No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.2.5/284 - Release Date: 3/17/2006
Mississippi Self-Defense Bill Goes To Governor: The stand-your-ground
bill would also create a presumption that a person acted reasonably in
claiming self-defense and give civil immunity to anyone cleared of
criminal charges. The governor is reported to be undecided on whether or
not to sign the bill.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060317/NEWS010504/603170366/1002/NEWS01
---
Compromise Still Sought On Florida Parking-Lot Bill: Florida Republicans
are caught in conflict between two camps of their usual supporters as
business owners oppose bill that would allow employees to store firearms
in vehicles parked on company lots.
http://www.palatkadailynews.com/articles/2006/03/17/news/news03.txt
---
Delaware Resident Sarah Brady Opposes Shall-Issue CCW: Article on the
bill to make Delaware a shall-issue state suggests that the founder of
the Brady Bunch may lose a major battle in her home state.
http://www.capegazette.com/storiescurrent/0306/concealedweapon031706.html
---
"Ohio Pro-Gun Republican, Where Art Thou?": At both the federal and
state level, Ohio's Republican political machine not only churns out
winning candidates, but they inexplicable do so while pursuing an openly
anti-gun agenda.
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCommentary.asp?Page=\Commentary\archive\200603\COM20060317e.html
---
Rule Three Reminder: A sheriff's lieutenant who is also a firearms
instructor in Georgia shot himself in the leg while re-holstering his
pistol, apparently after an informal practice session. (Rule Three: Keep
your finger out of the trigger guard, up on the frame, until your sights
are on the target and you're prepared to fire.)
http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/2431056.html
---
Fluke Shooting Incident: An Ohio police officer unintentionally shot one
of his partners in the hand during the arrest of a domestic-violence
suspect. (Lesson - avoid bunching up when two or more people are
operating together.)
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/14111591.htm
---
Officer Misses Suspect, Grazes Colleague: An NYPD officer fired three
rounds at an armed suspect, missing the suspect three time. Another
officer, responding from the opposite end of the street, was grazed in
the leg by one of the shots. (Lesson - avoid creating crossfire
situations when two or more people are operating together.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/18/nyregion/18shot.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
---
Rifle Range May Be Evicted From State Park: A decades-old rifle range
located in a Montana state park is facing closure.
http://www.townhall.com/news/ap/online/regional/us/D8GDRESG1.html
---
From AzCDL:
Once again, your activism paid off! One of the most important bills of
the decade, SB 1145 (self-defense; home protection), which restores
"innocent until proven guilty" in self-defense situations, was heard in
the House Judiciary committee on Thursday, March 16, 2006. It was
passed out of committee by a vote of 6-3. Details of the vote can be
found here:
http://tinyurl.com/fnwe4
During the hearing, a comment was made by Representative Yarbrough about
the large volume of calls he had received on SB 1145. Those were YOUR
calls! Rep. Yarbrough voted "Aye" on SB 1145.
SB 1145 restores the presumption of innocence in cases of self-defense.
Present law, passed in 1997 through a floor amendment in the wee hours
without discussion or debate, shifted the burden of proof to the victim
in self-defense cases. SB 1145 has strong bipartisan support. It
passed out of the Senate with a unanimous vote of 28-0 (2 not voting).
It is now headed for the House Rules Committee.
Information about SB 1145 can be found here:
http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1145
Opponents of freedom and the rule of law have ramped up their campaign,
and will continue to express their opposition to SB 1145. Organizations
like the Arizona Chiefs of Police (AZCOPS) and the Association of
Prosecuting Attorneys lost big time in the Senate and they are working
very hard to kill SB 1145 in the House. We must not let this happen!
As the bill moves to the House Committee of the Whole (COW), we will
alert you to contact your Representative.
These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League
(AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots
organization. Join today!
AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom
http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html
HB 2076 (weapons; misconduct; storage; map pocket) is scheduled for
debate and a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 20,
2006 at 2:30 PM in Senate Hearing Room (SHR) 1. The committee agenda
can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/h3bdc
HB 2076 is an AzCDL supported bill that would require on-site, "readily
accessible" storage and "immediate retrieval" of a weapon when public
establishments or events forbid weapons:
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/legtext/47leg/2r/bills/hb2076h.pdf
HB 2076 passed the House with a 38-21 vote.
Senate Judiciary Committee members need to be contacted to ensure that
HB 2076 favorably passes out of committee. Information on the committee
members can be found here:
http://www.azleg.gov/CommitteeInfo.asp?Committee_ID=10
Below is a sample letter to cut-and-paste into an email message. Near
the end of this message you will find the email addresses of all the
committee members. Please send EACH committee member an email or letter
urging them to pass HB 2076 out of committee with a recommendation for
passage by the full Senate.
============================================================
Dear Senator:
The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that HB 2076
is scheduled for debate and a vote in the Senate Judiciary committee on
March 20, 2006.
I urge you to vote HB 2076 out of committee with a recommendation for
passage by the full Senate.
HB 2076 simply establishes uniform storage requirements when public
establishments or events choose to prohibit weapons. Under current law
(A.R.S. � 13-3102.A.10) if the operator of a public establishment or
public event chooses to prohibit weapons, a person is required to
surrender their weapon to the temporary custody of the operator. It is
worth noting here that there is no statutory requirement to prohibit
weapons in public establishments or at public events. That is solely at
the discretion of the operator.
Unfortunately, law-abiding gun-owners receive disparate and
discriminatory treatment when complying with the current storage law.
Some public establishments and events provide storage lockers. Others
blatantly refuse to comply with the law and refuse to take custody of a
weapon.
If a public establishment or event is truly concerned about security,
there should be guards and metal detectors at all entrances. Any
establishment or event that has not taken such measures cannot make any
realistic claim of addressing safety concerns. A "No Weapons" sign does
not make an area secure. Criminals simply ignore the law and enter the
establishment or event with the comforting knowledge that all of their
potential victims are disarmed.
In the final analysis, any public establishment that is nervous about
law-abiding citizens carrying guns is worrying about the wrong problem.
The problem is not, and never has been, guns in the hands of good
citizens. All evidence shows that armed citizens are a deterrent to crime.
Again, I ask for your support and vote for HB 2076.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Street Address
City, AZ zip-code
(telephone number)
==================================
Here are the Senate Judiciary committee members:
John Huppenthal (R)
[email protected] (Chairman)
Dean Martin (R)
[email protected] (Vice-Chairman)
Linda Aguirre (D)
[email protected]
Bill Brotherton (D)
[email protected]
Ron Gould (R)
[email protected]
Jack W. Harper (R)
[email protected]
Chuck Gray (R)
[email protected]
Richard Miranda (D)
[email protected]
For those wishing to use a group email, the following are the committee
member email addresses in both semi-colon and comma separated formats
(depending on your email software):
Semi-colon separation:
[email protected] ;
[email protected] ;
[email protected] ;
[email protected] ;
[email protected] ;
[email protected] ;
[email protected];
[email protected]
Comma separation:
[email protected] ,
[email protected] ,
[email protected] ,
[email protected] ,
[email protected] ,
[email protected] ,
[email protected],
[email protected]
These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League
(AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots
organization. Join today!
AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom
http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html
---
From SAF:
SAF AND NEW ORLEANS REACH AGREEMENT ON RETURN OF FIREARMS CONFISCATED
DURING KATRINA
SAF has negotiated an agreement with New Orleans regarding the firearms
seized from lawful firearm owners during and after Hurricane Katrina.
The issue is pending before the federal court in the case NRA & SAF v.
Mayor Ray Nagin.
