I wish you all a healthy, happy new year.
Kansas Ready To License CCW: Articles review the requirements and
procedures to be licensed to carry a concealed firearm in Kansas and
rule for licensees.
http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/articles/2006/12/30/news/news4.txt
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/16358273.htm
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/local/16353870.htm
---
CCW In New Jersey? Vin Suprynowicz looks at what it takes to get
licensed to purchase a handgun in New Jersey and, theoretically, what it
takes to get licensed to carry it.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Dec-31-Sun-2006/opinion/11420682.html
---
Glum Picture Painted In Illinois: The head of the Illinois State Rifle
Association seeks to rally the troops for a gun owner's lobby day and
rally in Springfield, March 14, 2007.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/sports/192294,4_2_JO31_OUTDOORS_S1.article
---
Stand-Your-Ground Bill In Texas: The bill would take standards applied
to homes and expand them to cars and businesses. The Texas penal code
doesn't require a person whose home is invaded to retreat before using
deadly force. The bill also would amend the civil code to make it more
difficult for a criminal or the family of a criminal to sue someone who
used deadly force justifiably.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-gunlaw_31eas.ART0.Central.Edition1.3dfa654.html
---
Not Your Father's Airgun: Article trumpets dangers from today's
higher-powered pellet rifles, citing two recent deaths in the Mobile
(AL) area. Some generate sufficient energy to penetrate skulls and, as
they are not classified as firearms, may be encountered in the hands of
criminals.
http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/116756085936160.xml&coll=3
---
From AzCDL:
The 2007 Arizona Legislative session begins on January 8, 2007. AzCDL
has been meeting with legislators about pro-RKBA bills. Legislators
have already begun to "pre-file" bills before the session begins. You
can learn more about the process here:
http://www.azleg.gov/alisPDFs/hbillaw.pdf
Once the session begins, over a thousand bills will be filed at a
frantic pace. As this is being written, about 100 bills have already
been filed:
http://www.azleg.gov/Bills.asp
Not all bills are readily identifiable by their brief descriptions,
which can hide their real intention. Also, bills dealing with other
issues (e.g. seat belt enforcement) may have an adverse impact on RKBA.
An example of this is the recently filed SB 1021 (
http://tinyurl.com/yndsq9 ) which could adversely affect someone
defending themselves.
This is where we need your help. We know you care about your freedom;
otherwise you wouldn't be an AzCDL Alerts subscriber. Here's an
opportunity for some easy, "low-carb" activism. When you get some spare
moments, peruse the bills that are being filed
(
http://www.azleg.gov/Bills.asp ) and snoop around some. If you spot
something that you feel may have some unintended consequences that
concern you, drop us a note at
[email protected] and we'll check it out.
You can also track legislation at
http://alistrack.azleg.state.az.us/,
however this site requires setting up a user name and password.
Every little bit helps, and we appreciate all the help we can get. We
look forward to hearing from you!
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
Copyright � 2006 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved.
---
From NRA-ILA:
NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert Vol. 13, No. 51 12/29/06
States with updates this issue: Michigan.
2006--THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Here are some of the top stories we brought you in the NRA ILA
Grassroots Alert in 2006. With the new challenges we will inevitably
face next year in Congress and the states, we must re-double our efforts
to ensure we are prepared to effectively defend the Second Amendment. To
that end, we will continue to provide you with information in future
Alerts to ensure our success.
Please help us share this information with others by seeing that your
family, friends, and fellow firearm owners receive the NRA-ILA
Grassroots Alert. To sign them up to receive NRA-ILA free e-mail alerts
(including the Grassroots Alert), have them visit www.NRAILA.org, and
choose "Sign-up for Email," or they may call the NRA-ILA Grassroots
Division at (800) 392-8683.
Have a safe and Happy New Year!
JANUARY: The Wisconsin State Assembly, by a vote of 64-34, fails to
override Governor Jim Doyle's (D) veto of Senate Bill 403, the "Personal
Protection Act" (PPA). The vote was two short of the 66 required for an
override.
Canada's anti-gun Prime Minister Paul Martin and the ruling Liberal
Party are ousted in the country's federal elections, bringing an end to
the Liberal Party's 12-year reign. Outgoing Prime Minister Martin's
scandal-plagued administration gained notoriety for its ill-advised gun
registration program that has cost the country more than two billion
dollars and, of course, did nothing to reduce Canada's escalating crime
rate.
FEBRUARY: The U.S. House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime,
Terrorism and Homeland Security hears testimony from individuals
affected by heavy-handed enforcement tactics of the BATFE at gun shows
in Richmond, Virginia. Testimony outlines instances where dozens of
BATFE and local law enforcement officers intrusively question dealers
and customers, trying to discourage people from buying guns, and
stopping show attendees on the roads after they left. In some cases,
customers' lawfully purchased guns were confiscated, and returned only
when the owners visited BATFE's office for more questioning. In other
cases, local police officers visited gun buyers' homes to conduct
"residency checks"--intrusive questioning of family members and even
neighbors.
