On The Campaign Trail, Obama Climbs Back On His Anti-Gun Horse
With the Democratic Presidential nomination process turning into what would have been an unthinkably close race only a few months ago, we continue to see the political contenders pulling out all of the rhetorical stops to distinguish themselves as the “candidate of choice” for their constituency. We also continue to see the candidates test the limits of credibility in the process.
Update onD.C.’s “Voluntary” Gun Search Program: On March 14, we reported on Washington, D.C.’s so-called “Safe Homes Initiative”--an ill-advised proposal aimed at reducing the District’s high rate of gun crime. Under the controversial plan, officers would show up at a residence and ask parents and guardians to allow “voluntary” searches of their homes and childrens’ (or other relatives’) bedrooms, to look for firearms. These searches would be done without notice or warrants.
In the weeks since it was announced, there has been much public outcry over the program’s proposed methods.
Outrage Of The Week: “Safest for everybody?” Pizza Hut punishes employee for defending himself
“The incident wasn’t something quick and simple. ... It was a long ordeal…my life was, without a doubt, in danger.”
On the night of March 27, 2008, Pizza Hut deliveryman James Spiers of Des Moines, Iowa was delivering pizzas--just as he had many times before over the past 10 years. He walked into an apartment complex thinking he was making another routine delivery, but found himself in a battle for his life: he had been set up by a “customer” who had lured him into the complex by pretending to order the pizza over the phone, but who had an armed accomplice waiting in ambush.
Setting The Stage Locally For A New, Broader “Assault Weapons” Ban Nationwide: If you don’t live in a state that has an “assault weapon” ban, that issue might be off your radar screen these days. After all, the federal ban--on standard-capacity magazines and semi-automatics with a certain combination of cosmetic features--has been defunct for nearly four years.
But anti-gun politicians and news media at the state level are ginning up for a 2009 campaign to enact a ban like that proposed by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), because they know that both of the front-runners for the Democrat Party presidential nomination would sign such a ban into law in a New York minute.
New Grassroots Alert Feature: Poll of the Week! Tell us what you think! NRA-ILA is excited to launch a brand new weekly feature for our subscribers. Beginning this week, the Grassroots Alert will include a weekly three-question poll that will help us better understand how you, our readers, feel about current events, politics, and the direction of our cause and our country.
ILA Dinner and Auction At Annual Meetings: The Institute for Legislative Action will hold its Second Annual Dinner and Auction in conjunction with the NRA Annual Meetings in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday evening, May 16th.
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.”
Grassroots Minute Video: To view this week’s “Grassroots Minute” video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin040408.wmv.
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ALABAMA: Important Second Amendment Legislation Needs Help in Alabama! The discussion of numerous NRA-backed measures has been going on for weeks now. Among the bills that continue to need support from the pro-gun community in Alabama are: House Bills 339, HB512, and HB700. These bills would reform the Right-to-Carry laws in Alabama. Senate Bills 156 and 484, which also need support, 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.
Ammunition Encoding Legislation Introduced in Alabama! Senate Bill 541 would require all handgun ammunition manufactured or sold in Alabama to be encoded with a serial number, 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. Not only would this measure cause enormous increases in the cost of ammunition, but it could lead to the establishment of a database of ammunition purchasers and ultimately the cessation of the sale of ammunition in Alabama. Even if the industry can or will produce this ammunition exclusively for Alabama, the consumers will be required to register ammunition purchases and then blindly trust that the number etched on the "base of the bullet projectile" is accurately represented on the box in which it is sold. Since the "base of the bullet projectile" is necessarily obscured by the cartridge case, it is impossible for the consumer to know if he or she has accurately "registered" their purchase. SB541 poses a serious threat to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms and needs to be stopped immediately. Please contact your State Representative and State Senator and respectfully urge them to protect the Second Amendment rights of Alabama’s law-abiding gun owners by opposing SB541. To find contact information for your State Legislators click here.
ARIZONA: Arizona: Important Self-Defense Bills to be Heard in Senate Committee! Three important self-defense bills have been scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, April 7. House Bill 2629, the NRA-supported measure clarifies how and when a firearm may be displayed for defensive purposes. HB2629 would provide that a person could display a firearm if he or she believes that they could be harmed physically by an attacker. House Bill 2634, would provide the restoration of rights for individuals whose record has been expunged or set-aside. Lastly, House Bill 2389, would clarify the statute that allows for the carrying of a weapon, visibly or concealed, without a concealed carry permit anywhere by means of transportation, excluding public transit. Please contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee today and urge them to support all of these important self-defense bills; HB2629, HB2634, and HB2389. To find contact information for the Senate Committee, please click here.
