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Grassroots Alert: Vol. 13, No. 4 1/27/2006

ANTI-GUNNERS DEFEATED IN CANADIAN ELECTIONS 

On Monday, Canada's anti-gun Prime Minister Paul Martin and the ruling Liberal Party were ousted in the country's federal elections, bringing an end to the Liberal Party's 12-year reign.  The Conservative Party, under the leadership of Stephen Harper, will now take over the government's control.

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.  This registration fiasco, combined with Martin's recent call for an all-out ban on all legally-owned handguns, rallied Canada's lawful gun owners who helped turn the tide for the Conservative party.

As we've seen time and again in our own country, gun bans do nothing to reduce violent crime.  Internationally, Australia's and Great Britain's gun bans and confiscations have proven to be miserable failures, with violent crime rates escalating in the wake of their flawed programs.  Hopefully the Canadian election results (coming fast on the heels of Brazil's recent rejection of a national gun ban), will serve as a wake-up call to politicians who think they can build careers by dismantling gun owners' rights.

NRA-ILA "MIX N' MINGLES"

How often do you get the opportunity to mix n' mingle with NRA-ILA Headquarters staff and fellow NRA members in your area, to earn FREE NRA items, and to assist with the efforts of candidates seeking office in your area?  Well, in preparation for the 2006 elections, you will have the opportunity to do just that.

This election year, NRA-ILA will be hosting FREE NRA-ILA Mix N' Mingles across the country.  These events will provide NRA members with training on what they can do locally to propel candidates to victory this election season. The meetings also provide attendees the opportunity to meet and socialize with lawmakers, candidates, their staffs, NRA-ILA Headquarters staff, and fellow area NRA members--and to earn FREE NRA fraternal items like hats, pocketknives, buttons, etc.  Mix N' Mingles, including materials, food, beverages, and NRA items are FREE!

The first-ever Mix N' Mingle is scheduled for:

-San Antonio, TX--2/25/06

NRA members who have access to the Internet can go to www.nraila.org/workshops/ to reserve their seats on-line.  To forward the Mix N' Mingle invitation to fellow NRA members, including a personal message from you, please go to www.nraila.org/ecard/?ID=1NRA members are encouraged to check this website address frequently to see if any upcoming Mix N' Mingles are scheduled in their area.  NRA members may also contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) for details and to reserve their seats.

IDAHO SHOOTING RANGE UNDER ATTACK

Local anti-gunners have filed suit against the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) to stop the agency from making improvements to a public shooting range.  The opponents have asked for a permanent injunction not only to prevent IDFG from making improvements to the range, but to prevent the agency from using the property as a shooting range.

The Farragut Shooting Range was built in 1942 for the Farragut Naval Training Center in support of the war effort. The base was decommissioned after the war and came into IDFG ownership in 1950, and has been in continuous use as a public range since that time. The range has hosted state championship competitions, international handgun metallic silhouette competitions, cowboy action events, hunter education classes, hunter sight-in days, youth and ladies shooting clinics, and individual shooters.

The agency's plan is to make long-needed improvements, but not to expand the range as the opponents claim.  The opponents contend that there is no local support for the range.

IDFG NEEDS YOUR HELP, especially from state residents, and those living in the Spokane, Wash.- area.  Letters of support should be addressed to David Leptich, Regional Wildlife Habitat Biologist, 2750 Kathleen Avenue, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83815.  Mr. Leptich's e-mail address is:  [email protected].

IDFG needs to hear from both individual shooters and organized shooters who can have one of their officers write a letter, reference the size of their membership, and voice support for the project.

D.C. PERSONAL PROTECTION ACT-- A TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY

As we continue to note, one of NRA-ILA's top legislative priorities in Congress continues to be the passage of S. 1082 and H.R. 1288--the Senate and House versions of the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act."  This legislation seeks to restore the constitutionally-guaranteed Second Amendment rights of the residents of the District of Columbia.

The need for this corrective legislation is obvious.  Since 1977, the District has banned the possession of all handguns not acquired and registered before that year.  D.C. law also prohibits keeping an assembled rifle or shotgun in the home, effectively outlawing the use of firearms for lawful self-defense.  And despite these Draconian gun control laws, Washington, D.C., consistently has one of the highest homicide rates in the nation.

Please be sure to contact your U.S. Senators and Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 1082 and H.R. 1288.

