ANTI-GUN SENATOR DOES BLOOMBERG’S BIDDING—
Yanks Tiahrt Amendment From Appropriations Bill
Anti-gun Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, announced she will not include the Tiahrt Amendment in the CJS appropriations bill. In doing so, Mikulski will defy the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) and the Fraternal Order of Police—supporters of the Amendment—and instead chose to do the bidding of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R). While a temporary setback, that is not the final step in the Senate process.
Brady (Disinformation) Campaign Begins Against Parker v. D.C.
Parker v. D.C. may be headed for the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Brady Campaign is worried. In the case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declared that the right to arms is an individual right, not limited to active-duty members of the militia, and that D.C.’s bans on handguns, and on having guns assembled and loaded at home, violate the Second Amendment.
The announcement by D.C. city officials that they are considering appealing to the Court has sent the Brady Campaign into panic mode. Brady president, Paul Helmke, blurted out that “The D.C. law is an easy one to shoot at. Factually, it’s a tougher one to get behind and defend. Why is this the one we’re going to be taking up to the Supremes?”
(STATE ROUNDUP) (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ALABAMA:Political Games Halt Pro-Gun Advances in Alabama Due to unforeseen political quarrels, Senate Bill 370 and House Bill 598 were not heard as the Alabama State Legislature closed its session yesterday, Thursday, June 7. These bills would have protected our Second Amendment rights by prohibiting any government agency from confiscating or regulating the lawful sale, possession, transfer, transport and carry of firearms during a state of emergency. We look forward to pushing these bills again in the 2008 Legislative Session. We would like to thank everyone who contacted his or her legislators in support of this bill.
ARIZONA: Help Clean Up the Ironwood Forest National Monument on Saturday, June 16! A clean up of about 25 shooting sights within the Ironwood Forest National Monument will be held Saturday, June 16 from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. As you may be aware, Ironwood is at the center of controversy over the Bureau's proposal to close all 128,000 acres of the Monument to target shooting. One of the reasons given for the proposed closure is the amount of litter left at these sites by people illegally dumping or target and other debris left behind by some shooters. Sportsmen-volunteers will be the best way to demonstrate the importance of keeping Ironwood open to recreational shooting.
CALIFORNIA: California Lead Ammunition Ban Pulled from Committee Schedule! The Senate Natural Resources Committee was scheduled to hear Assembly Bill 821 on Tuesday, June 12 but recently pulled the bill from the committee’s schedule. However, AB821 could still be heard at any of the subsequent committee hearings. This legislation would ban the use of lead ammunition for hunting in various hunting zones around the state that incorporate condor range. A lead ammunition ban will have disastrous affects on our hunting heritage in California. Please contact the members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee today and respectfully urge them to protect California’s rich hunting tradition by opposing AB821. For contact information for the Senate Natural Resources Committee, please click here.
Golden State Anti-Gun, Anti-Hunting Restrictions Heading to Senate! Two anti-gun, anti-hunting pieces of legislation were passed off of the Assembly floor and sent to the Senate for consideration on Wednesday, June 6. Assembly Bill 362, a bill that would require identification be presented for all mail order and face-to-face ammunition sales, passed by a vote of 41-31. Also, passing the Assembly this week was AB1634 which would mandate that every dog older than four months to be spayed or neutered. Please contact your State Senator today and respectfully urge him or her to oppose AB362 and AB1634. Also, don’t forget to continue contacting your Senator about AB821 and AB1471. Contact information for your State Senator can be found by clicking here.
Sacramento City Council Considering Anti-Gun Ordinances! The Sacramento City Council could vote any day on two anti-gun ordinances. The first ordinance would require that the purchaser of ammunition be subject to unnecessary forms, fingerprinting, and a background check for each and every retail purchase. The second ordinance would dictate that a lost or stolen firearm must be reported to law enforcement within 48-hours of the discovery. Please contact Mayor Heather Fargo and the Sacramento City Council and respectfully urge them to oppose these unwarranted anti-gun measures. For contact information for the Mayor and the City Council, please click here.