CALIFORNIA: California Anti-Gun Bills to be Considered on Tuesday, April 8! On Tuesday, April 8, the Assembly Public Safety Committee will consider three anti-gun bills. 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. Assembly Bill 2948 would ban the sale of firearms and ammunition on the property or inside the buildings that comprise the Cow Palace. Finally, Assembly Bill 2566 would repeal statewide preemption statutes and allow cities, counties, and other such localities to enact their own forms of restrictive regulation on handguns. Please contact the members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose these outrageous attacks on our Second Amendment freedoms. Please click here for contact information.
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, tomorrow, Saturday, April 5, at 10:00 a.m. The film features 12 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 Still Pending in 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.
FLORIDA: Report On Senate Bill 1130 – Ready For Final Senate Floor Debate Now! Senate Bill 1130 was heard on second reading on the Senate Floor, yesterday, Thursday, April 3. On second reading of SB1130, anti-gun Senators filed 15 amendments for anti-gun business groups in an effort to gut or derail the bill. Some amendments were designed to ban so-called "assault weapons" (semiautomatic firearms) from cars in parking lots; ban guns in any parking lot used by pharmacies or stores that sell "controlled substances" like prescription medication, cough syrup, allergy pills, etc.; ban guns in cars at gas stations; ban guns in cars in parking lots of any property where electricity could be generated -- like emergency power/back-up generators (that all shopping centers, stores and large buildings and facilities have) solar power panels and windmills. All of the anti-gun amendments were either defeated outright or withdrawn. The Senate then adopted amendments to conform SB 1130 to HB 503 and put the bill in position for debate and final passage when the Senate next meets in session, currently scheduled for next Wednesday, April 9. Please continue emailing all members of the State Senate and urge them to pass HB503 and send it to the Governor. To contact the State Senators please click here.
IDAHO: Idaho Governor Signs Two Important Pro-Gun Bills! Governor Butch Otter (R) has signed two pro-gun bills that will significantly strengthen the rights of Idaho’s law-abiding gun owners. On Monday, March 28, he signed Senate Bill 1441 was signed into law. This legislation 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. SB1441 will also make clear that ammunition and firearm components are only to be regulated by the State of Idaho, not by local entities. Lastly, it removes the restriction on carrying a concealed firearm for self-defense in a state park. Also signed into law was House Bill 604. Enacted by Governor Otter on Friday, March 31, HB604 will protect Idaho’s shooting ranges from attacks such as noise complaints and local regulation. Please contact Governor Otter TODAY and thank him for signing SB1441 and HB604 into law. You can find contact information for Governor Otter by clicking here. Thank you to all of the NRA members who answered the call to action in support of these important pro-gun measures. Without you, this victory would not have been possible.
ILLINOIS: Legislative Update! As the Illinois General Assembly gets back to work after a brief break, there are still several bills in the Illinois General Assembly that 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 Still Pending Action! House File 2092 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 Out of Committee! This week, House File 2440 passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee. This bill now awaits placement on the Senate calendar for a full vote. 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 your State Senator TODAY and respectfully urge them to place HF2440 on the Senate calendar. For contact information please click here.
KANSAS: Two Pro-Gun Bills Head to Governor Sebelius! On Wednesday, April 2, the Kansas State Senate passed two important pro-gun bills. House Bill 2280 and Senate Bill 46 both head to Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) for her consideration. HB2280, Kansas’ Emergency Powers legislation, began session as House Bill 2811 but was amended into House Bill 2280 in conference committee. HB2811, now known as HB2280, would protect law-abiding gun owners’ right to keep and bear arms, and would prevent the confiscation of firearms during a declared state of emergency such as occurred in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, as well as in the wake of the tornado that ravaged Greensburg. Also headed to Governor Sebelius, SB46, which would allow Kansas firearm retailers, manufacturers, importers, and citizens qualified under the National Firearms Act to sell, manufacture, import, and possess NFA firearms. Please call Governor Sebeliusand respectfully urge her to sign both HB2280 and SB46 into law. To contact Governor Sebelius click here.
Right to Hunt and Fish Gets a Boost in Kansas! On Thursday, April 3, the Kansas State House passed HCR5037, with NRA-backed amendments, by a vote of 99 to 21. HCR5037 proposes an amendment to the Kansas Constitution recognizing the citizens’ right to hunt and fish. The final language of the Resolution incorporates NRA’s model language and provides truly meaningful protections against the radical anti-hunting activists who seek to ban all hunting in America. The ultimate adoption of this constitutional amendment will preserve Kansas’s rich hunting and fishing traditions for generations to come. Please contact your State Senator and respectfully encourage him or her to support your Right to Hunt and Fish in Kansas. Contact information can be found here.
