Maine: Self-Defense Legislation to be Heard in Committee This Week

On Thursday, April 13, the Joint Education and Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss Legislative Document 988.  Sponsored by state Senator Garrett Mason (R-SD22), LD 988 would provide an important exemption for the possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle on public school property, or the property of an approved private school, while dropping off, or picking up, a student.  This legislation would protect law-abiding gun owners from inadvertently violating the law while dropping-off and picking-up their children from school.

Please consider attending this public hearing to show your support for LD 988!  Hearing details can be found below.  Also, please click the “Take Action” button to urge the members of the Joint Education and Cultural Affairs Committee to support LD 988!

Joint Education and Cultural Affairs Committee
Thursday, April 13; 1:00pm
Room 202, Cross Building
100 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Currently, in order to pick up your child and comply with the law you have two options: store the firearm in the car outside a perimeter of 500 feet from school property or leave your firearms at home; choices not very compatible for gun owners. 

This has been a reoccurring problem in Maine.  By creating an arbitrary boundary, parents who drop-off, and pick-up, their children on their way to and from work, or on their way to run errands where it legal to carry their firearms, are being deprived of their fundamental right to self-defense.  Parents should not be turned into criminals because they choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights while transporting their children to and from school. 

Again, please attend this public hearing to voice your support for LD 988 and click the “Take Action” button above to contact the committee members and urge them to support LD 988!