CONNECTICUT: “Lost or Stolen” Firearms Bill Becomes Reality in Connecticut! Unfortunately, after four years of successfully keeping the “lost or stolen” firearms bill from becoming law in Connecticut, the State House caved into anti-gun rhetoric and passed Senate Bill 938. SB 938 will make it a crime to fail to report the loss or theft of a handgun to police within 72 hours of when you “discover or should have discovered” it missing. This law will also trigger two more investigations to determine whether or not you “should have discovered” the missing handgun and whether or not you are a “gun trafficker.” Please take the time to contact those Legislators who voted “ Yes” to turning crime victims into criminals and voice your strong disappointment in their support for this bill. Legislators can be reached at (860) 240-0100 or for help identifying your Legislator and further contact information please click here.
DELAWARE: Delaware “Emergency Powers” Bill Heads to Senate Floor! House Bill 175 would protect our Second Amendment rights by prohibiting any government agency from confiscating or regulating the lawful sale, possession, transfer, transport and carry of firearms during a state of emergency. Please contact your State Senator at (302) 744-4286 and ask him or her to defend your Second Amendment rights by supporting HB175.
Committee Hearing Scheduled for Legislation to Allow Hunting with Handguns! Senate Bill 93, legislation that will allow hunters to hunt with a handgun instead of a shotgun or muzzle-loading rifle during the regular shotgun and muzzle-loader seasons, has been scheduled for a hearing in the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, June 12. Please contact the members of the committee today and ask them to support SB 93. For contact information, please click here.
FLORIDA: Florida: Palm Beach County Meeting on a Public Shooting Park! The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, June 12 at 6:30 PM at the Clayton Hutcheson Agriculture Center, 559 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, to discuss the possibility of opening an 80-acre public shooting park in Palm Beach County. Please spread the word to your friends, family, and fellow gun-owners to attend and make their voice heard.
INDIANA: Discharge Ban Advancing in Indianapolis-Marion County, Indiana! On May 22, the Indianapolis-Marion City-County Council’s Rules and Public Safety Committee approved Proposal 174. This measure will prohibit the lawful discharge of firearms within the consolidated city-county boundary. Arbitrarily establishing that private property owners must have a minimum of five acres, zoned for agriculture, in order to lawfully hunt or shoot. Proposal 174 now goes before the full City-County Council for consideration – possibly as soon as Monday, June 11! Please contact your City-County Councilor and strongly encourage him or her to reject Proposal 174, and rather, focus on enforcing existing state law that addresses the reckless use or dangerous discharge of firearms. Contact information and District maps can be found at www.indygov.org.
KANSAS: Pro-Gun Advances Made in Kansas! The Kansas Legislature not only passed House Bill 2528 this session, but also overrode Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ (D) veto. HB2528 would prevent local municipalities from passing ordinances prohibiting concealed carry that are more stringent than state law. Also passed this session was Senate Bill 192, legislation that allows for licensed hunters at least 18 years of age to take out another individual for a mentored hunting experience. The new hunter would be allowed to bypass hunter education for one-year after which time he or she would be required to pass the required hunter education course to purchase a hunting license.
MASSACHUSETTS: “One-Gun-A-Month” Bill Still Looming In Massachusetts! House Bill 3991, filed by Governor Deval Patrick (D), is still pending in the Judiciary Committee. This proposal would prohibit law-abiding Massachusetts gun buyers from purchasing more than one firearm per month. Please contact the Judiciary Committee members today and respectfully urge them to oppose H 3991 and any other proposal that limits the rights of lawful gun owners. Also, please contact Governor Patrick and politely ask him to withdraw this anti-gun legislation. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
MICHIGAN: Michigan “No-Net-Loss” Bill Set for Committee Hearing! House Bill 4597, “No-Net-Loss” of public hunting lands, is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs on Wednesday, June 13. Please contact the members of the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs and respectfully urge them to send HB 4597 to the full State Senate for a vote. Please click here for contact information for the Committee.
