More Proof That Americans Support The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
Need more confirmation that a majority of Americans support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms? Look no further than the results of a Gallup poll, which were reported in a March 27, Gallup.com article. The poll found that an overwhelming majority of the United States public-- 73% -- believes that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of Americans to own firearms.
Controversial Gun Program Back In The News: Last November, we reported on a contentious program proposed by the Boston police department, whereby police officers would seek “voluntary” permission to enter and search people’s homes (and specifically, children’s bedrooms) for drugs and firearms—without notice or warrants.
Stop BATFE Abuses -- Urge Your Congressman To Cosponsor H.R. 4900: Continuing concern about the treatment of firearm dealers by BATFE has caused members of the U.S. House of Representatives--with NRA-ILA’s full support--to push for new and improved reform legislation. That push has taken the form of H.R. 4900 -- the “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act.”
Plan To Attend Free Louisville Grassroots Workshop! The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREEGrassroots Workshop in conjunction with NRA’s Annual Meetings in Louisville. This Workshop has been a regular part of NRA’s Annual Meetings for more than a decade. At this event, you will hear from NRA officers, NRA staff, and your fellow NRA members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for the Second Amendment in this year’s elections.
Additional Grassroots Event Planned For Louisville! In addition to the FREEGrassroots Workshop being held in conjunction with NRA’s Annual Meetings in Louisville, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division is holding an additional FREE Special Session in Louisville.
Volunteers Needed for 2008 NRA Annual Meetings: The 2008 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend as thousands of NRA members will come together May 16-18, 2008, in Louisville, KY. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.
Grassroots Minute Video: To view this week’s “Grassroots Minute” video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin032808.wmv
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ALABAMA: Critical Right-to-Carry Reform and Hunting Protection Measures in Alabama! After taking a short break, the Alabama State Legislature reconvened this week. The discussion of numerous NRA-backed measures has begun and we need your help to ensure that these measures are passed! Among the bills that need support are many the Right-to-Carry Reform measures including HB339, HB512, HB700, SB27, and SB271. Equally important are SB156 and SB484 which would further protect the rights of Alabama’s hunting community. It is crucial that you contact your State Legislators TODAY and respectfully ask that they support these important pro-gun measures. Your State Representative can be reached at (334) 242-7600 and your State Senator can be reached at (334) 242-7800. To identify your State Legislators, or for more contact information, please click here.
ARIZONA: Important Self-Defense Bills Awaiting Hearings! House Bill 2629, introduced by State Representative Russell Pearce (R-18), which passed Third Reading in the House last week has not received a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but we expect that it will be heard soon. This NRA-supported measure clarifies how and when a firearm may be displayed for defensive purposes. House Bill 2630, also introduced by State Representative Russell Pearce (R-18), would reduce the penalty for carrying a concealed “weapon” without a permit to a petty offense. HB2630 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 24 with a vote of 4 to 3. It is now headed to the Senate Rules Committee, but it has not been assigned a hearing date. Also awaiting a full vote in the Senate is Senate Bill 1214, introduced by State Senator Karen Johnson (R-18). SB1214 would allow citizens with concealed weapons permits to carry concealed firearms for self-defense on Arizona’s university and community college campuses; SB1214 is still being amended by its author. Please contact your State Senator and respectfully urge him or her to support HB2129, HB2630, and SB1214 when they come up for a vote. To find contact information for your legislators, please click here.
CALIFORNIA: Assembly to Consider Severe Restrictions on Ammunition Sales! On Tuesday, April 8, the Assembly Public Safety Committee will consider legislation that would require gun owners to obtain a “permit-to-purchase” before buying handgun ammunition. Assembly Bill 2062 would require that law-abiding gun owners obtain a permit to buy handgun ammunition and would impose severe restrictions on the private transfers of handgun ammunition. Applicants for a “permit-to-purchase” would be required to submit to a background check, pay a $35 fee, and wait as long as 30 days to receive the permit. Under AB2062, it would be unlawful to privately transfer more than 50 rounds of ammunition per month, even between family and friends. Ammunition retailers would have to be licensed and store ammunition in such a manner that it would be inaccessible to purchasers. The bill would also require vendors to keep a record of the transaction including the ammunition buyer’s name, driver’s license, the quantity, caliber and type of ammunition purchased, and right thumbprint, which would be submitted to the Department of Justice or the number of their handgun ammunition purchase permit. All ammunition sales in the State of California would be subject to a $3 per transaction tax. Lastly, mail order ammunition sales would be prohibited. Any violator of AB2062 would be subject to civil fines. Please contact the members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee and your State Assembly Member TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose this onerous attack on our Second Amendment freedoms. Please click here for contact information.