On March 15, 2006, lawyers for both sides informed the court that
positive settlement negotiations were occurring. New Orleans has now
confirmed that it holds a number of firearms and that owners of firearms
which may have been confiscated may contact the Property and Evidence
division of the New Orleans Police Department in any of the following ways:
1. Telephone number 504-658-5503
2. Mailing address:
New Orleans Police Department
Property and Evidence
400 North Jefferson Davis Parkway
New Orleans, LA 70119
3. Go in person to the same address. This is where the firearms are
located.
Please be patient inasmuch as records are incomplete and the police are
currently understaffed. Records are most accessible if you can supply
your gun's serial number. Claims can be made based on proof of ownership
or, lacking such documents, an affidavit that the item belongs to you.
For those who go through the above process, whether successful or
unsuccessful, SAF would be interested in hearing your comments on what
occurred. Please contact SAF at (425) 454-7012 or send an e-mail to:
[email protected]
Sincerely yours,
Alan M. Gottlieb
---
From NRA-ILA:
NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert Vol. 13, No. 11 03/17/06
States with updates this issue: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.
NRA AND NEW ORLEANS REACH AGREEMENT ON RETURN OF FIREARMS CONFISCATED
DURING KATRINA
NRA has negotiated an agreement with New Orleans regarding the firearms
seized from lawful owners during and after Hurricane Katrina. The issue
is pending before the federal court in the case NRA v. Mayor Ray Nagin.
On March 15, 2006, lawyers for both sides informed the court that
positive settlement negotiations were occurring. After months of
stonewalling, the city of New Orleans has now admitted that it holds a
number of firearms, and that owners of firearms which may have been
confiscated may contact the Property and Evidence Division of the New
Orleans Police Department in any of the following ways: by telephone,
at (504) 658-5503; by mail, sent to: New Orleans Police Department,
Property and Evidence, 400 North Jefferson Davis Parkway, New Orleans,
LA 70119; or in person at the same address. Please be patient as
records are incomplete, and the police are currently understaffed.
Records are most accessible if you can supply your gun's serial number.
Claims can be made based on proof of ownership, or, lacking such
documents, an affidavit that the item belongs to you. For those who go
through the above process, whether successfully or unsuccessfully, NRA
would be interested in hearing your comments on what occurred. Please
contact NRA Grassroots at 800-392-8683 or by email at
https://secure.nraila.org/Contact.aspx.
GUN SHOW BAN PROPOSAL DEFEATED
On February 28, the Glendale (California) City Council considered and
overwhelmingly rejected a proposed ordinance brought by Mayor Rafi
Manoukian (D) that would have banned gun shows from taking place at the
Glendale Civic Center. The Council meeting was packed with NRA members
and national supporters of the show.
Currently, the Glendale Gun Show takes place at the Glendale Civic
Center four times per year. The show features various firearm-related
collectibles, along with antique and modern firearms. Thousands of
people and families attend the event, one of the last of its kind in Los
Angeles County. For more information on the gun show you can visit
www.glendalegunshow.com.
The proposal was apparently precipitated by a solicitation from a
California-based gun ban advocacy group that has been working to spread
its gun ban agenda. The Mayor had the City Attorney prepare a report on
the legality of the proposed ordinance. The City Attorney's report
concluded that the City could legally enact such a ban, but it was based
on misinformation from the gun control group. The City Attorney
referenced lawsuits that involved challenges to these types of
ordinances, and concluded that the cases had been resolved against the
gun shows, so there was no legal obstacle to adopting the ordinance.
In a letter to the Council, lawyers for NRA pointed out that this was
inaccurate. While certain gun ban advocacy groups have been spreading
this misinformation to local governments, the truth is that the NRA
supported Nordyke v. Alameda civil rights violation litigation is alive
and well, having survived a post-appeal motion to dismiss brought by the
defendant, the County of Alameda. The gun show promoter's First
Amendment claims in the Nordyke case were found to be viable, and the
plaintiffs are now conducting discovery to satisfy te court. It should
be a relatively simple matter to establish the evidence that the court
has held necessary to substantiate the First Amendment claim in the
Nordyke case. At that point Alameda County would face a claim for
millions of dollars in lost revenue, damages, and the plaintiff's
attorney's fees. Individual Supervisors also face a potential punitive
damages award.