MARCH: NRA files a motion for contempt against the City of New Orleans,
its mayor, Ray Nagin (D), and the acting chief of police for failure to
comply with a temporary restraining order mandating an end to all
illegal gun confiscations that occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina. Shortly thereafter, an agreement is reached in which the city
of New Orleans admits it holds a number of firearms, and sets up a
mechanism for owners of these firearms to begin retrieving their property.
In Kansas, Governor Sebelius' (D) veto of NRA-backed Right-to-Carry
legislation, Senate Bill 418, "The Personal and Family Protection Act,"
is overridden.
The Nebraska legislature gives final approval to a measure granting
law-abiding Nebraska citizens the right to carry a firearm for personal
protection.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R) signs two NRA-backed,
high-priority bills into law-SB 2426, a "Castle Doctrine" self-defense
bill, and HB 1141, a bill containing two pro-gun, and one pro-hunting
provision, for law-abiding gun owners and hunters in the state.
APRIL: Anti-gun New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) convenes a
meeting with a cadre of like-minded mayors to discuss "reducing gun
violence." Among the attendees is Anthony Williams (D), Mayor of
Washington, D.C., where handguns have been banned for decades, but where
the violent crime rate remains stratospheric. Predictably, the outcome
of the meeting is a call for more restrictive gun laws.
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman (R) signs Legislative Bill 454 into law,
making Right-to-Carry the law of the land in Nebraska.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley (R) signs NRA-backed "Castle Doctrine" bill
SB 283 into law.
MAY: NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive
Director Chris W. Cox announce a two-part initiative to ensure that the
forcible confiscation of lawfully owned firearms--such as occurred in
the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina--never happens again. The first part
of this important initiative consists of the nation's mayors and police
chiefs signing a pledge promising the citizens for whom they work they
will never forcibly disarm them. The second part outlines NRA-ILA's
commitment to pass state and federal legislation to make it a crime to
forcibly disarm law-abiding citizens.
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry (D) signs HB 2615, the NRA-backed "Castle
Doctrine" self-defense bill, into law.
JUNE: U.S. Senator George Allen (R-Va.) introduces S. 3275--the Senate
version of H.R. 4547--a national Right-to-Carry (RTC) reciprocity bill
that would provide national reciprocity for state carry licensees. This
legislation would allow any person with a valid carry permit or license
issued by a state to carry a concealed firearm in any other state if he
or she meets certain criteria. The bill would not create a federal
licensing system; it would simply require the states to recognize each
other's carry permits, just as they recognize drivers' licenses.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge James Warren strikes down San
Francisco's Prop. H handgun ban, asserting that under California law
local officials do not have the authority to ban firearms from
law-abiding citizens. NRA-ILA opposed the ban from its inception, both
at the ballot box and in court.
JULY: The "U.N. Conference to Review Progress Made in the
Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent and Eradicate the
Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects" ends
in deadlock with no recommendations on ammunition, civilian possession,
or future U.N. meetings. The failure of this five-year program to impact
the legitimate firearm industry, and the Second Amendment rights of U.S.
citizens, is a great victory. However, anti-gun Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) and liberal governments serve notice they would not
give up and would present all of their issues to the U.N. General
Assembly in the future.
The U. S. Senate overwhelmingly passes (84-16) an amendment to the
Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 5441), offered by Senator
David Vitter (R-La.), that prohibits the use of funds appropriated under
H.R. 5441 for the confiscation of lawfully possessed firearms during an
emergency or major disaster.
The U.S. House of Representatives passes H.R. 5013, the NRA-backed
"Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act." This legislation,
sponsored by Representative Bobby Jindal (R-La.), will amend federal
emergency laws to prohibit federal, state, and local authorities from
confiscating lawfully-owned firearms during emergencies or disasters.
HR 5013 passed by a broad bi-partisan margin of 322-99.
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) signs into law a package of six
self-defense bills backed by NRA, bringing "Castle Doctrine" protections
to law-abiding Michigan citizens. The six-bill "Castle Doctrine"
Package passes with bi-partisan, supermajority support in both houses of
the Michigan legislature.
AUGUST: In a landmark victory for NRA and law-abiding gun owners, Judge
Carl J. Barbier of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana denies the City of New Orleans' motion to dismiss NRA's
lawsuit against the city. Judge Barbier holds that the Second Amendment
does apply to law-abiding residents in the State of Louisiana and the
City of New Orleans. The City of New Orleans argued just the
opposite--claiming that the Second Amendment does not apply to residents
in the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans.
SEPTEMBER: The U.S. House of Representatives passes NRA-backed H.R.
5092, the "BATFE Modernization and Reform Act of 2006," by an
overwhelming bi-partisan vote of 277-131.
This legislation was drafted in large part to address BATFE abuses at
the Richmond, Virginia area gun shows last year. H.R. 5092 will help
curb BATFE's efforts to revoke dealers' licenses for minor paperwork
errors, establish new guidelines for BATFE investigations, and improve
the appeals process for dealers.
