States with updates this issue (click state to be routed directly to story): Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming.
HOUSE HEARS CONCERNS ABOUT RICHMOND GUN SHOW
On Wednesday, February 15, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security heard testimony from individuals affected by heavy-handed enforcement tactics of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) at a gun show in Richmond, Virginia last August.
According to the gun show organizer, Annette Gelles of Showmasters, dozens of BATFE and local law enforcement officers intrusively questioned dealers and customers, tried to discourage people from buying guns, and stopped show attendees on the roads after they left. In some cases, customers’ lawfully purchased guns were confiscated, and returned only when the customers visited BATFE’s office for more questioning. In other cases, local police officers visited gun buyers’ homes to conduct “residency checks”—intrusive questioning of family members and even neighbors.
One show visitor, James Lalime, a private citizen who sometimes works for a dealer at the local gun shows, testified that he was interrogated by BATFE and other law enforcement personnel who accused him of dealing in firearms without a license. John White, a show exhibitor, licensed dealer, and former police officer, testified that he appreciates law enforcement officials’ efforts to prevent illegal sales, but that enforcement activities went too far—especially in focusing on buyers who were women or members of minority groups. Suzanne McComas, an investigator for NRA-ILA, also testified and provided sworn affidavits from individuals who were singled out for BATFE attention, apparently on the basis of race or sex.
The subcommittee members were upset with what they heard. Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-NC) questioned whether the operations were “a proper allocation of resources,” and suggested that “49 law enforcement officers could have found a better way to curb criminal activity in the Richmond area.” Over the next few months, the same subcommittee expects to hold additional oversight hearings on this and other BATFE activities, including both citizen witnesses and BATFE officials. Watch the Grassroots Alert for more details as they’re available.
If you missed Wednesday’s hearing, you can view it in its entirety at http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=214
NATIONAL RIGHT-TO-CARRY RECIPROCITY BILL INTRODUCED
U.S. Representative Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) recently introduced H.R. 4547—a national Right-to-Carry (RTC) reciprocity bill that would provide national reciprocity for state carry licensees. The bill would allow any person with a valid carry permit or license issued by a state to carry a concealed firearm in any other state if they meet certain criteria. The bill would not create a federal licensing system; it would simply require the states to recognize each other’s carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses.
For more information on the bill, please visit www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=189.
Please be sure to contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 4547!
DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY
Good news! Once again, you have chance to own a piece of political history, straight from the closely fought 2004 presidential campaign! Due to the high demand for the “That Dog Don’t Hunt” banner described in last week’s Grassroots Alert, another banner is being offered on E-Bay.
This distinctive NRA banner, measuring eight feet long and four feet high, crisscrossed the battleground states in the final weeks of the contest, and was a significant part of NRA’s 2004 election strategy. Displayed at NRA rallies and gun shows, the banner sent a simple but effective message: Despite his attempt to pander to sportsmen, John Kerry has a 20-year record of hostility toward the Second Amendment. These NRA rallies were crucial in turning out enough voters to give President Bush victories in pivotal battleground states such as Ohio and West Virginia.
The banner is in very good condition and¾whether sought after by a gun owner, political memorabilia collector, or someone hoping to educate others on truly effective political communications¾represents a valuable piece of political history.
NRA-ILA Executive Director and NRA Political Victory Fund chairman Chris W. Cox has signed the banner.
The auction ends February 25. If you’d like to own this banner, please visit http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:11&item=7744848145 and place your bid.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN MILWAUKEE!
Once again NRA is seeking volunteers to help at the 2006 NRA Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, May 17-21. To a large degree, the success of each year’s NRA Annual Meeting is dependent on the contributions of our volunteers. And you can be a part of that successful effort this year!
A number of volunteers are needed to help with set-up on Wednesday and Thursday, May 17 and 18, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During the actual exhibit and meetings Friday and Saturday, volunteers will work in the NRA Store, at our Membership Services Booth and at the Airgun Range. There are a number of additional volunteer opportunities as well.