Once he was made aware of the still-pending litigation by the NRA, the
City Attorney changed his conclusion. In any event, the Council would
have voted against the proposal, as there was clear support for the
right to choose to own a gun for self-defense. Faced with sure defeat,
the mayor withdrew the proposal!
GRADING ON A CURVE
In last week's Grassroots Alert, we reported on the annual ritual of the
Brady Campaign issuing its "grades" to states based on the group's
opinion of state gun laws. To reinforce the silliness of the Brady
Campaign's grading system, one only needs to look at the group's grade
for Washington, D.C., released this week.
In breaking from past tradition to "grade" only states, the Brady Bunch
gives the District a "B," citing the city's law on juveniles possessing
guns, its egregious ban on keeping an assembled firearm in the home for
self-defense, and its lack of a Right-to-Carry provision. Noticeably
absent on the list of criteria for D.C. earning a "B" was the city's
handgun ban.
As noted by ILA Grassroots Director Glen Caroline, "In debating
representatives from the Brady Bunch for years, I've heard them claim to
support gun ownership for self-defense in the home. But they voice no
support for repealing this Draconian law. Once again, the Brady
Campaign speaks out of both sides of its mouth; calling for gun bans
when it suits their agenda and ignoring their past support of existing
gun bans when politically expedient. They rate an "A+" for hypocrisy.
If the murder capital of the nation, which has had a virtual ban on
handgun ownership for decades, receives a grade as high as "B" by the
Brady Campaign, this should be one test that states should strive to fail.
Please be sure to continue to contact your U.S. Senators and
Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 1082 and H.R.
1288--the Senate and House versions of the "District of Columbia
Personal Protection Act," that seeks to repeal the D.C. handgun ban.
PLAN TO ATTEND FREE MILWAUKEE GRASSROOTS WORKSHOP!
The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREE Grassroots Workshop
in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Milwaukee. This Workshop
has been a regular part of NRA's Annual Meetings for a decade. At this
event, you will hear from NRA officers, NRA staff, and your fellow NRA
members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for
the Second Amendment in this year's elections.
We will also discuss how you can work with your local Election Volunteer
Coordinator (EVC). Your EVC is a local NRA member who is working with
the various pro-gun campaigns in his area to provide critically-needed
volunteer support for a variety of activities, including: phone banks,
precinct walks, literature drops, voter registration drives, Get Out The
Vote & Election Day activities, etc. EVCs also promote NRA-ILA's
legislative agenda at the federal and state levels.
With the 2006 elections in full swing, it is critical that we start
implementing our grassroots battle plan to ensure we are ready to meet
these electoral challenges head on as Election Day 2006 approaches.
Rest assured, the anti-gunners are already re-doubling their efforts to
ensure the defeat of pro-Second Amendment candidates in critical
elections across the country, so we must ensure we are prepared to
defeat their efforts at every turn.
Workshop details are:
NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop-FREE!
Friday, May 19, 2006, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon
(Registration & free continental breakfast-8:00 - 9:00 a.m.)
Hilton Milwaukee City Center
Monarch Ballroom
509 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53203
To reserve your seat, or for more information, please call NRA-ILA at
(800) 392-VOTE (8683). You may also register on-line at
www.nraam.org/seminars/grassroots.asp. We hope to see you in Milwaukee
on Friday, May 19!
NRA-ILA "MIX N' MINGLES"
How often do you get the opportunity to mix n' mingle with NRA-ILA
Headquarters staff and fellow NRA members in your community, to earn
FREE NRA items, and to assist with the efforts of candidates seeking
office in your area? Well, in preparation for the 2006 elections, you
will have the opportunity to do just that.
