Minnesota Senate Passes Shall-Issue, Again: Shall-issue CCW has again
been approved by the Minnesota senate, with most of the hostile
amendments stripped out. Passage by the house is very likely. This bill
is a backup to the court struggle to overturn an appellate court
decision that invalidated the original shall-issue law on a technicality.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=97011
---
Mississippi Judges Train With Firearms: Twenty-two Mississippi judges,
from various levels of courts, recently qualified to meet the
requirement of the state law that authorizes them to carry firearms.
http://www.picayuneitem.com/articles/2005/05/13/news/08guns.txt
---
Air Force Officer Charged With Firearm Obsession: An Air Force officer,
being prosecuted for shipping home from Iraq dozens of captured weapons,
has been accused of being obsessed with firearms. The officer is a
licensed gunsmith.
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/11632943.htm
---
Murdered Officer Was Intoxicated: A St. Paul MN police sergeant had a
blood-alcohol concentration of 0.20 at the time he was murdered by one
of two men with whom he had argued while working undercover. While some
bullseye shooters have been known to take a drink to reduce muscle
tremor, being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is not
generally considered to confer any tactical advantage.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5402300.html
---
Lawsuit Filed In Off-Duty NYPD Shooting: A lawsuit has been filed by the
widow of a man shot fatally after he got into a struggle with an
off-duty NYPD Internal Affairs lieutenant who was collecting rent at a
recently purchased apartment building. While I draw no inferences from
the filing of a lawsuit, this is a case I am trying to follow.
http://208.198.20.182/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=9&aid=50828
---
From The NRA-ILA:
NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert Vol. 12, No. 12 3/25/05
HELP SPREAD THE TRUTH & PROMOTE ACTIVISM--
Identify "Second Amendment Activist Centers"
Here in the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division, we are fond of talking about
the need to "hunt where the ducks are" by utilizing the "natural
resources" of the pro-gun community (gun shops, shooting ranges, gun &
hunting clubs, and gun shows) to spread the word about gun-related issues.
In an effort to formalize this ongoing endeavor, we are seeking your
assistance in identifying Second Amendment Activist Centers that will
assist in distributing legislative and election-related materials to NRA
members and gun owners. Of course, it makes sense to focus on our
natural resources, but any business willing to assist in this critical
educational campaign is welcome to become an Activist Center. Here's
what we are asking you to do:
Determine which venues in your area would be suitable to serve as an
Activist Center and contact them to see if they would be willing to
participate in this program. These Centers will provide NRA members and
gun owners with NRA buttons, Fact Sheets on legislation and isues,
volunteer sign-up forms, voter registration materials, and, in election
years, information on grassroots activities and events. Also, we are
encouraging all Second Amendment Activist Centers that are able to do
so, to make a computer terminal with Internet access available to their
patrons so they may access our website-- www.NRAILA.org
<
http://www.NRAILA.org/> --and e-mail their lawmakers, on-the-spot,
utilizing our site's "Write Your Representatives"
<
http://www.capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials/> and other features
(specifically, the "Help Save America's Firearms Industry" section).
Specific dates will be determined where individuals may go to the
Activist Centers to pick up their materials for their personal use and
to distribute to others, and NRA-ILA will alert its members and
supporters to these dates and venues. Thus, an additional incentive for
a business to become a Second Amendment Activist Center, is that, not
only will NRA-ILA work to inform area NRA members n d gun owners of the
dates to pick up materials, but we will also promote all Second
Amendment Activist Centers via e-mail, on our website, in the NRA-ILA
Grassroots Alert, and through our monthly newsletter, "Freedom's Voice."
So in addition to helping us disseminate critically-important
information, NRA-ILA will also promote these establishments to our
members and supporters which may increase business for them!
Please reach out to area businesses whom you think would be good
candidates to serve as Second Amendment Activist Centers, and if they
will agree to serve in this capacity. If so, either call (800) 392-8683
and ask to speak to your state's Grassroots Coordinator, or have someone
from the potential Activist Center do so him/herself. If you are the
owner/manager of an establishment that wants to participate in this
program, please call the aforementioned number and ask to speak directly
to your state's Grassroots Coordinator.
As legislation to end reckless, predatory lawsuits agaist the gun
industry prepares to be voted on (H.R. 800/S. 397), and as the 2006
elections approach, this project will pay huge dividends not only for
gun owners, but for area retail businesses as well!
CONTINUE YOUR SUPPORT FOR S. 397 AND H.R. 800
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S. 397/H.R. 800) would
protect law-abiding firearm manufacturers from reckless, predatory, and
potentially bankrupting lawsuits.
The bill currently has 246 cosponsors in the House, 56 cosponsors in the
Senate, and has the full support of President Bush and numerous other
groups and associations.
It is imperative that you continue to contact your U.S. Senators and
your U.S. Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support S.397 and
H.R. 800--without any anti-gun amendments--and put a halt to these
reckless lawsuits once and for all. Again, please be sure to let your
lawmakers know that you consider any votes in support of anti-gun
amendments to this legislation as votes against the bill itself.
