Wyoming Lawmakers Fail to Override Governor’s Veto of SAPA Amendments

March 13, 2026
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Wyoming's Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) just took a gut punch from Governor Mark Gordon, and the state Senate couldn't rally enough votes to override his veto on key amendments. In a nail-biting 16-14 vote, lawmakers fell one vote short of the two-thirds supermajority needed to revive the bill, which aimed to sharpen SAPA's teeth against federal gun control overreach. This isn't just a procedural hiccup—it's a stark reminder that even in deep-red Wyoming, where SAPA was already law since 2021 declaring federal firearm regulations infringed and void, establishment forces can still kneecap pro-2A momentum. Gordon, who vetoed the amendments citing concerns over judicial enforceability and potential federal backlash, positioned himself as the voice of caution, arguing the changes could invite lawsuits that weaken the original law. Digging deeper, these amendments weren't radical fluff—they targeted Biden-era ATF rules on pistol braces, ghost guns, and forced national registry schemes, explicitly nullifying them under state authority. SAPA's core promise is state-level defiance of unconstitutional federal edicts, echoing the spirit of the 10th Amendment and states like Missouri and Tennessee who've passed similar sanctuary laws. But Gordon's veto exposes a rift: while the Wyoming House overwhelmingly supported the override (42-19), Senate moderates balked, likely spooked by the governor's warnings of fiscal retaliation from D.C. or activist judges. For the 2A community, this is a tactical loss but a rallying cry—Wyoming's SAPA remains intact as a firewall, protecting its 600,000 residents from ATF tyranny, yet the failure signals that nullification efforts need ironclad legal armor and broader GOP unity to survive veto pens. The implications ripple nationwide: as feds ramp up with executive orders and pending Supreme Court tests like Garland v. Cargill on bump stocks, states must evolve their resistance. Wyoming's stumble underscores the need for airtight drafting—avoiding vague enforcement clauses that give governors veto bait—while galvanizing grassroots pressure on holdout legislators. Pro-2A warriors should cheer the Senate's near-miss as proof of growing resolve, but double down on electing veto-proof majorities. In the sanctuary state arms race, Wyoming stays in the fight, but this veto reminds us: eternal vigilance isn't just Jefferson's wisdom—it's our loaded magazine against incremental erosion.

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Wyoming’s Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) just took a gut punch from Governor Mark Gordon, and the state Senate couldn’t rally enough votes to override his veto on key amendments. In a nail-biting 16-14 vote, lawmakers fell one vote short of the two-thirds supermajority needed to revive the bill, which aimed to sharpen SAPA’s teeth against federal gun control overreach. This isn’t just a procedural hiccup—it’s a stark reminder that even in deep-red Wyoming, where SAPA was already law since 2021 declaring federal firearm regulations infringed and void, establishment forces can still kneecap pro-2A momentum. Gordon, who vetoed the amendments citing concerns over judicial enforceability and potential federal backlash, positioned himself as the voice of caution, arguing the changes could invite lawsuits that weaken the original law.

Digging deeper, these amendments weren’t radical fluff—they targeted Biden-era ATF rules on pistol braces, ghost guns, and forced national registry schemes, explicitly nullifying them under state authority. SAPA’s core promise is state-level defiance of unconstitutional federal edicts, echoing the spirit of the 10th Amendment and states like Missouri and Tennessee who’ve passed similar sanctuary laws. But Gordon’s veto exposes a rift: while the Wyoming House overwhelmingly supported the override (42-19), Senate moderates balked, likely spooked by the governor’s warnings of fiscal retaliation from D.C. or activist judges. For the 2A community, this is a tactical loss but a rallying cry—Wyoming’s SAPA remains intact as a firewall, protecting its 600,000 residents from ATF tyranny, yet the failure signals that nullification efforts need ironclad legal armor and broader GOP unity to survive veto pens.

The implications ripple nationwide: as feds ramp up with executive orders and pending Supreme Court tests like Garland v. Cargill on bump stocks, states must evolve their resistance. Wyoming’s stumble underscores the need for airtight drafting—avoiding vague enforcement clauses that give governors veto bait—while galvanizing grassroots pressure on holdout legislators. Pro-2A warriors should cheer the Senate’s near-miss as proof of growing resolve, but double down on electing veto-proof majorities. In the sanctuary state arms race, Wyoming stays in the fight, but this veto reminds us: eternal vigilance isn’t just Jefferson’s wisdom—it’s our loaded magazine against incremental erosion.

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