PRESIDENT BUSH ISSUES EXECUTIVE
ORDER FACILITATING HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES
President George W. Bush today issued an executive order directing Federal agencies to work more diligently to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat.
Register To Vote! With the 2007 Election season in full swing in five states (Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia), it is critical that gun owners and gun rights supporters are registered to vote in advance of respective deadlines. With the all-important 2008 campaign already well underway, you can bet the opponents of our freedom will be working this year to gain momentum. It is critical that we as gun owners are registered to vote and that we most assuredly vote on Election Day.
To assist you in registering to vote this year, NRA-ILA has a number of tools available. Please visit www.nraila.org/ActionCenter/GetInvolvedLocally/VoterInformation.aspx?st and choose your state to find out all the voter registration dates, deadlines, and requirements for this year’s elections. To print a voter registration application that you can complete and return by mail, please visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/nra/e4/nvra/?action=formhere. You may also obtain voter registration information by calling the ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683).
Let’s make sure that we in the pro-Second Amendment community do all we can in registering and voting this year.
NRA-ILA Announces Its Award Winners For 2006: The “Jay M. Littlefield Memorial NRA-ILA Volunteer of the Year Award” recognizes an NRA member who demonstrates exceptionally meritorious activism in defense of our Second Amendment rights. The 2006 “Jay M. Littlefield Memorial NRA-ILA Volunteer of the Year” winners are: Cedric Scofield (MN) and Bob Brown (MO).
Now Is The Time To Make Yourself Heard At Town Hall Meetings! Congress is currently on its Summer District Work Period and will return after Labor Day. During this time, your Senators and Representative are back home in their states and districts.
Many lawmakers use this time to hold town hall meetings, and take questions from their constituents. These meetings offer a tremendous opportunity for you to personally voice your strong support for the Second Amendment.
Please contact your lawmakers’ district offices and ask when they plan to hold their town hall meetings during the break. If you do not know the number for your lawmakers’ district offices, you can use the “Write Your Representatives” tool at www.NRAILA.org, or call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.
Last Chance to Contribute To NRA-ILA and Receive Discounted Theme Park Tickets! Thanks to the generosity of Anheuser-Busch, NRA-ILA has the opportunity to make available a very limited number of single-day passes to one of the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks in the United States. These passes are valid through April 2008, and are good for a one-day adult or child admission into SeaWorld Orlando, San Antonio or San Diego; Busch Gardens or Adventure Island in Tampa Bay; or Busch Gardens or Water Country USA in Williamsburg.
A very limited number of tickets remain available. To make a contribution and get your tickets, please visit https://secure.nraila.org/buschgardens.aspx as soon as possible!
(Contributions to NRA-ILA are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for Federal Income tax purposes.) (Please be advised that these tickets are not for resale.)
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
CALIFORNIA: Vote on California Microstamping Legislation Imminent! Assembly Bill 1471 could be voted on as soon as the Senate returns to session on Monday, August 20. Please contact your State Senator today and respectfully urge him or her to oppose AB1471. Contact information for your State Senator can be found by clicking here.
KANSAS: Shawnee County Seeking to Ban Discharge of Firearms! Shawnee County Commissioner Shelly Buhler has introduced Home Rule Resolution HR-2007-4 to impose a ban on the discharge of firearms in the Clarhan Farms Subdivision. If passed, this legislation would prohibit the discharge of firearms throughout the subdivision. While an exemption is made for discharging a firearm for self-defense purposes, this measure would outlaw hunting on one’s property, even where it is safe to do so. HR-2007-4 will be heard at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Monday, August 20 at 9:00 am in Room B11 of the County Courthouse. Please make plans to attend this meeting and make your voice heard to protect your Second Amendment rights. If you are unable to attend please contact the County Commissioners by email by clicking here.
