Maine Action Needed: Pro-Gun Bills Still Pending in Final Weeks of Session

With only a few weeks left in the 2017 legislative session, several important pro-gun bills are still pending action in the Maine Legislature.  Additionally, there is one anti-gun bill, Legislative Document 351, pending action as well.  The Legislature could debate these bills at any time this week. 

Please contact your state Representative and state Senator and urge them to support the following pro-gun bills and oppose anti-gun LD 351!

Pro-Gun: 

Legislative Document 9, sponsored by state Representative Patrick Corey (R-25), would prohibit a government agency or political subdivision of Maine from keeping a list or registry of privately owned firearms, or a list or registry of the owners of those firearms.  While federal law prohibits a universal national gun registry, there are eight states which prohibit state-level gun registries as well.  If LD 9 is enacted, Maine would be the ninth state to prohibit a state-level gun registry.

Legislative Document 31, sponsored by state Representative Eleanor Espling (R-65), addresses problems and concerns with the state’s current “Citizen Initiative” process.  This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Maine to require that the signatures on a petition consist of voters from each of the State's two congressional districts, and the number of signatures from each congressional district be not less than 10% of the total vote for governor cast in that congressional district in the previous gubernatorial election. 

For more than a decade, Maine’s ballot initiative process has transitioned into a gross disproportional representation of the citizens across the state.  Almost without exception, an overwhelming majority of the signatures collected to qualify an initiative have been collected from the First Congressional District, mostly urban areas in Southern Maine, putting gun owners at a great disadvantage.  LD 31 would correct this problem and restore the integrity of the initiative qualifying system, making it difficult for out-of-state gun control advocates like Bloomberg to push their misguided agendas and buy their way onto the ballot.

Legislative Document 988, sponsored by state Senator Garrett Mason (R-22), 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.  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.  Parents should not be turned into criminals because they choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights while transporting their children to and from school. 

Legislative Document 1370, sponsored by state Representative Richard Cebra (R-68), would establish that colleges and universities in Maine cannot create policies to regulate or prohibit the lawful possession, carrying or transporting of firearms or ammunition.  Under LD 1370, gun owners would still be prohibited from carrying in student dormitories or residence halls, and also at public entertainment facilities where signs are posted at each entrance notifying attendees of any firearm restrictions during games and events.

Anti-Gun:

Legislative Document 351, sponsored by state Representative John Spear (D-92), is an anti-gun bill that would allow municipalities to prohibit firearm owners from carrying during municipal public proceedings and in polling places.  Infringing upon your Right to Keep and Bear Arms at municipal proceedings and polling places would be a foot in the door for gun control advocates.  LD 351 would be the first step in eliminating Maine’s current firearms preemption law and allowing municipalities to create overbearing and burdensome gun control regulations.

Once again, please contact your state Representative and state Senator and urge them to support the pro-gun bills and oppose LD 351!