At the close of the last business day before House Bill 2 was to take effect, representatives from Hinds County law enforcement and anti-gun state lawmakers (some of whom voted for this measure -- twice!) filed a motion for a temporary restraining order with the Hinds County Circuit Court to block the new law from taking effect, and they were granted that motion by Judge Winston Kidd. Their arguments were reduced to slanted statistics, hysterical predictions of lawlessness and chaos, and a far-out claim that the definition of “concealed” in the bill was unconstitutionally vague. In fact, the whole purpose of House Bill 2 was to more clearly define the term “concealed” as it applies to the carrying of firearms under Mississippi law. A copy of the motion requesting the TRO can be found here.
Judge Kidd has scheduled a hearing on the merits of the case for Monday, July 8.
In the meantime, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's office filed an extremely well-written brief with the Mississippi Supreme Court yesterday petitioning the Justices to vacate the order of the Hinds County Circuit Court and allow HB 2 to take effect. A copy of this petition can be found here. Justice Michael Randolph ordered the opponents of HB 2 to respond to that petition by 5:00pm yesterday.
We will keep you posted on any action taken by the Mississippi Supreme Court in advance of the July 8 hearing scheduled in Hinds County.
The sponsors of House Bill 2 have been busy defending the new law in the press and at the state Capitol. State Representative Andy Gipson (R-77) held a press conference in Jackson yesterday where he provided copies of the Attorney General’s petition that dismantles the plaintiff’s weak claims against the new law, and state Senator Giles Ward (R-18) issued this press release yesterday afternoon pointing out the hypocrisy of certain plaintiffs, who were in favor of the bill before they were against it.
More Like This From Around The NRA