To volunteer or for more information, visit any of NRA’s web sites or the Annual Meeting site (www.nraam.org), or contact NRA Field Representative, Scott Taetsch, at (262) 392-2716, or Dennis Eggers, Central Region Director, at (270) 522-0909. Their respective e-mail addresses are: [email protected] and [email protected].
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 murder 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.***)
States with updates this issue (click state to be routed directly to story): Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming.
SB 1425, “Emergency Powers Protection” sponsored by Senator Dean Martin (R-6), passed the Senate Government Committee by a vote of 5-2. Please contact your State Senator and ask him or her to support SB 1425, as it is headed to the Senate Floor. HB 2076, “Government Storage Clarification,” sponsored by Representative Chuck Gray (R-19), passed the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 6-3. This legislation will compel state and local governments to comply with the 2000 statutory requirement to store firearms for citizens when they prohibit firearm possession on their property. Many government entities have refused to comply with this requirement. Please contact both your State Representatives and encourage them to pass HB 2076. SB 1145, the “Castle Doctrine,” sponsored by Senator Timothy Bee (R-30), passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 7-1. Most importantly, the amendment to return the “Burden of Proof” in state self-defense cases was adopted. This amendment corrects the current “guilty-until-you-prove-your-innocence” standard in state self-defense cases. Arizona is one of only two states in the country that places the burden of proof in self-defense cases on the citizen instead of the state. This is simply wrong and must be corrected this year before more abuses occur! Please contact your State Senator and ask him or her to support SB 1145 with the "Burden of Proof" Amendment, on the Senate Floor. Members of the Arizona State Legislature can be reached by calling (602) 926-4221, for the State House, or (602) 926-3559, for the State Senate. HB 2074, “Elimination of CCW Permit Refresher Training,” sponsored by Representative Chuck Gray (R-19), will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday at 1:30 p.m. Please contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to support HB 2074. To find contact information, please visit: www.arizonasenate.org/pages/judiciary.htm
IDAHO
State Representative Bill Sali (R-21) and State Senator Gerry Sweet (R-20) are sponsoring several pieces of NRA-supported legislation: SB 1401, which amends existing emergency powers law to provide that no restrictions shall be imposed on lawful uses of firearms or ammunition during a state of emergency. Please contact the members of the Senate State Affairs committee and ask them to vote in support of SB 1401 when it comes up for a full hearing. SB 1402 will amend existing law to revise provisions applicable to the issuance of a license to carry concealed firearms. Please contact members of the Senate Judiciary and Rules committee and ask them to vote in support of SB 1402 when it comes up for a full hearing. HB 686 adds to existing law an exemption from sales tax for certain fees and membership dues related to nonprofit hunting or shooting sports organizations. Please contact members of the House Revenue and Taxation committee and ask them to vote in support of HB 686 when it comes up for a full hearing. You can find contact information for all Senate and House Committees at: http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/howtocontactlegislators.htm. To contact State Legislators in support of all NRA-backed measures, please call (208) 332-1000, or toll free at (800) 626-0471, for people outside the Boise area.
ILLINOIS
Anti-gun legislation continues to pose a threat in the General Assembly. Both HB 4693, a handgun dealer licensing bill, and HB 4694, a mandatory storage bill, passed out of the Human Services Committee and are awaiting action by the full House of Representatives. Anti-gun legislators continue their frantic attempts to build up support for HB 2414, which seeks to ban certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, as well as .50 cal. rifles. The latest attempt, Amendment 7, indicates how poorly worded this bill is, as well as how confused anti-gun lawmakers are when it comes to firearms. Proponents of HB 2414 felt this new language was necessary in order to exempt air rifles from the scope of the bill. Please continue to contact representatives and urge them to oppose HB 2414, HB 4693, and HB 4694. (For more details on these bills, please refer to previous Grassroots Alerts). On the pro-gun side, please keep contacting representatives and urge them to support HB 4529, sponsored by Representative John E. Bradley (D-117), which would allow FOID card applicants to sue the Illinois State Police if that agency fails to act on applications within the 30-day time period mandated by state law. While there are other anti-gun and pro-gun bills that have been introduced¾including SB 2963, Senator Bill Brady’s (R-44) pro-gun reform that seeks to repeal the FOID card system¾most remain bogged down and relatively inactive. Please contact your State Legislators and ask them to support HB 4529. State Senators can be reached at (217) 782-5715 and State Representatives can be reached at (217) 782-8223.
