certainly well within our abilities to continue to push local officials to adopt these resolutions if they haven’t already done so. In fact, I’d love to see the Second Amendment Sanctuary language tweaked to include a statement that the ability to acquire a firearm and ammunition is an “essential” component of our right to keep and bear arms. That would send a strong message to any of these tinpot tyrants that have ordered gun stores closed even as millions of Americans seek to become gun owners for the first time in their lives. Even existing Second Amendment Sanctuary counties and towns could amend their resolution to make it clear that the right to keep and bear arms doesn’t apply only to those who already own a gun.