For a list of Senate cosponsors, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01082:@@@P

For a list of House cosponsors, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01288:@@@P.

You can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, or your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121.

A LOOK AT THE STATES

(****For all of the action items below, you can find contact information for your legislators by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org.  As always, thank you for your support.****)

ALABAMA
This Tuesday, January 31, the Alabama House of Representatives will be voting on House Bill 1 (Hall-D), the "Castle Doctrine."  HB 1 simply says that if a criminal breaks into your home, your occupied vehicle, or your place of business, you may presume he is there to do bodily harm and you may use any force against him, thereby removing your "duty to retreat."  Furthermore, this law would provide protection from criminal prosecution and civil litigation for those who defend themselves from criminal attack.  Your Representative needs to hear from you before the vote is taken.  Please contact your legislator on Monday or Tuesday and tell him or her that you strongly support HB 1, the "Castle Doctrine."  You can find contact information for your Representative by calling the Alabama House of Representatives switchboard at (334) 242-7600.  Please be sure to make this important phone call and let your voice be heard!

GEORGIA
On Tuesday, January 31, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on SB 396 (Goggans, R-7), the "Castle Doctrine."  SB 396 simply says that if a criminal breaks into your home, your occupied vehicle, or your place of business, you may presume he is there to do bodily harm and you may use any force against him, thereby removing your "duty to retreat."  Furthermore, this law would provide protection from criminal prosecution and civil litigation for those who defend themselves from criminal attack.  Your Senator needs to hear from you as this important piece of legislation is being considered.  Please contact your legislator and tell him or her that you strongly support SB 396, the "Castle Doctrine."  You can find contact information for your Senator by calling the Georgia Senate switchboard at (404) 656-5040.  Please be sure to make this important phone call and let your voice be heard!

HAWAII
A coalition of law enforcement groups has proposed the language written in SB 2579--a ban on the sale and possession of .50 caliber rifles and ammunition.  As you know, these rifles are used for sporting purposes, but have been demonized in the press and by anti-gun groups looking for the next gun control scheme.  SB 2579 is an outright ban that, if signed, will take effect immediately.  Owners of the affected firearms would have to remove the firearm from the state, surrender it to law enforcement, or have it destroyed.  It is vital that NRA members and friends in the pro-gun community call their state legislators at (808) 587-0666 and ask them to oppose this proposed gun ban BEFORE it gets a hearing.

ILLINOIS
House Bill 2414, which seeks to ban certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, as well as .50 caliber rifles commonly used for hunting, is still awaiting a vote on the House floor. This vote could take place at any time.  After failing to be brought up for a vote last year, HB 2414 is still going through several revisions in an effort to attract lawmakers who have mixed voting records on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  Technical modifications have been made to give the appearance of "watering down" the bill, but the primary legislative goal of banning the future manufacture and transfer of current firearms remains unchanged.  Please contact your State Representative immediately and ask him or her to oppose this latest version of HB 2414!  HB 2414 will be voted on soon, so contact your Illinois lawmakers at (217) 782-8223.

INDIANA
On Wednesday, January 25, the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee passed HB 1028, sponsored by Representative Eric Koch (R-65), by an overwhelming vote of 7-1.  HB 1028 will protect your right to have a lawfully possessed firearm in a locked motor vehicle, as well as to codify that Indiana residents do not have a "duty to retreat" from an attacker.  This important self-defense legislation will be heard soon on the House floor.  It is critical that you contact your State Representative at (800) 382-9842 and urge him or her to support HB 1028!  Also, we would like to thank Representative Koch for his leadership on this bill, as well as those committee members who voted in favor of HB 1028:  Chairman, Representative Bill Ruppel (R-22), Vice Chair, Representative Billy Bright (R-69), and Representatives Dick Dodge (R-51), Suzanne Crouch (R-78), Cleo Duncan (R-67), Vern Tincher (D-46), and Bob Bischoff  (D-68).