Fish & Game Commission Regulatory Commission Proposal Seeking to Expand Scope of Lead Ammunition Ban! Recently, the California Fish & Game Commission voted in favor of adopting regulations to strengthen Assembly Bill 821, legislation that would restrict the use of lead-cored centerfire rifle cartridges in certain areas of the state for hunting and taking of non-game animals. The Commission’s proposals would expand the scope of AB821 to include ammunition for black powder firearms, pistol, and rimfire cartridges. The proposals are intended to limit the use of such ammunition for hunting and taking of non-game animals. These proposals will be voted on at the next Fish & Game Commission Meeting on Thursday, April 10 at 10:00 a.m. and Friday, April 11 at 8:30 a.m. at the UC Davis Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory Lecture Hall located at 2099 Westside Road in Bodega Bay. Please attend the next meeting of the Fish & Game Commission to show your opposition to these attacks on our hunting heritage. If you are unable to attend, please contact the commission and respectfully urge them to oppose these unwarranted and ill-conceived restrictions. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Second Amendment Documentary To Be Shown at L.A. Film Festival: The pro-gun documentary, “In Search of the Second Amendment” will have its festival premiere at the Backlot Film Festival in Los Angeles, on Saturday, April 5, at 10:00 a.m. The film stars twelve professors of constitutional law, plus former NRA President Sandy Froman, NRA Director Roy Innis, and attorneys/scholars Steve Halbrook and David Kopel. Tickets are only $5 ($3 for students and seniors). The pro-gun comedy “Lady Magdalene’s” will also show at the Backlot, on April 3, at 7:00 p.m. The Backlot Film Festival will take place at The Veterans Memorial Building Auditorium, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA. For more information on “In Search of the Second Amendment,” please visit http://www.secondamendmentdocumentary.com/
COLORADO: Mandatory Storage Bill Sent to Senate Appropriations Committee! Senate Bill 49 would force adults to store all their firearms under lock and key or face an undetermined misdemeanor penalty if a firearm is later used in a suicide or crime. This dangerous bill renders homeowners defenseless and gives criminals a clear advantage in home invasions. If passed, SB49 would add to the already cumbersome bureaucracy that affects gun shops, gun shows, or anywhere else firearms are sold, by requiring them to post a sign informing gun owners that they must lock up their guns. Please contact the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and respectfully urge them to defeat this dangerous legislation. Contact information for the Senate Appropriations Committee members can be found here.
CONNECTICUT: Connecticut Anti-Gun Bills Dead! The Judiciary Committee held hearings this week on Senate Bills 603 and 607, but declined to vote on these two egregious anti-gun bills. The failure to vote on these two measures has essentially rendered them dead for this session. They could still reappear as amendments, although this is very unlikely. SB603 would require all ammunition sold in Connecticut to be coded with an individual serial number (ammunition serialization) and entered into a statewide database at the time of sale. Encoded ammunition would be registered to the purchaser and would include the date of transaction, the purchaser’s name, date of birth, driver’s license number, and the serial number of the ammunition. All unserialized ammunition would have to be forfeited. Also, SB607 would seek to ban the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called “micro-stamping” technology. Micro-stamping is an unproven technology that would require identifying marks to be etched into the firing pin and breech face of a firearm. SB607 doesn’t stop there! It would also outlaw the private sale or transfer of long guns. Please continue to check www.NRAILA.org and your email for further updates on both of these measures.
DELAWARE: “Landowner Liability Protection Act” Introduced! House Bill 341, the “Landowner Liability Protection Act,” was introduced last week by State Representative William Carson (D-28). This bill would make certain that landowners who allow public hunting access 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 Legislators TODAY and urge them to support this crucial piece of legislation. Contact information can be found here.
FLORIDA: Report on Florida Committee Action: SB-1130 Passes Committee! Senate Bill 1130 sponsored by State Senator Durell Peaden (R-Crestview) was heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday afternoon. An unfriendly amendment was removed and the bill passed with a vote of 7 to 4. SB1130 would protect law-abiding Floridians’ rights to have a firearm in their car or truck for self-defense and other lawful purposes. A series of anti-gun amendments including "assault weapons" amendments were defeated. The Senate bill is now ready for the Senate floor. We will keep you updated on SB1130 and, please keep checking www.NRAILA.org and your email for further updates.
Report on House Floor Action: HB-503 Passes And Heads To Senate! We thought an article from tampabay.com, The Buzz: Florida Politics would be a good way to quickly tell you what happened on the House Floor Wednesday regarding House Bill 503. We will keep you posted as to when HB 503 starts to move in the Senate. Don't miss the last paragraph -- because you and your emails have gotten us this far and we'll need your help more than ever in the Senate. To view the article, please click here. Please continue to check www.NRAILA.org for updates on HB-503.
