There are a lot of states approving sanctuary state measures, but alas, my home state of Georgia isn’t looking to be one of them anytime soon. After a certain lawmaker stabbed gun owners in the back, I’m not holding my breath for anything of the sort anytime soon, either.

Yet, our neighbor to the west–a state we’ve long made the but of oh-so-many jokes–is shaping up to do what Georgia seems to have no interest in accomplishing.

That’s right. Alabama is setting itself up to become another sanctuary state.

The Alabama Senate Thursday passed the Alabama Second Amendment Protection Act. Senate Bill 358 is sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Northport.

SB358 would make it a Class C misdemeanor for a state or local official to enforce any federal gun law or executive order that “regulates the ownership, use, or possession of firearms, ammunition, or firearm accessories.”

The penalty could be up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000. A second offense would be a Class B misdemeanor and bring a sentence of up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $7,000.

“This is a piece that will fulfill the oath of office that each of us has taken to protect and defend the Constitution as it relates to the Second Amendment,” Allen said, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. “That’s very important.”

I really like bills like this that don’t just make a statement but make it clear that law enforcement isn’t to cooperate with unconstitutional grabs for our guns.

I don’t know if they’ll hold up to legal scrutiny by the judicial branch, mind you, but that actually doesn’t matter. At worst, they’re a reminder that a growing number of states aren’t interested in the anti-gun schemes of the Democrat-controlled Congress or of President Joe Biden.

Oh, he can issue executive orders until the cows come home, but a lot of states aren’t interested in helping him enforce them. The same goes true for any power grab by Congress as they try to infringe on our Second Amendment rights.

Alabama is just the latest state to try this, but as it’s close to me right now, it might make a useful ejection point if state politics continues like it did in 2020.

It’s just sad that any of this is remotely necessary.

See, our constitutionally protected rights are supposed to be sacrosanct. They’re not up for debate or discussion. You don’t have to like how someone exercises it, but those rights are to be left alone just the same.

Unfortunately, as a nation, we’ve lost that. We have people calling for the destruction of our Second Amendment rights while also calling for restrictions on still other rights. They make it clear that they have no respect for rights on any level. What’s more, though, they have a loud enough voice that some people are starting to listen.

We have sanctuary states because we simply can’t trust that we won’t need that level of protection.

I applaud Alabama for what they’re doing.

Now, the bill goes to the House where I hope it enjoys similar success.