This is using the incrementalism of the left to eventually restore rights that were lost. $500 could be challenged as an infringement.
And while training is a nice thing to get on your own, requiring it is just a waste of time.
Most people would be wise to get some instruction for safety's sake. The requirement "to provide proof of renewed educational training every five years," is most likely to ensure they haven't become a threat to themselves or others. People do lose their vision and their marbles. A lot of Alzheimer patients get very agitated in the latter stages of that dementia.
Arizona has Sun City and other enormous retirement areas, but still no problem with seniors and guns.
It actually reminded me of, I think it was, a ‘60 minutes’ segment many years ago, about the Sun City volunteer police department.
They went with them to a gun range to do their qualifications, and this skinny old character put on quite a show, fumbling with his specs, needing to be pointed in the downrange direction “where the targets are”, and otherwise acting like a dotard.
And then he pulled his revolver. Holy smokes, that thing had at least a 12” long barrel. Then he let slip with six fast shots. Then they showed him holding his target, with six holes in a circle around the bullseye.
“Shucks,” he said, “They must-a got away!”, back in character. They later admitted that in his younger days he had been a circus trick shooter.
They did mention one bust. A transient who did not know that there is no crime in Sun City. By the time he went through the window of a home, the police already had several calls. He had one foot out and was holding a TV, with four barrels pointed at him.
The police bragged that because of their little old lady intelligence network, a stranger cannot walk the streets without the police knowing his every move.
In any event, no gun problems with the seniors.
“Even the crazy people behave less crazy with so many guns around. Unless they are totally mad, even they have an instinct for self preservation.”
Adopt the bill. Next year propose an amendment that would lower the fee to $400. The year after that . . .
We did not get burdened by all these gun laws in one fell swoop. Learn from our enemies. As you say, small steps, small steps.