GEORGIA: Most Important Right-to-Carry Reform Bill in Over 20 Years Needs Your Help! House Bill 89, critical Right-to-Carry Reform legislation, is being held up by the Georgia State Senate! Back in January the Georgia House passed HB 89 by an overwhelming vote of 111 to 58. THE SENATE IS STILL REFUSING TO CONCUR! It is crucial that HB 89 be brought up for a FINAL floor vote. HB 89 would make numerous improvements to Georgia’s right-to-carry law by expanding the areas where permit holders may carry to include state parks, public transportation, and restaurants; reduce the time limit to issue a permit, and allow permit holders to possess a firearm in any private motor vehicle while on any publicly accessible parking lot. Help protect your right to self-defense in Georgia. The 2008 Session ends Friday, April 4, so please make sure that you call your State Senator, as well as State Senators Joseph Carter and Ronnie Chance, members of the Senate Conference Committee, today and urge them to bring HB 89 up for a final floor vote. Senators Carter and Chance can be reached by phone at (404) 651-7738. To find your Senator and contact information, please click here. Please also call Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle at (404) 656-5030 or via email at [email protected] and Senate Majority Leader Tommie Williams at (404) 656-0089 or via email at [email protected] and urge them to request HB 89 come up for a final floor vote.
IDAHO: Range Protection Bill Passes Senate, Heads to Governor! On Thursday, March 20, the Idaho Senate unanimously passed House Bill 604. HB604 would protect Idaho’s shooting ranges from attacks such as noise complaints and local regulation. HB604 now heads to the desk of Governor Butch Otter (R). Please contact Governor Otter TODAY and respectfully urge him to sign HB604 into law. The Governor can be reached by phone at 208-334-2100 or to send email, please visit http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html.
Preemption Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk! Important pro-gun legislation, Senate Bill 1441, passed the Idaho House and is now on its way to Governor Butch Otter (R) for his consideration. SB1441 would make numerous improvements to Idaho’s preemption statutes by preventing municipalities from enacting local ordinances regulating firearms and ammunition. Under current preemption statutes, uniform firearm regulations only exist within the realm of ownership, possession, and transportation. SB1441 will codify into law that no county, city, or local government body can regulate the sale, acquisition, transfer, carry, and storage of firearms, adding them to the existing points of preemption. The bill will also make clear that ammunition and firearm components are only to be regulated by the State of Idaho, not by local entities. Uniform laws regulating firearms and ammunition are necessary to protect the constitutional rights of Idaho’s law-abiding gun owners and to prevent anti-gun municipalities from passing their own laws, which may conflict with state law. Please contact Governor Otter TODAY and respectfully urge him to sign SB1441 into law. The Governor can be reached by phone at 208-334-2100 or to send email, please visit http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html.
ILLINOIS: Legislative Update! Several bills in the Illinois General Assembly are taking aim at our Second Amendment rights, including legislation to require the mandatory storage of all firearms, a ban on semi-automatic firearms, gun rationing, and more. It is critical you call, write, and visit with your legislators today and respectfully ask them to oppose those bills that would further erode our rights in Illinois. For more information on these threats and how to take action against them, please click here.
IOWA: “Shall-Issue” Legislation Pending Action! House File 2092, introduced by State Representative Clel Baudler (R-58) has been assigned a new bill number, House File 2613. Like HF2092, HF2613 would change Iowa's concealed handgun law to make Iowa a “shall-issue” state. Under HF2613, law-abiding persons 21 years of age or older would be eligible for a permit to carry a concealed handgun if they pass a training and marksmanship course. Training would not be required for renewal of the permit to carry a firearm. HF2613 is waiting to be placed on the House calendar. Please contact your State Legislator TODAY and urge them to place House File 2613 on the State House calendar. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Pro-Hunting Legislation Passes House, Heads to Senate for Consideration! Last week, House File 2440, authored by State Representative Clel Baulder (R-58), passed out of the House of Representatives by a vote of 97 to 3. This bill now heads to the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee for consideration. HF2440 would require an officer of the Department of Natural Resources to issue a certificate of completion of the hunter safety and ethics education course for members of the armed forces on active duty or who served in the armed forces at anytime so long as they were discharged under honorable conditions, are nonambulatory, and are accompanied by a person who is at least 18. Please contact the members of the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to pass this HF2440. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
MARYLAND: Maryland Pro-Hunting Legislation to be heard in Senate Committee! The State House of Representatives passed two important pro-hunting measures with overwhelming support. House Bill 840 passed out of the Maryland House of Representatives with a vote of 126 to 5. HB840 would authorize specified Sundays in October and November to be open to deer hunting with a bow and arrow on private property in Washington County. Also passed, with a vote of 130-4, House Bill 938. HB938 would permit Sunday deer hunting on private lands in Montgomery County. Both HB840 and HB938 head to the House floor for consideration. HB840 and HB938 will both be heard in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday, April 1, at 1:00pm. Please contact committee members TODAY and urge them to support these pro-hunting bills. Contact information for the committee members can be found here.