OCTOBER: President George W. Bush signs legislation that includes
language to prohibit the confiscation of legal firearms from law-abiding
citizens during states of emergency! Passage of this legislation
becomes a top priority of NRA following confiscations of lawfully-owned
firearms by local officials in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina. Prior to the President's recent action, NRA led the charge in
passing "emergency powers" laws in 10 states. This new law is part of
the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill.
More than 140 attorneys, law students, and members of the public attend
this year's "Firearms Law & The Second Amendment" symposium. Guests
hear presentations from leading scholars on key issues affecting
firearms ownership.
NOVEMBER: The American electorate takes out its frustration and anger
on the Republican Party and turns over control of Congress, not to
mention governors' mansions and majorities in several state
legislatures, to the Democrats. On a day that sees voters expressing
dissatisfaction over conduct of the war, over political corruption, and
over competency to govern, Americans cast their votes for record numbers
of pro-gun candidates, both Democrat and Republican. Many of the newly
elected office holders pledged their support of the Second Amendment
while on the campaign trail. They got elected when voters took them at
their word. Unfortunately extreme opponents of our Right to Keep and
Bear Arms have been elevated to seats of power, especially in the House
of Representatives, where Nancy Pelosi will become Speaker and John
Conyers is set to take over the powerful Judiciary Committee.
Anti-gunners will also assume the chairs of important sub-committees.
There will be battles ahead, and, with the 2008 elections on the
ever-nearing horizon, NRA members and their fellow gun owners remain
ever vigilant. We must let our representatives, both Democrat and
Republican, know one thing: we expect our Second Amendment rights to be
respected.
DECEMBER: Governor Bob Taft's (R) veto of crucial statewide preemption
legislation is overridden by the state legislature, marking the first
time in 29 years that the Ohio legislature overturns a Governor's veto.
Championed by Representative Jim Aslanides (R-94), HB 347 creates
statewide preemption ensuring that firearm laws are uniform throughout
the state. Passing statewide preemption eliminates problems for gun
owners who have been unduly burdened by local ordinances, such as the
Columbus "assault weapons" ban. In addition, this legislation corrects
a number of problems that have surfaced during the past year for
Right-to-Carry permit holders. The most common complaint for license
holders has been the "plain sight" requirement in a motor vehicle. HB
347 will eliminate this requirement.
Michigan's State Legislature passes a two-bill, NRA-backed package, to
create the state's "Emergency Powers Protection Act" (HB 6363 and HB
6364). The new laws prevent local governments from confiscating
lawfully-owned firearms during a declared state of emergency.
Michigan's bills pass overwhelmingly in the State Senate, 37-1, and
unanimously in the State House, 105-0.
New Jersey Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli declares Jersey City's
one-gun-a-month handgun rationing law null and void, holding that it
violates state preemption, equal protection, and was "arbitrary and
capricious."
FOREST SERVICE PLAN NEEDS CRUCIAL INPUT FROM SPORTSMEN
The Pike and San Isabel National Forests in Colorado are developing a
management plan to shape the kinds of uses allowed on these Forests for
the next 15 years. Seven public meetings are scheduled in January and
February to give the public an opportunity to state how they want the
Forests to be managed. The last time the management plan was updated
was in 1984, so it is likely that the new plan will incorporate some
significant changes. It is vital that sportsmen and women participate
in the process to ensure that access and opportunities for hunting and
recreational shooting are provided.
In its announcement, the Forest Service said that the principle issues
will be recreation, ranching, oil and gas development, logging, forest
thinning and off-road vehicle use. The meetings will be from 5:30 to
9:00 p.m., in the following locations:
January 17 - Leadville, National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, 120
West 9th Street
January 18 - Salida, Chaffee County Fairgrounds, 10165 County Road 120
January 30 - Denver, Clements Community Center, 1580 Yarrow Street
January 31 - Colorado Springs, La Foret Conference Center, 6145 Shoup Road
February 14 -Westcliffe, Ranchera's Roost Cafe & Bowling Alley, 25 Main
Street
February 15 - Pueblo, El Pueblo Museum, 302 N. Santa Fe Avenue
February 21 - Fairplay, Fairplay Fairbarn, 880 Bogue Street
A LOOK AT THE STATES
(***For all of the action items below, you can find contact information
for your legislators by visiting www.NRAILA.org, clicking the "Take
Action" icon, and then clicking the "Write Your Representatives" icon.
As always, thank you for your support.***)
States with updates this issue: Michigan.
MICHIGAN: The Emergency Powers Protection Act (HB6363 & HB6364),
sponsored by State Representative Scott Hummel (R-93), would establish
new laws preventing local governments from confiscating lawfully owned
firearms during a declared state of emergency, as witnessed in New
Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The bills passed overwhelmingly in
the State Senate, 37-1, and unanimously in the State House, 105-0. This
vital Second Amendment legislation is currently on the desk of Governor
Jennifer Granholm (D) awaiting her signature. Please contact Governor
Granholm today by phone at (517) 373-3400, or (517) 335-7858; by fax at
(517) 335-6863; or by e-mail at
http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21992_21995-65331--,00.html and
respectfully urge her to defend your Second Amendment rights by signing
HB6363 and HB6364.
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
