Businesses that help protect families are “essential” and should be allowed to operate with appropriate safeguards.

“Maine’s top officials are essentially saying that our Second Amendment rights may depend on whether or not a store sells toilet paper or what they arbitrarily deem “essential goods,” said House Republican Leader Kathleen Dillingham (R-Oxford). “Our Second Amendment rights should not be unduly restricted, protecting access to a constitutional right is essential, even in times of crisis.”

House Republicans contend the businesses providing that access should continue to operate just as other essential businesses are allowed to operate while strictly following CDC approved safeguards. Maine citizens have an individual right to keep and bear arms in order to safeguard their families, their lives and their property.

The call comes after Gun shops and Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealers, most notably the Kittery Trading Post, have been deemed “non-essential” by Maine’s Governor and Attorney General.

After several days seeking clarification of how the Executive Order applies to the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, House Republicans received the following from the Governor’s Office:

“The Executive Order utilizes guidance distributed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency to identify essential infrastructure industries. Entities that primarily or exclusively sell sporting goods are not regarded as essential under this guidance or under the Executive Order. That means that stores that do not primarily sell essential goods must conduct business only as allowed under Section II C of the Order for the next twelve days, the duration of the current Order. Stores that primarily sell essential goods, and that may also sell sporting goods, are open and continue to sell firearms.”

This week, the Kittery Trading Post received an order from the Maine Attorney General’s Office to close its sporting goods business.

“THIS ISN’T ABOUT A SMALL BUSINESS BEING FORCED TO CLOSE, IT IS ABOUT ENSURING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED ESPECIALLY IN A TIME OF EMERGENCY.”