MINNESOTA: Senate Seeking to Ban Lead Shot! Introduced by State Senator Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-50), the Senate Omnibus Game and Fish Bill, Senate Fill 3385, contains a harmful provision that would ban the use of lead shot for hunting small game on public lands in Minnesota. Lead alternatives are extremely expensive and have reduced capabilities, which would only increasing wounding rates of game animals. There has been no science-based evidence that lead shot has been a problem in Minnesota. Please call members of the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to oppose banning lead shot and strike Article 3, Section59 from SF3385 before it’s too late. Please click here for contact information.
MISSISSIPPI: Mississippi Pro-Gun Bills Making Headway! This week, the House agreed to Senate amendments on House Bill 346, the NRA-backed shooting range protection bill sponsored by State Representative Warner McBride (D) and State Senator Walter Michel (R). HB 346 has been sent to Governor Haley Barbour's (R) desk and is awaiting his consideration. Also this week, the House passed an amended version of Senate Bill 2411, an NRA-supported Right-to-Carry reform measure sponsored by State Senator Eric Powell (D) and State Representative Bubba Carpenter (R). SB 2411 still contains language extending the term of Right-to-Carry permits from 4 to 5 years and reduces permit renewal fees for senior citizens by 50 percent. However, the new House language calls for an interim report on the feasibility of allowing Mississippians to apply to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for carry permits by mail and reduces the timeframe within which DPS must act on carry permit applications. Such a report will help NRA-ILA lay the groundwork for further improvements to Mississippi's Right-to-Carry law in the future. SB 2411 now moves to the Senate for concurrence with House amendments. Please continue checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for further updates on both of these bills.
NEW JERSEY: One-Gun-A-Month Bill Heads to Assembly Floor for Vote! On Monday, March 3, the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee passed Assembly Bill 339 by a 5-1 margin. A339 would prohibit the purchase of more than one handgun per month by law-abiding citizens, even though buyers already have to pass a comprehensive background check. Please contact your State Assembly members TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose A339! To find your Assembly member please click here.
NEW YORK: Help Stop Anti-Gun Legislation Today! There are numerous anti-gun bills pending in the New York legislature that place restrictions on law-abiding gun owners in New York. It is critical that you take the time to call your legislators to voice your opposition to bills currently pending consideration. NRA-opposed bills include A7331, expanding the ban on so-called “assault weapons”; A3451, expanding the ballistic imaging program; A2772, banning .50 caliber firearms; A829, requiring "childproof" firearms; A76, requiring mandatory storage; A6525, creating new requirements and liability for gun dealers; A3447, banning frangible ammunition, and A9543, a measure that would require black powder guns to be licensed as firearms. Please call your State Legislators today at (518) 455-4100, and urge them to oppose the bills listed above. To find your Assembly Member, click here. To find your State Senator, click here.
Pro-Gun, Pro-Hunting Legislation Needs Your Help! NRA-supported bills include S2733 and A10151, which would prohibit information contained within a pistol license application or information about a licensee from being shared with anyone other than a law enforcement agency for the purpose of conducting a criminal investigation, and S1284A, which creates a youth hunting mentor program, allowing individuals ages 14 and older to hunt with a licensed mentor, age 21 or older. Please call your State Legislators today at (518) 455-4100 and urge them to support these NRA-backed measures. We'll be sure to keep you posted as to the status of all of the above-mentioned bills! To find your Assembly Member, click here. To find your State Senator, click here.
Hunting Under Discussion in the Management Plan for Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge: Staff of the Iroquois NWR, a 10,000-acre refuge between Buffalo and Rochester, is launching the first stage in the process of developing a 15-year management plan for the refuge. The first stage is to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider. The public is invited to comment until April 30, 2008. It is important for the refuge staff to hear from hunters because the refuge is open to waterfowl, big game, small game, and turkey hunting. We want to ensure that those hunting opportunities are inlcuded and enhanced in the new management plan. Comments can be sent to [email protected]. Include “Iroquois NWR CCP/EA” in the subject line. Information about public meetings to be held can be found at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/iroquois. You may also call Thomas Roster, Project Leader, at (585) 948-5445.