MISSOURI: Missouri’s “Hunting Heritage Protection Act” Being Undermined! On July 3, 2007 Governor Matt Blunt (R) signed Senate Bill 225, the “Hunting Heritage Protection Areas Act”into law. Now, NRA members are anxiously awaiting the bill’s effective date of August 28. Since passage in the closing days of Missouri’s regular session, the Missouri Municipal League (MML) has undermined NRA members' hard work on SB 225 by urging all cities that do not currently have restrictions on hunting and the discharge of firearms to enact such ordinances prior to the effective date of the bill. Now, the MML is also trying to influence your local Park District board to undermine SB 225! Please be sure to monitor your city government and Park District 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.
Hazelwood City Council Crafting New Proposal at August 21 Meeting! The City Council of Hazelwood has signaled that it is interested in the concerns of law-abiding gun owners, hunters, and shooters, and have deferred on taking any action on the city’s proposed firearms discharge and hunting ordinance. A new plan will be crafted at a “special meeting” to be held on Tuesday, August 21 at 7:30 pm at the Hazelwood East Civic Center at 8969 Dunn Road. While we hope to have addressed all the concerns with the original proposal, we are still encouraging all gun owners, sport shooters and hunters to attend the August 21 meeting.
NEW YORK: The Sportsmen’s Association for Firearms Education Inc. (S.A.F.E.) will be hosting its “2007 Right-to-Carry Conference & Second Amendment Rally” on Sunday, September 23, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (doors open at 12:00 noon). The event will be held at the Sheraton, Long Island, 110 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, Smithtown, NY, (631) 231-1100, (on Motor Parkway on the North side of LIE between exits 53 & 55). In attendance at the event will be: Wayne R. LaPierre, NRA Executive Vice President; John Sigler, NRA President; Bob Barr, Former Member, U.S. House of Representatives and NRA Board Member; Jim Fotis, Executive Director, Law Enforcement Alliance of America; Susan Howard, actress and Commissioner of Parks & Wildlife in Texas; and John L. Cushman, S.A.F.E. President and Founder, and NRA Board Member.
Attendees will get the latest information on the Right-to-Carry nationwide and locally. You will meet and network with fellow sportsmen and women concerning your civil rights and those of your children and grandchildren. This conference will raise issues of concern and give suggested courses of action with local and national leaders of Second Amendment organizations and legislators from all levels of government. You will also have a chance to win valuable prizes in drawings limited to attendees only. Admission and parking are free, and the event is open to your family and friends.
PENNSYLVANIA: Ellwood City Council to Hold Meeting About Anti-Gun Measure! The Ellwood City Council passed an amendment to the city code making it unlawful for any person other than a certified law enforcement officer to possess a firearm in any Borough building, real estate, vehicle or equipment. Please attend the City Council meeting on Monday, August 20 at 6:00 pm in the Council Chambers at 520 Lawrence Ave. in Ellwood City. If you are unable to attend, please contact Mayor Don Clide and the Ellwood City Council at (724) 758-7777 to respectfully urge the Mayor to veto the legislation and the City Council to take no further action.
Pennsylvania PICS Shut Down for Upgrade. The Pennsylvania State Police have notified us of its intent to shut down the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) from 6:00 PM Sunday, September 2, until 12:00 noon on Thursday, September 6. While we understand and appreciate the need to upgrade the system’s hardware and software, we believe any maintenance should be done during non-business hours so that it does not inconvenience or interfere with a law-abiding citizen’s right to purchase a firearm. NRA is working with the Pennsylvania State Police, members of the State Legislature, and the Attorney General to resolve this matter.
VIRGINIA: Goochland County Reinstates Restrictions on Recreational Shooting! The Goochland County Board of Supervisor gave in to the County Attorney and voted to reinstate an ordinance that requires commercial shooting ranges to obtain a “Conditional Use” permit. Please contact the Goochland County Board of Supervisors and urge them to take every step necessary to ensure that any change to the zoning ordinance does not apply to private ranges. For contact information for the Goochland County Board of Supervisors, please click here.