KENTUCKY: Kentucky Working to Reform Self-Defense Laws! On Monday, April 14, the Senate Leadership and the Senate Judiciary Committee will have an opportunity to strengthen your right to self-defense. With a proposed NRA-backed amendment, House Bill 645 would allow for a firearm to be locked in a vehicle when on university property. Please contact the Senate Leadership and Senate Judiciary Committee today and urge them to support the proposed amendment. For Senate Leadership and Senate Judiciary Committee contact information, please click here.
MASSACHUSETTS: Massachusetts: Gun Owners Action League to Hold April Event with Special Guests Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox! The Gun Owners’ Action League will be holding its April Heritage Program Event on Saturday, April 12 at The Lantana in Randolph, MA. Special guests will include NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Wayne and to meet with your fellow gun owners in Massachusetts! Please note that the deadline for ticket sales is Monday, April 7. Advance ticket sales only. There is no general admission for this event. For event and ticket information please click here.
MICHIGAN: Registration Reform in Michigan! House Bill 4490 will be heard on Tuesday, April 15 in the House Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation, and Natural Resources. HB4490 would repeal the required "safety inspection" for newly obtained handguns. HB 4490 would also require law enforcement agencies to destroy “safety inspection” records on file. Current Michigan law requires anyone who comes into possession of a pistol to take it to the police or sheriff’s department for a safety inspection. The requirement of a safety inspection is a burdensome waste of time for law-abiding gun owners and HB4490 will end that inconvenience. Please contact the members of the House Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation, and Natural Resources and respectfully urge them to support passage of HB4490. To find contact information for the committee members click here.
MINNESOTA: Senate Seeking to Ban Lead Shot! The Senate Omnibus Game and Fish Bill, Senate File 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 increase 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: Governor Barbour Signs Shooting Range Protection Bill! On Monday, April 1, Governor Haley Barbour (R) signed House Bill 346. HB346 will ensure that Mississippi's shooting ranges will be protected from local noise and zoning ordinances aimed at shutting them down. It will also guard against lawsuits filed by newcomers who acquire property near an existing range, as long as there has not been a substantial change in the nature of activities at the range (i.e., hours of operation, number of people using the range, or the types of firearms shot at the facility.) Please call Governor Barbour and email our bill sponsors, State Representative Warner McBride and State Senator Walter Michel, and let them know you appreciate their efforts to secure passage of this important measure. To find contact information please click here.
NEBRASKA: Gun Bill is Defeated in Nebraska! On Friday, March 28, LB958 was voted down in the Nebraska legislature during the second round of debate. LB958 went through numerous changes and amendments before it was finally defeated. Thanks to your hard work and calls, the bill’s sponsor was twice forced to gut his own bill, resulting in a significantly watered down version that failed on second reading. NRA will continue to monitor the actions of the Nebraska Senate until the legislature adjourns on Thursday, April 17, 2008.
NEW YORK: Lawful Firearms Dealers Under Attack in New York! Anti-gun State Senator, Eric Schneiderman (D-31), is up to his usual tricks. He has filed a petition to discharge Senate Bill 2404 from the Senate Codes Committee. This legislation was designed with the intent of forcing law-abiding federally licensed firearms dealers out of business by requiring them to comply with a host of unnecessary bureaucratic reporting and sales requirements. SB2404 would require redundant reporting requirements already required by federal law, would mandate that all inventory be locked up in a safe when the store is closed (simply locking the building would not qualify), and would require all dealers to obtain exorbitant insurance policies to cover against any criminal activity that could occur after a firearm is legally sold. Please contact your State Senator TODAY at (518) 455-2800 and respectfully urge him or her to oppose SB2404 and any effort to allow this bill to bypass the committee process. To find your State Senator, please click here.
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. Also, Assembly Bill 6900 would create a junior big game hunting license for people between the ages of 14 and 16 years old to hunt deer and bear during the hunting season. A6900 has a companion bill, Senate Bill 857. 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.