KANSAS
Help make Right-To-Carry a reality in Kansas!  Senate Bill 418, "The Personal and Family Protection Act" will be heard before the Senate Federal & State Affairs Committee on Thursday, February 2.  If your Senator is included in the following list they are a member of this committee and need to hear from you.  Please contact him or her at (785) 296-2456 and urge them to approve passage of this important legislation without amendments.  District 24-Senator Pete Brungardt (R), Chairman (785 ) 296-7390; District 22-Senator Roger Reitz  (R), Vice-Chair (785) 296-7360; District 5-Senator Mark Gilstrap (D), Ranking Minority (785) 296-7357; District 9-Senator Kay O'Connor (R), (785) 296-7382; District 11-Senator John Vratil (R),  (785) 296-7361; District 19-Senator Anthony Hensley  (D), (785) 296-3245; District 23-Senator Karin Brownlee (R), (785) 296-7358; District 37-Senator Dennis Wilson (R),  (785) 296-7383; District 40-Senator Ralph Ostmeyer (R), (785) 296-7399.

MISSISSIPPI
This week, the Mississippi House Judiciary B Committee approved HB 1141, an NRA-backed measure sponsored by Representative Warner McBride (D-10), which would allow the owner of a property that has been annexed by a county or municipality to continue hunting on certain-sized tracts of land even if the city has a ban on the discharge of firearms.  HB 1141 also contains a provision which would prohibit New Orleans-style gun confiscations from law-abiding citizens during a future state of emergency or natural disaster.  Also this week, the House Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Committee approved HB 978, the NRA-backed No-Net-Loss bill, also sponsored by Representative McBride, which requires the opening of compensatory huntable state-owned land if an area is closed to hunting.  These bills could be voted on by the full House within the next week.  Please call and e-mail your State Representative and urge him or her to support HB 978 and HB 1141.  Please go to www.mississippi.gov and click on "State Legislature" to find contact information for your House member.

NEW YORK
Several new bills were introduced in Albany this week, including S 6513, which would expand rifle hunting into Chautauqua county, A 9682, which would hold gun manufacturers liable for injuries or deaths of state employees, and A 9640  (same as S 2122), which would potentially outlaw all handguns not equipped with so-called "smart" gun technology.  Please contact your lawmakers and urge them to SUPPORT S 6513 and OPPOSE A 9682 and A 9640/S 2122.  Also, when contacting your senators, be sure to remind them to oppose Speaker Silver's anti-gun package, which moved to the Senate a few weeks ago.  Senators can be reached at (518) 455-2800 and Assemblymembers are available at (518) 455-4100.  A listing and descriptions of those bills can be found on our website at www.nraila.org/CurrentLegislation.

OHIO
The House Criminal Justice Committee will be holding a hearing for OPPONENT testimony on House Bill 347 introduced by Representative Jim Aslanides (R-94).  This legislative proposal addresses several problems associated with the enactment of House Bill 12, "Right-to-Carry" legislation, which became law in 2004.  This proposal would streamline an already successful law, bringing clarity for Ohioans and law enforcement alike.  This important piece of legislation would do the following:  (1) create a clear definition of  "plain sight" in a motor vehicle; (2) allow for off-duty law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (a.k.a 24/7 provision); (3) create statewide preemption for the regulation of firearms and ammunition, therefore avoiding the patchwork of laws currently on the books in Ohio; and (4) further prohibit journalists from abusing the open records law.  The Hearing is scheduled for January 31, at 2:30 P.M. in Room 121.  This bill hearing will surely bring out all of the anti-gun organizations in the state. Please plan on attending to show your support for HB 347.  If you're unable to attend, please contact the House Criminal Justice Committee during normal business hours by calling Chairman Bob Latta (R-06) at (614) 466-8104.

SOUTH DAKOTA
House Bill 1134 ("A Citizens Right to Self-Defense"), is modeled after Florida's "Castle Doctrine," and successfully passed the House Judiciary Committee today, Friday January 27.  This important legislation is now scheduled to be heard on the House floor this coming Tuesday, January 31.  Please contact your Representative at (605) 773-3851 and ask him or her to support HB 1134.

VIRGINIA
On Thursday, January 26, at 5:00 p.m., the Virginia House Militia, Police, and Public Safety subcommittee met and heard two extremely important pro-gun bills:  House Bill 704 and House Bill 1265, sponsored by Delegate Clarke Hogan (R-60) and Delegate Bill Janis (R-56), respectively.  HB 704 seeks to further enhance Virginia's preemption statute by prohibiting counties from regulating hunting and the discharge of firearms.  HB 1265 would prohibit any government authority from limiting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms during a declared "State of Emergency."  These measures are likely to move swiftly through committee, so please contact your Delegate at (804) 698-1500 and ask him or her to support both of these strong pro-Second Amendment bills on the House floor!  To further comment on these NRA-backed bills please call the "constituent viewpoint" line at (800) 889-0229. 