To access the most up-to-date information on this issue, and to find out
if your lawmaker is a cosponsor, please go to the "Help Save America's
Firearms Industry" heading at, www.NRAILA.org <
http://www.NRAILA.org/>.
This functon will allow you to easily send an e-mail or letter to your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators. Please forward this link to your
family, friends, and fellow firearm owners.
For additional information on effectively communicating with your
lawmakers, please go to:
http://www.nraila.org/CurrentLegislation/ActionAlerts/Read.aspx?ID=274
(Grassroots Alert, Vol. 12, No. 12).
You may also call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, or your U.S.
Representative at (202) 225-3121.
SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR
2004 NRA-ILA VOLUNTEER AWARDS
The "Jay M. Littlefield Memorial NRA-ILA Volunteer of the Year Award" is
an annual honor that recognizes an individual NRA member who
demonstrates exceptionally meritorious activism in defense of our Second
Amendment rights. Similarly, the "NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the
Year Award" is bestowed upon a group that has gone above and beyond the
call of duty in defending our freedom over the past year.
Nominations for these honors for last year (2004) should be submitted
to: NRA-ILA Volunteer Awards, c/o Jennifer Bradey, NRA-ILA Grassroots
Division, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030. Nominations may
also be faxed to Jennifer at (703) 267-3918, or e-mailed to
[email protected] <mailto:
[email protected]>.
All nominations must be submitted by NRA members in good standing and be
accompanied by a one page description of why the nominee is deserving.
Winners will be selected by NRA-ILA staff, and will be acknowledged at
this Fall's NRA Board of Directors Meeting. he deadline for submissions
is July 1, 2005.
A LOOK AT THE STATES
(****For all of the action items below, you can find contact information
for your legislators by using the "Write Your Representatives"
<
http://www.capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials/> tool at www.NRAILA.org
<
http://www.NRAILA.org/>. As always, thank you for your support****)
CALIFORNIA
The California Assembly will consider Assembly Bill 352 at anytime. This
legislation could essentially ban all semi-automatic pistols commonly
used by California gun owners. AB 352 expands the definition of "unsafe
handguns" to include semi-automatic pistols that are not designed and
equipped with an array of microscopic characters, which identify the
make, model, and serial number of the pistol by imprinting the
characters on each cartridge case when the firearm is discharged. Please
continue to contact members of the Assembly through Monday, May 16, and
ask them to oppose AB 352. Assembly Members can be reached at (916)
319-20 (plus your 2-digit district number for the last two numbers).
Senate Bill 357 would establish a program requiring serialization of
handgun ammunition to be enforced by the Department of Justice. The
manufacture, transfer, and possession of non-serialized handgun
ammunition after July 1, 2007 would be considered a crime. SB 357 would
aso require ammunition vendors and manufacturers to register with the
Department of Justice. This anti-gun legislation is waiting to be heard
in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Please continue to contact
members of the committee at (916) 651-4101 and ask them to oppose SB 357.
DELAWARE
On May 12, final approval was given to SB 46, which establishes a
handgun hunting season from the first Saturday in January until the
second Saturday in January. For a full text of the bill and to see how
your legislators voted please visit the General Assembly's web page at
www.legis.state.de.us <
http://www.legis.state.de.us/>. Special thanks go
to the bill's prime Senate sponsor, Senator Robert Venables (D-21), and
the bill's House sponsors, Representatives Bruce Ennis (D-28), Pam
Thornburg (R-29), and "Biff" Lee (R-40). The bill now goes to Governor
Ruth Ann Minner (D) for her signature. Your voices were heard!
LOUISIANA
Thanks to an overwhelming number of phone calls and e-mails in
opposition to SB 319, the sponsor withdrew the bill from the files of
the Senate, meaning it will not be considered during the 2005 Regular
Session of the Legislature. SB 319 restricted the sale and possession of
certain semi-automatic firearms, placed onerous record keeping
requirements on licensed dealers, and imposed a $50 tax on the purchase
of ammunition that could be used in firearms targeted by the bill.
MARYLAND
On May 10, Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) signed HB 1086, the "Hunting
Heritage Protection Act," into law. This important piece of legislation
will ensure that Maryland's public hunting lands remain open to
sportsmen for generations to come. Because of your efforts, this bill is
now a reality!
NEBRASKA
Due to time restraints, Right-to-Carry bill LB 454 will not get through
the Nebraska legislature this year. The bill's sponsor, Senator Combs
(R-32), has written assurance from Speaker Brashear (I-4) that LB 454
will receive a full and fair debate within the first 21 days of the 2006
legislative session. As a result of all the Nebraska members who called,
e-mailed, and sent letters to their Senators, LB 454 has received
unprecedented support from the legislature.