MISSOURI: Missouri’s “Hunting Heritage Protection Act” Being Undermined! In its June 2007 monthly newsletter, the Missouri Municipal League (MML) urged all cities that do not currently have restrictions on hunting and the discharge of firearms to enact such an ordinance prior to the August 28 effective date of Senate Bill 225, the “Hunting Heritage Protection Areas Act.” Primarily, SB225 protects Missouri’s critical wildlife habitat and sport shooting areas within the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers 100 year flood plain by prohibiting both tax incentives for development projects and the ability of localities to enact any ordinance that restricts hunting and lawful discharge within the protected areas. In doing so, this important legislation will protect irreplaceable wildlife habitat for current and future generations of sportsmen. Please be sure to monitor your city government’s meeting and agenda announcements and alert NRA-ILA of any proposal that seeks to restrict hunting and sport shooting. Please forward any information to Kris Koenen at [email protected] or (703) 267-1209.
Missouri: Cities of O’Fallon and Weldon Spring Seeking to Annexing Conservation Areas! It has been reported that the cities of O’Fallon and Weldon Spring are considering plans to annex the Missouri Research Park and the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area. While some city officials have stated they have no plans to alter preserves or programs, local hunters and shooters should not let their guard down. Please contact the elected officials of O’Fallon and Weldon Spring and respectfully urge them to oppose any involuntary annexation proposal that will have disastrous affects on conservation and management areas. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
NEBRASKA: Nebraska Legislative Update! Just days before the legislative session closed, the Senate passed Legislative Bill 97, which prevents concealed carry permit holders from carrying firearms on college campuses. Regrettably, an amendment was added by anti-gun Senator Ernie Chambers (11) during debate to ban carry in hospitals as well. On a positive note, an interim study has been proposed by the Judiciary Committee to review the issue of preemption in Nebraska.
NEW JERSEY: URGENT: New Jersey "One-Gun-A-Month" Scheme Heading to Assembly Floor for a Vote! A full Assembly floor vote is scheduled for Monday, June 11 on A3511. This bill would restrict law-abiding citizens from purchasing more than one gun in a calendar month. This is the last opportunity we have to stop this oppressive anti-gun measure in the Assembly! Please contact your Assembly member TODAY at (800) 792-8630 or by email using our “Write Your Representatives” tool and respectfully urge him or her to oppose this gun-rationing scheme.
Your Attendance Is Needed In Tabernacle Township, New Jersey To Oppose Anti-Gun Ordinance! As recently reported, on May 29, the Tabernacle Township Committee voted to table an ordinance regulating the use of firearms on private property. However, the Committee will be looking at the proposed ordinance again during a public Committee work session on Monday, June 11. Please make your voice heard once again by attending the Committee meeting or contacting the members of the Committee and urge them to defeat this attack on your Second Amendment rights once and for all. The Committee can be reached by calling (609) 268- 1220.
NEW YORK: Gun Control Package Still Looming in New York Legislature! A broad package of anti-gun legislation that was approved by the New York State Assembly is still pending action in the Senate. Each bill poses a very real threat to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms in the Empire State, so it is critical that you contact your State Senators at (518) 455-2800 and urge them to vote “NO” on A06525 (dealer liability), A00829 (integrated child safety devices), A02772 (.50 caliber ban), A03447 (ammunition ban), A07331 (“assault weapons” expansion), and A00076 (mandatory storage requirements)! Please contact your Senators and urge them to oppose these bills.
Join NRA President John Sigler at the 2007 New York State Rifle and Pistol Association Annual Meeting! Here's your chance to meet keynote speaker, and new NRA President, John Sigler, as well as enjoy a day of fun with the family at the range! The meeting will be held tomorrow Saturday, June 9, at the Wallkill Rod & Gun Club, 316 Bruyn Turnpike, Wallkill, NY. NRA-ILA headquarters staff will be presenting a brief NRA-ILA Update at 2:30 p.m., in the Clubhouse. The Update will outline current legislative priorities. The Annual Meeting is open to the public. For more information, please contact the NYSRPA office at (800) 469-7772, or visit http://www.nysrpa.org/.