NORTHCAROLINA: North Carolina: Public Hearing Discussing Hunting Issues in Wesley Chapel Rescheduled! Earlier this week a public hearing was scheduled to be held in Wesley Chapel to discuss a proposed Firearms Ordinance. The Wesley Chapel town council has pushed the hearing back, and it will now be held on Monday, April 14 at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, at 120 S. Potter Rd. This proposed ordinance would severely restrict our Second Amendment and hunting rights by restricting the discharge of firearms within 450ft of any dwelling, building, or field containing livestock; effectively preventing the discharge of any firearm in most areas of Wesley Chapel. While the ordinance includes certain exemptions, it is unnecessary, as truly reckless behavior is already considered illegal or otherwise already adequately regulated under state law. Please make an effort to attend this hearing, in case this ordinance is brought up for discussion, and voice your opposition to this unnecessary regulation. You can also contact Town Council members to voice your opposition. To find contact information for the Town Council members, click here.
OHIO: Ohio’s “Castle Doctrine” Legislation Scheduled for a Vote in Senate Committee! Ohio’s “Castle Doctrine” legislation, Senate Bill 184 is now headed to the Senate Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee. SB184 would restore the right to self-defense in Ohio by allowing a person to use force, including deadly force, against a violent attacker, and provides that a person who uses force against an attacker shall be immune from criminal prosecution. Simply put, this legislation would greatly strengthen the right to self-defense in Ohio. The Senate Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee is scheduled to possibly vote on Senate Bill 184 on Wednesday, April 9, at 10:30am in the North Hearing Room in the State Capital Building. Please contact the members of the Senate Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee today and urge them to support SB184. To find contact information for the committee members, please click here.
PENNSYLVANIA: Anti-Gun Amendment Voted Down in Pennsylvania! On Tuesday, April 1, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives defeated an amendment to House Bill 1845, that would have required gun owners to report the loss or theft of a firearm to law enforcement or face criminal prosecution. By a vote of 75 to 128, the amendment was voted down! The House overwhelmingly passed two NRA-supported amendments to HB1845, which further protect the rights of Pennsylvania’s gun-owners. One amendment, which passed 197 to 5, would eliminate the prohibition of concealed carry permit holders right to carry in State Parks. Another amendment, which passed unanimously, would prohibit any government agency from confiscating or regulating the lawful sale, possession, transfer, transport and carry of firearms during a state of emergency. Thank you to everyone who called his or her State Representative voicing strong opposition to State Representative Levdansky’s amendment. Please keep checking www.NRAILA.org and your email for further updates.
Pennsylvania: Emergency Powers Bill Heads to House Floor For Consideration! This week, Senate Bill 1172, Pennsylvania’s “Emergency Powers” legislation, passed out of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. This legislation now heads to the House floor for a possible vote. 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. Please contact your State Representative today and urge them to protect your Second Amendment rights by supporting SB1172. To contact your State Representative 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.
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.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Important Second Amendment Bills in South Carolina! 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. While there are many pro-gun measures that we are pushing for in the State Legislature, we are facing an ammunition encoding/serialization bill. It is important that we make sure that our Second Amendment rights are protected here in South Carolina, and we need your help to do that! Please click here for more information and on how to take action.
TENNESSEE: Pro-Gun Bills Defeated in Committee Earlier this week the House Judiciary Criminal Practice and Procedure Sub-Committee voted against four important pro-gun measures. House Bills 702, 3137, 3153, and 3683 were all heard in the Committee on Wednesday, April 2 where they were voted down. Unfortunately, these important pro-gun measures are done for the 2008 legislative session, but NRA will be addressing them again next year in 2009.
Important Second Amendment Activity in Tennessee! House Bill 3245 was defeated when it was withdrawn from the House Judiciary Criminal Practice and Procedure Sub-Committee on Wednesday, April 2. HB3245 would have required all handgun ammunition manufactured or sold in Tennessee to be coded with a serial number, 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. Its companion bill, Senate Bill 3395, has seen no action in the Senate Judiciary Committee since January 23. Also, hunter education legislation, House Bill 2453, would create a National Rifle Association license plate and allocate 50% of the funds raised to hunter education. HB2453 is currently in the House Transportation Committee. Please continue checking www.NRAILA.org and your email, as we will post regular updates on HB2453.
WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia Governor Signs Important Pro-Gun Bills! Earlier this week, Governor Joe Manchin (D) signed Senate Bill 9. SB9 will require firearm and hunter safety education programs to be offered in public schools for students in grades eight through twelve; however, it would not be mandatory that students take the course. This important legislation will teach children how to safely and ethically hunt from an early age. They will also learn how to safely handle firearms while hunting, participating in sporting competitions, or at home. Completion of the course will enable students to obtain their hunting licenses. Please contact Governor Manchin and thank him for preserving your Second Amendment rights. The Governor can be reached by phone at (304) 558-2000 or email [email protected].