This election year, NRA-ILA will be hosting FREE NRA-ILA Mix N' Mingles
across the country. These events will provide NRA members with training
on what they can do locally to propel candidates to victory this
election season. The meetings also provide attendees the opportunity to
meet and socialize with lawmakers, candidates and their staffs, NRA-ILA
Headquarters staff, and fellow area NRA members--and to earn FREE NRA
fraternal items such as hats, pocketknives, buttons, etc. Mix N'
Mingles, including materials, food, beverages, and NRA items, are FREE!
Mix N' Mingle events are scheduled for:
- Lorain, OH -- 04/08/06
- Eau Claire, WI -- 05/23/06
- Ashland, WI -- 05/24/06
NRA members who have access to the Internet can go to
www.nraila.org/workshops/ to reserve their seats on-line. NRA members
are encouraged to check this website address frequently to see if any
upcoming "Mix N' Mingles" are scheduled in their area. NRA members may
also contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683)
for details and to reserve their seats.
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" tool at
www.NRAILA.org. As always, thank you for your support.***)
States with updates this issue: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.
CONNECTICUT
SB 605 could be voted on as early as this coming Monday, March 20. SB
605 allows the Department of Environmental Protection to designate areas
that would be open to Sunday hunting on private property.
Unfortunately, the Connecticut General Assembly's Environment Committee
omitted important language when drafting SB 605. As drafted, the bill
would regrettably apply only to bow hunters and would not include
individuals who hunt with firearms. NRA anticipated SB 605 would
include rifles and shotguns. Without an amendment, Sunday hunting in
Connecticut will not be open to individuals who hunt with rifles and
shotguns. Please call the Co-Chairmen of the Environment Committee,
Senator Bill Finch (D-22), at (800) 842-1420, and Representative Richard
Roy (D-119), at (800) 842-8267, and ask them to support expanding Sunday
hunting opportunities beyond bow hunting only. In addition, please plan
on attending what promises to be oe of the largest and most successful
Friends of NRA events in the country, next Friday, March 24, in
Southington. Limited edition firearms, knives, art prints, and other
collectibles will be offered for sale, at auction, or given away in
special drawings. 50% of the net proceeds from the event will go to
qualified projects in Connecticut, with the remaining 50% benefiting
national programs. The event will take place at the beautiful Aqua Turf
Restaurant on Mulberry Street, in Southington. It will start at 6:00
p.m., and will feature a delicious meal prepared by the Aqua Turf. For
tickets, directions, or more information, please call Chairman Ray
Hanley at (203) 264-4899.
DELAWARE
Next Wednesday, March 22, the House Public Safety Committee will be
considering HB 359, sponsored by Deborah Hudson (R-12), the Delaware
"shall issue" concealed carry permit bill, which would grant law-abiding
citizens, who have met all requirements, the Right-to-Carry a firearm
concealed for personal protection. Your State Representative needs to
hear from you. Please call or e-mail your Representative next Tuesday
or Wednesday and voice your strong support for HB 359. You can find
contact information for your lawmaker by visiting
www.legis.state.de.us/LEGISLATURE.NSF/Lookup/ContactInfo_Home?open.
Please be sure to make the call or write this e-mail! The future of
Concealed Carry in Delaware depends on it!
HAWAII
SB 600 was passed out of the House Public Safety and Military Affairs
Committee today and is now on its way to the House Judiciary Committee
(no hearing date is scheduled). This proposed draft voids the current
SB 600 and replaces it with the language from House Bill 2996, sponsored
by Representative Ken Ito (D-48), which repeals the greater than
10-round magazine ban. Please contact your legislator at (808) 587-0666
and urge him or her to support SB 600. To find out more, please contact
Dr. Max Cooper (who is also an NRA-ILA EVC) with the Hawaii Rifle
Association at
[email protected]. For a list of House Judiciary
Committee contact information, please visit the NRA-ILA Hawaii state
update section of www.NRAILA.org.