OREGON: Hunting Bill Heads to Oregon Senate Floor! House Bill 2971 as amended will be heading to the Senate Floor with no recommendation. The bill allows the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to establish by rule a program whereby they can designate volunteers to act as “Agents of the State” for the purposes of hunting cougar and bear with dogs. Please contact your Senators and ask them to support HB 2971-B when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote. For a list of the Oregon State Senators and their contact information please click here.
PENNSYLVANIA: Pennsylvania “Landowner Liability Protection Act” Moves Forward! House Bill 13, dubbed the “Landowner Liability Protection Act,” is heading to the Senate for consideration after unanimously passing the House (199-0). This bill would make certain that landowners who allow public hunting access without charging a fee incur no liability for property damage or personal injuries caused by hunters -- regardless of whether the damage occurs on or off the landowner's property. Please contact your State Senator TODAY at (717) 787-2342 and urge him or her to support this crucial piece of legislation.
Abington Heights School District Eliminates Rifle Team! The School Board of the Abington Heights School District has decided to eliminate the rifle team without notice to the team members and the public from Abington Heights High School because of cost restraints. Please contact the Superintendent of Schools, Michael Mahon, at (570) 585-8251 and respectfully urge him to reconsider the decision to eliminate the Abington Heights High School Rifle Team.
SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina Legislative Update! On Wednesday, June 6, House Bill 3964 was brought up for debate. H. 3964 originally sought to remove many of the restrictions on carrying a firearm on school property by someone possessing a valid Right-to-Carry (RTC) permit. By the time it hit the floor, it had been amended to only allow valid permit holders to keep their firearms in their vehicles while on school property. The debate was very lively, leading the bill to be referred back to the Judiciary Committee, effectively killing the bill. However, two bills remain alive having already passed the House. House Bill 3212 would replace the current RTC conditional reciprocity standard with a straight recognition standard, greatly expanding the number of states that will recognize a valid South Carolina RTC permit, and vice versa. House Bill 3528 would prohibit the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) from releasing the personal information of RTC permit holders unless the request for the information is part of an investigation by law enforcement, thus protecting the privacy of law-abiding permit holders. These bills, both introduced by State Representative Mike Pitts (R-14), will be at the top of NRA's agenda in the Senate next year.
TENNESSEE: Important Tennessee Right-to-Carry Reforms Tabled Until Next Year Two important pieces of Right-to-Carry reform legislation have been tabled until next year. House Bill 132 would have allowed a person with a Right-to-Carry permit to possess a firearm in all public hunting areas, refuges, wildlife management areas, and national forests managed by the state. House Bill 2184 would have allowed any resident who has a Right-to-Carry permit to possess his or her handgun while within the boundaries of any state park and all areas for recreational purposes.
VIRGINIA: Tuesday, June 12 is Primary Election Day in Virginia! If you have questions about candidate grades and endorsements, please call our Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683. For more information about voting in Virginia, please visit: http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/. Be sure to “Vote Freedom First” on Tuesday, June 12!
WISCONSIN: Update on Legislation to Ban Private Firearm Sales in Wisconsin! SB 104, introduced by Senator Spencer Coggs, would require all firearms transfers, including those between family members, to be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer. However, the fight is not over. Please continue contacting the members of the Senate Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs Committee and urge them to oppose SB 104. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Wednesday, June 13 is Wisconsin Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol! Sportsmen’s Day at the Capitol will be held on Wednesday, June 13 at 1:30 p.m. in Room 328 North/West in the State Capitol. This event will provide sportsmen and gun-rights advocates the opportunity to come to Madison and speak with legislators on the issues that affect them, such as land access, gun rights, and hunting regulations. To RSVP or for more information contact Kasey Kolberg at (608) 819-2327 or via email at [email protected].
Fee Increase for Handgun Background Checks in Wisconsin Fails!A proposed background check fee increase for handgun sales was not included in the Department of Justice’s section of the Senate Budget bill. Please contact the members of the Joint Committee on Finance and thank them for preventing this unnecessary tax on firearms and gun owners. Contact information for the committee can be found by clicking here.