NEW JERSEY
On May 21, the Salem County Sportsmen's Club and South Jersey Sportsmen,
Inc. will host the third annual NRA Day--a free day of gun safety and
recreational shooting instruction for the entire family. The event will
be held at the Sportsmen's Club from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. NRA Day
activities include rifle and handgun shooting, an air gun range for
children with adult supervision, and a special exhibit "Firearms in
America" by the South Jersey Arms Collectors which will feature a number
of historically significant firearms. All firearms, targets, ammunition,
and eye and ear protection will be provided. The event is free and open
to the public. The club is located on eastbound U.S. Route 40 in
Carney's Point. For more information, please call Bob Viden at (856)
881-7575.
NEW YORK
With a strong turnout from gun owners, hunters and sportsmen, NRA-PVF
endorsed candidate Cathy Young (R) overwhelmingly won her special
election this week in State Senate District 57! While serving in the
Assembly, Representative Young has always been a champion of our Second
Amendment rights, and we can count on her to continue her fine work as a
member of the Senate. On May 17, several anti-gun bills are scheduled to
be considered by the Assembly Codes Committee, including A 673, which
creates the crimes of "failure to store a weapon safely" and criminally
negligent storage of a firearm, A 2302, which would prohibit the retail
sale of a handgun which does not contain a "child proofing" or
integrated safety device, and A 4471, which would ban the sale, use and
possession of .50 caliber firearms. These bills are likely to be
approved by the committee and will then head to the Assembly floor.
Please contact your Assembly Member TODAY and urge them to oppose A
673,A 2302 and A 4471!
OREGON
This week, the Oregon House approved HB 2373, NRA-supported legislation
protecting gun manufacturers from reckless lawsuits, and HB 2529, the
NRA-backed "No Net Loss of Public Hunting Lands" bill. Both bills move
now to the Senate for consideration, so please begin contacting your
Senators and urging them to support HB 2373 & HB 2529. We'll keep you
posted on Senate committee referrals and any hearings scheduled on these
measures! In addition, local NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator
(EVC) Curt Greer (OR-4) needs your help in supporting our Armed Forces.
Curt entered a float in last year's Veteran's Day Parade representing
NRA and the award-winning Eddie Eagle Gun Safe� Program, and is entering
it again in this year's Armed Forces Day Parade. Volunteers are needed
to help assemble the float and to also participate in the parade. The
parade will begin on Main Street, in Cottage Grove, on May 21, at 9:00
a.m. To volunteer your time for this worthy event, or fo additional
information, please contact Curt Greer by phone at (541) 746-7806 or by
e-mail at
[email protected] <mailto:
[email protected]>.
PENNSYLVANIA
On Tuesday, May 17, Pennsylvania hunters should go to the polls and vote
YES on the "Growing Greener II" bond initiative. "Growing Greener II"
will authorize the state to issue bonds to raise money for outdoor
conservation initiatives. Among the things that the money could be used
for are infrastructure improvements on state game lands and the
maintenance and improvement of state shooting ranges. Please go to the
polls on Tuesday and vote YES on "Growing Greener II."
TENNESSEE
SJR 44, a proposed amendment to the State Constitution providing
citizens with the "Right to Hunt and Fish," is finally in a form that
legitimately protects sportsmen against attacks from radical animal
"rights" organizations. On May 12, Senator Jeff Miller (R-Cleveland)
worked diligently on the floor to win approval of an amendment that
protects against politically motivated bans on the hunting of certain
species, such as bear and dove, or bans on the use of certain implements
or methods, such as archery equipment. This was important because the
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has contended in meetings
with NRA representatives that it should be allowed to retain the ability
to prohibit certain types of hunting for political, not biological,
reasons. This, of course, is precisely what sportsmen must be protected
against. Senator Miller understood this and fought for your rights.
Please call Senator Miller's office at (615) 741-3794 and thank him for
hs efforts on your behalf. Also, it is critical that you call your
Senator and ask him/her to continue to support SJR 44 with the Miller
Amendment that was adopted on Thursday.
TEXAS
This week, the Texas Senate gave final approval to HB 685, by
Representative Patrick Rose (D-Dripping Springs) and Senator Leticia Van
de Putte (D-San Antonio), sending the bill to Governor Rick Perry (R).
HB 685 exempts military personnel with recent handgun training from the
range instruction portion of the Concealed Handgun License (CHL) course.
Also this week, the Senate approved HB 225, by Representative Joe Driver
(R-Garland) and Senator Bob Deuell (R-Greenville), but not before
amending two other NRA-supported measures onto the bill; HB 318, the CHL
confidentiality bill sponsored by Representative Suzanna Hupp and
Senator Bob Deuell (R-Greenville), and HB 1066, by Representative Glenn
Hegar (R-Katy) and Senator Todd Staples (R-Palestine), which allows
residents from any other state to apply for a Texas CHL and expands the
number of states that would be eligible for reciprocal agreements with
Texas. HB 225, which now also contains the language of HB 318 and
HB1066, moves back to the House for concurrence with the Senate amendments.
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