IDAHO
On Wednesday, March 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee refused to pass
Senate Bill 1441, legislation that would strengthen Idaho's current self
defense laws by providing civil immunity to a person who has used
justifiable force in self-defense. Sponsored by Senator Joyce
Broadsword (R-2) and Senator Melvin Richardson (R-32), this important
piece of legislation was, instead, sent to the Senate Floor for
amending, where opponents are expected to modify the bill. Please
contact your State Senator and ask him or her to oppose any amendments
that would open the door for criminals to bring lawsuits against their
victims. House Bill 686 has passed the Senate Local Government and
Taxation Committee and is advancing to the Senate floor. HB 686,
sponsored by State Representative Bill Sali (R-21) and State Senator
Gerry Sweet (R-20), helps protect non-profit hunting and shooting sports
organizations in Idaho. Please take a moment to call them to let tem
know you are a constituent and you support HB 686. Also, please contact
your State Senator and ask him or her to vote in favor of HB 686 and SB
1441 with no amendments! Messages for your State Senator may be left at
(208) 332-1000 or (800) 626-0471 for citizens outside the Boise area.
E-mail your State Senator by clicking on their name at the following
link www.legislature.idaho.gov/senate/membership.cfm. Last week, Senate
Bill 1401 passed the Senate with a unanimous 34-0 vote. Thanks to your
recent calls, this important legislation passed out of the House
Transportation and Defense Committee on March 14. SB 1401 is now headed
to the House Floor. Sponsored by State Representative Bill Sali (R-21)
and State Senator Gerry Sweet (R-20), SB 1401 is NRA-sponsored
"Emergency Powers" legislation that will prevent government officials
from imposing restrictions on the lawful possession transfer, sale,
transport, storage, display, or use of firearms and ammunition during a
state of emergency. Most citizens are aware that some government
officials were stripping law-abiding citizens of their firearms in New
Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This bill will ensure that
such abuses will never occur in the State of Idaho. Please contact your
State Representative today and ask him or her to support SB 1401 when it
comes before them on the House Floor. A list of State Representatives
can be found at: www.legislature.idaho.gov/house/membership.cfm. To
find out who your State Representative is, please visit:
www.legislature.idaho.gov/who'smylegislator.htm.
ILLINOIS
Illinois will hold primary elections on Tuesday, March 21. NRA members
are encouraged to head to the polls and vote for those candidates who
support our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Please be sure to encourage
your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same. For
NRA-PVF endorsement information, NRA members are encouraged to call the
NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683). Be sure to "Vote
Freedom First!" on Tuesday, March 21!
KANSAS
On Tuesday, March 14, Senate Bill 418, "The Personal and Family
Protection Act," passed the Kansas House of Representatives by a vote of
90 to 33! This important legislation, sponsored by Senator Phil Journey
(R-26), was then approved by the Senate on a vote of 30-11 the next day,
Wednesday, March 15. SB 418 is now on the Governor's desk. Please
contact Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) toll-free at (877) 579-6757,
locally at (785) 296-6240, via e-mail at
www.ksgovernor.org/comment.html, or by fax at (785) 368-8788, and
respectfully ask her to sign SB 418. And please ask your family,
friends, fellow firearm owners, and co-workers to help out by calling
Governor Sebelius. The time has come for Kansans to be trusted to
protect themselves and their loved ones!