WASHINGTON
State Senator Mary Margaret Haugen (D-10) has introduced two Draconian anti-hunting measures in Olympia.  SB 6598 would shut down hunting in Island County, and SB 6616 would ban hunting within one mile of a school.  Senator Haugen does not like hunting and does not like hunters.  Please call Senator Haugen at (360) 786-7618 and ask her to withdraw these punitive anti-hunting measures.  In addition, Senate Bill 5343, a bill that prohibits non-licensed individuals from buying, selling or trading firearms from their private collections at gun shows without conducting the exchange through a licensed firearm dealer, was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.  Although more than 100 NRA members and firearm owners turned out to voice their opposition to this bill, a handful of uniformed police chiefs have some committee members searching for a compromise.  The proponents of SB 5343, including Washington Ceasefire and The Brady Campaign, made it very clear that restricting private transactions at gun shows is the first step in their plan to restrict ALL private transactions of firearms in the State of Washington.  The President of Washington Ceasefire also used this hearing to make a very emotional appeal for a ban on semiautomatic firearms and .50 caliber rifles.  These people are extremists and their agenda is clear.  Law-abiding firearm owners must stop this bill or it will be the proverbial "first step."  Aside from the horrible precedent Senate Bill 5343 would set, the bill would expand the registration database in Washington.  Under existing law, all dealer handgun sales are recorded with the Department of Licensing (DOL) which maintains a database of Washington handgun owners.  Any additional private sales that would be brokered through dealers under the provisions of this bill would also be registered with DOL.  Further, SB 5343 establishes state fees (in effect, a GUN TAX) for the background checks and, of course, dealers would charge an additional fee for the time and effort it takes them to facilitate transactions.  The worst part is that all this bureaucracy would be created with virtually NO benefit, since the vast majority of criminals get their guns from sources other than gun shows.  Law enforcement resources would be diverted from going after real criminals and the black market to doing background checks on law-abiding firearm owners.  It is critical that every concerned firearm owner contact their Senator and the members of the Judiciary Committee.  Urge them to OPPOSE Senate Bill 5343 and ANY restriction on private firearm transactions!!  Messages for legislators can be left on the toll-free Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000.  It is especially important for firearm owners in Senate Districts 2 (Senator Marilyn Rasmussen) and 48 (Senator Luke Esser) to contact your Senators!  Senator Rasmussen (D-2) represents a rural, pro-gun district.  However, she is considering the "compromise" mentioned earlier in this alert.  If you live in the 2nd Senate District, please be sure to contact Senator Rasmussen at (360) 786-7602 and tell her there is no workable compromise.  The ONLY alternative is to defeat any restrictions on private firearm transactions!  Senator Esser (R-48), on the other hand, represents a very moderate, swing, suburban district.  He shares our philosophy that these kinds of restrictions will only impact law-abiding citizens.  But he needs to hear from firearm owners in the 48th Senate District.  Thank him for always standing up for the rights of law-abiding citizens and urge him to hold the line against this horrible bill!  You can reach Senator Esser at (360) 786-7694. 

WISCONSIN
On January 26, the Wisconsin State Senate voted 23-10 to override the Governor's veto of the Personal Protection Act (PPA). The bill now moves to the Assembly for an override vote that is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31.  In support of the PPA, please attend Tuesday's vote at 10:00 a.m., on the 3rd floor of the West Wing at the capitol.  Please also contact your State Representative reminding him or her to continue their support of the PPA by voting to override the Governor's veto on Tuesday, January 31.  Representatives can be reached at (800) 362-9472.  Additionally, The future of hunting in Wisconsin is in serious jeopardy.  For every 100 hunters lost due to old age or other factors, only 53 replace them.  The primary reason for Wisconsin's declining hunter recruitment rate is the current minimum hunting age.  Many kids have already developed other interests by the time they turn 12.  Assembly Bill 586, also known as the "Hunter Mentoring Bill," has been introduced to provide parents more discretion with regard to deciding when their children are mature enough to hunt. Thirty states have passed similar legislation.  Please call your State Senator at (800) 362-9472 and respectfully ask him or her to support AB 586, the "Hunter Mentoring Bill."

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.