KENTUCKY
After defeating amendments proposed by anti-gun legislators, HB 290, the “Gun Owner Protection Act,” sponsored by Representative Robert Damron (D-39), passed the full House by a vote of 89-7. This critical legislation ensures the names of concealed firearm license holders are not released to the public. It allows law-abiding citizens to keep lawfully-transported firearms locked in their personal vehicles while parked on company property. HB 290 also prohibits government officials from regulating lawful firearm ownership during a state of emergency. An NRA-backed amendment was adopted allowing concealed firearm license holders to use their license as a substitute for the background check on gun purchases, as it is done in 19 other states. This important legislation now moves to the Senate. Please contact your State Senators and ask them to support HB 290, the “Gun Owner Protection Act.” HB 236, “Castle Doctrine” legislation, sponsored by Representative J.R. Gray (D-6), is scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 22. Please contact your State Representative and ask him or her to support HB 236, as introduced. At least two anti-gun amendments are being proposed that are intended to defeat this important self-defense legislation. SB 12, “School Property Posting” legislation, sponsored by Senator Katie Kratz Stein (R-24), should receive a full Senate vote next week. This bill prohibits the prosecution of gun owners who unknowingly wander onto property owned by a public or private school if it is not properly posted pursuant to current law, which requires the posting of school property. However, if a school ignores this legal requirement, gun owners may still be prosecuted for a felony offense when possessing a firearm on the property. Please contact your Senator and ask him or her to vote to support SB 12 and oppose all amendments. All members of the Kentucky General Assembly can be reached at (502) 564-8100.
NEW YORK
Special elections will be held on Tuesday, February 28. Voter turnout is expected to be low, and NRA members are encouraged to head to the polls and vote for those candidates who support our Second Amendment rights. For NRA-PVF endorsement information, NRA members are encouraged to call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683). Further information will be posted soon to the NRA-PVF website at www.NRAPVF.org. Be sure to “Vote Freedom First!” on Tuesday, February 28!
SOUTH DAKOTA
HB 1134,“Citizens Right to Self-Defense” legislation sponsored by Alan Hanks (R-32), was signed by Governor Mike Rounds (R) Friday, February 17. This important legislation removes the “duty to retreat” when a citizen is faced with attack in a place that he or she has a right to be. This ensures that an individual whose home is being broken into has no duty to retreat before using deadly force.
TEXAS
Texas will hold primary elections on Tuesday, March 7. NRA members are encouraged to head to the polls and vote for those candidates who support our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Please be sure to encourage your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same. You can vote early between February 21-March 3. For a list of early voting locations in your area, please contact your county election official. Please visit www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml for county election official contact information. For NRA-PVF endorsement information, NRA members are encouraged to call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683). Further information will be posted soon to the NRA-PVF website at www.NRAPVF.org. Be sure to “Vote Freedom First!” on Tuesday, March 7!
WYOMING
NRA supported legislation, HB 46, the “No Duty to Retreat/Castle Doctrine” measure sponsored by Representative Steve Watt (R-17), and HB 78, the Alaska-style concealed carry reform measure sponsored by Representative Becket Hinckley (R-41), needs your support to pass the Senate. Anti-gun legislators and the Brady Campaign have targeted these bills for defeat in the Senate. Due to the short length of the Budget Session, it is vital that gun-owners contact their Senators, most notably Senate President Grant Larson (R-17) and Majority Floor Leader John Schiffer (R-22). Both are instrumental in determining if these measures will receive the two-thirds vote needed to pass the Senate. Please contact all members of the Senate in support of HB 46 and HB 78. You can call the Voter Hotline at (866) 996-8683. (Cheyenne residents call (307) 777-8683), or e-mail your legislator via the Wyoming Legislative website at: http://legisweb.state.wy.us .)