MISSISSIPPI
Thanks to your phone calls and e-mails, gun owners achieved
unprecedented success this legislative session! This week, the Senate
gave final approval to SB 2426, the NRA-backed "Castle Doctrine," and
self-defense reform legislation sponsored by Senator Charlie Ross
(R-Brandon) and Ralph Doxey (R-Holly Springs). Also this week, the
House took final action on HB 1141 by Representative Warner McBride
(D-Courtland). This NRA-backed bill contains language: (1) allowing
hunting to continue on land annexed by a city or county, even if that
locality has an ordinance banning the discharge of firearms within its
limits; (2) prohibiting the seizure and confiscation of firearms by
local officials during any future natural disaster; and (3) permitting
employees to transport and store firearms in their locked private
vehicles while parked on their employer's property in certain
circumstances. SB 2075, NRA-supported "No-Net-Loss" of public huning
land legislation, sponsored by Senator Lynn Posey (D-Union Church),
awaits final action in a conference committee that is working out
differences between the Senate- and House-passed versions of the bill.
Congratulations Mississippi NRA members! The Legislature is expected
to adjourn sine die on April 2.
NEW MEXICO
Late last week, Governor Bill Richardson (D) signed HB 622, finalizing
action on nearly $1.4 million for the planning, design, and construction
of improvements to Shooting Range State Park in Albuquerque, where the
NRA National Police Shooting Championships will be held starting in
September of 2006. During the 30-day budget session of the New Mexico
Legislature, NRA-ILA and the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
worked to obtain funds for improvements to the range so that it will be
prepared to host the competition later this fall. Because this is a
public-use facility, the shooting sports community will benefit from
these improvements for years to come. The Governor dedicated money from
his portion of available capital outlay money for this project, and the
following members of the Albuquerque delegation also requested funds
specifically for this project. Please take a moment to send a note of
thanks to all those involved in making thi happen: Governor Bill
Richardson; Senator John Ryan (R-10); Senator James Taylor (D-14);
Senator Shannon Robinson (D-17); Senator Bill Payne (R-20); Senator Kent
Cravens (R-21); Senator Joe Carraro (R-23); Representative Eric
Youngberg (R-23); Representative Al Park (D-26); Representative Larry
Larranaga (R-27); Representative Jimmie Hall (R-28); Representative Tom
Anderson (R-29); Representative Kathy McCoy (R-22); Representative Bill
Rehm (R-31); and Representative Justine Fox-Young (R-30). For contact
information please visit
http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/legislatorsearch.asp.
OKLAHOMA
On Tuesday, March 14, the House of Representatives passed House Bill
2696 on an overwhelming vote of 94-1! HB 2696, sponsored by
Representative Trebor Worthen (R-87), will eliminate any threat of
restrictions being imposed on lawful uses of firearms or ammunition
during a state of emergency. On Wednesday, March 15, House Bill 2615,
the "Stand Your Ground Law," passed the House of Representatives on a
vote of 96 to 2! HB 2615, sponsored by Representative Kevin Calvey
(R-94), recognizes that the citizens of Oklahoma have the right to
expect absolute safety in a place that he or she has a right to be.
Both HB 2696 and HB 2615 are now advancing to the Senate. Please
contact your State Senator and ask him or her to support HB 2696 and HB
2615. The general phone number for the Oklahoma State Senate is (405)
524-0126.
RHODE ISLAND
The House Judiciary Committee members could vote on H 7114, sponsored by
Representative Edith Ajello (D-3), at any time. This proposal would
make it illegal to buy, sell, or transfer more than one handgun in a
30-day period, and sets up a centralized handgun registry with the State
Police. Similar laws have been tried in other states, failing miserably
in reducing crime. In fact, South Carolina's law was such a failure
that lawmakers have since repealed it! Licensed dealers are already
required to report multiple handgun purchases to federal, state, and
local law enforcement, and Rhode Island already has a one-week waiting
period on all firearm purchases, and all purchasers must undergo a
criminal background check. This legislation is a senseless attack on
law-abiding gun owners. Please contact your Representative TODAY and
urge him or her to oppose H 7114! You can call (401) 222-2466 and ask
to be connected to your legisator, or you may visit the Rhode Island
General Assembly web page at: www.rilin.state.ri.us/ for additional
contact information.
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
