On Monday, LD 1603 was voted “ought to pass” as amended by an 8 to 5 vote by the Maine Joint Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. LD 1603 will now go to the House floor for consideration.
Big business lobbyists are waging an aggressive campaign to defeat LD 1603. This legislation would protect the right of a state employee, who has a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm, to keep a firearm in his or her private vehicle for self-defense, hunting, or target shooting before or after work. The employee’s vehicle must be locked and the firearm cannot be visible. Businesses have no legitimate interest in micromanaging the lawful contents of one’s private vehicle.
The following state legislators supported LD 1603 in committee: Senator Garrett Mason (R), Senator Rodney Whittemore (R), Representative Gary Plummer (R), Representative David Burns (R), Representative Stephen Hanley (D), Representative Ricky Long (R), Representative Susan Morissette (R) and Representative Deborah Sanderson (R).
The following state legislators voted against LD 1603 in committee: Senator Stan Gerzofsky (D), Representative Anne Haskell (D), Representative Michel Lajoie (D), Representative Anna Blodgett (D) and Representative Michael Clarke (D).
Legislative Document 1603, introduced by state Representative Dale Crafts (R-104), would prohibit the state from banning a state employee, who has a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm, from keeping a firearm in his or her vehicle on state property as long as the vehicle is locked and the firearm is not visible.
LD 1603 needs your help, so please call AND e-mail your state Representative today and urge him or her to support LD 1603 when it comes to the House floor for a vote. Contact information for your state Representative can be found here.
In other committee business, LD 1728 was voted “ought not to pass” by an 8 to 4 vote. No further action is needed at this time.
Legislative Document 1728, introduced by state Representative Gary Plummer (R- 11), would prohibit Maine’s concealed carry issuing authorities from approving a Maine non-resident permit if the non-resident applicant is from a state whose laws on such permits are substantially equivalent to or less restrictive than Maine law. This bill would also prohibit the issuing of a Maine non-resident carry permit if the non-resident applicant has already been denied a concealed carry permit in his or her current state of residency.
More Like This From Around The NRA