PENNSYLVANIA: Attention Keystone State Gun Owners: Your Help is Still Needed! House Bill 1845, introduced by State Representative John Sabatina (D-174), is scheduled again for a possible vote on Monday, March 31 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. HB1845 would provide further penalties for possession of a firearm with altered serial number. This legislation would also increase penalties for altering or obliterating marks of identification on firearms. There will be a number of amendments offered to the bill, two of which are pro-gun, offered by State Representatives Steven Cappelli (R- 83) and Richard Stevenson (R-8). These pro-gun amendments, if accepted, would add “Castle Doctrine” and license to carry, as an exception to the Pennsylvania Instant Check system check, to HB1845. Other amendments have been filed which could be problematic for gun owners in Pennsylvania. One amendment, sponsored by State Representative David Levdansky (D-39), would have created criminal penalties for failure to report a lost or stolen firearm. This amendment was debated last week on the House floor; however, no vote was taken. Please contact your State Representative today and respectfully urge him or her to support the Stevenson and Cappelli amendments, while opposing the Levdansky amendment and any other amendments that threaten the rights of Pennsylvania’s law-abiding gun owners. For contact information for your State Representative, please click here.
Emergency Powers Bill Heads to the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee! After passing the Senate unanimously, Senate Bill 1172, Pennsylvania’s “Emergency Powers” legislation, sponsored by State Senator Robert Robbins (R-50), will now be heard in the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee on Wednesday, April 2 at 9:00am in Room 60 in the East wing of the Main Capitol Building. SB 1172 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, such as occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Please contact the House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee Members today and urge them to protect your Second Amendment rights by supporting SB1172. To contact the members of the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee please click here.
Second Amendment Rally Scheduled! Several Pennsylvania sportsmen's organizations have scheduled a Second Amendment rally at the State Capitol for Monday, April 7 starting at 10 A.M. (plan on being there at 9 A.M.) in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. This event will give Pennsylvania gun owners the opportunity to speak out against recently introduced anti-gun bills which include a “one-gun-a-month” gun rationing scheme and abolishing state preemption.
NRA Second Vice President David Keene to Speak at the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs Spring Convention! David Keene, NRA’s Second Vice President, will address the members of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs (PFSC) at their Spring Convention banquet tomorrow, Saturday, March 29. The PFSC Spring Convention banquet and awards ceremony will begin at 6:00 p.m. and be held at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center, located at 100 Adams Avenue in Scranton. For tickets or more information, please contact the PFSC at (717) 232-3480 or email [email protected].
Hunting Under Discussion in the Management Plan for Erie National Wildlife Refuge: Staff of the Erie NWR, an 8,800-acre refuge 35 miles south of Lake Erie in northwestern PA, is launching the first stage in the process of developing a 15-year management plan for the refuge. The first stage is to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider. The public is invited to comment until April 30, 2008. It is important for the refuge staff to hear from hunters because the refuge is open to waterfowl, big game, small game, and turkey hunting. We want to ensure that those hunting opportunities are included and enhanced in the new management plan. Comments can be sent to [email protected]. Include “Erie NWR CCP/EA” in the subject line. Information about public meetings to be held can be found at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/erie. You may also call Thomas Roster, Project Leader, at (585) 948-5445.
RHODE ISLAND: “Microstamping” Legislation Awaiting Consideration! Two bills that would ban the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called "microstamping" technology are currently awaiting action in the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Senate Bill 2720 and House Bill 7834 would require identifying marks to be etched into the firing pin and breech face of a firearm in a manner that these marks are transferred to the cartridge case upon firing. Microstamping is an unproven technology that can easily be defeated with household tools, has no public safety value, and would add substantially to the cost of the firearm. Please contact members of the State Senate and State House Judiciary Committees and urge them to oppose S2720 and H7884! Contact information can be found by clicking here.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Update on Several Important Pro-Gun Bills! Several bills impacting your right to self-defense and hunting heritage are in various stages of the legislative process in South Carolina, including Right-to-Carry reciprocity legislation and a measure to restrict the release of information regarding Right-to-Carry permit holders. Please click here for more information and on how to take action.
TENNESSEE: Pro-Gun Bills Headed to House Committee! Wednesday, April 2 the House Judiciary Criminal Practice and Procedure Sub-Committee will hear several NRA-backed bills. This is the final meeting for the sub-committee during the 2008 session, so it is crucial that you contact the members of the sub-committee today and ask that they support these important measures. To contact the members of the House Judiciary Sub-Committee please click here.
