Support Effort To Restore
Second Amendment Rights Of D.C. Residents
On July 31, House Democrats and Republicans joined in a bi-partisan effort to introduce legislation that would overturn Washington, D.C.’s newly enacted emergency gun control laws. These laws continue to defy the recent Supreme Court ruling by continuing to restrict District of Columbia residents’ right to self-defense.
In a strong bipartisan effort, Congressmen Travis Childers (D-Miss.), John Dingell (D-Mich.), John Tanner (D-Tenn.), Mike Ross (D-Ark.), and Mark Souder (R-Ind.), along with 52 of their colleagues, introduced the “Second Amendment Enforcement Act” (H.R. 6691). This critical NRA-backed legislation is needed to enforce the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
Evanston Amends Gun Ban: As we reported in the July 18, issue of the Grassroots Alert, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Heller decision -- and in an effort to avoid NRA’s lawsuit against their city -- aldermen in the Chicago suburb of Evanston unanimously voted to amend the city’s 27-year-old handgun ban.
This week, in a 7-1 vote, the Evanston City Council voted to change the law and allow handguns to be possessed in the home for self-defense. And, as mentioned, the specter of a protracted legal fight with NRA clearly weighed heavily in the City’s decision.
We Need YOU On NRA-ILA's “Frontlines”™: During this critically important election year, we need your help at the local level--in your own hometowns and communities--more than ever. A great way to help is to get involved in the NRA-ILA FrontLines™ program. If you’re not familiar with this program, please read on!
Help Defend Your Gun Rights One Easy Click At A Time: We are excited to announce a new, revolutionary, yet simple tool that will allow you to stay connected to NRA-ILA and raise valuable contributions to defend our Second Amendment rights without spending a dime! You can make a difference by downloading and using the new NRA-ILA Toolbar.
New NRA T-Shirts Available NOW! We know that by now you’ve probably heard the Barack Obama “bitter” quote. Well, in addition to the new yard sign we designed, we’ve created a way for all of you “bitter” gun owners to wear your message to Obama and all of the other legislators seeking your vote this election season: A new "I'm a Bitter Gun Owner and I Vote!" T-shirt, and our re-designed “I’m the NRA and I Vote” T-shirt!
“I’m A Bitter Gun Owner And I Vote!” Yard Signs Available Now: We’ve created a new yard sign that will send a message from all of you “bitter” gun owners to Obama this election season with our own slogan: “I’m a Bitter Gun Owner and I Vote!”
Grassroots Minute Video: To view the most recent “Grassroots Minute” video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin081508.wmv
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ALASKA: Alaska Primary Elections, Tuesday, August 26! Tuesday, August 26 is Primary Election Day in Alaska. Please be sure to vote Freedom First. For candidate ratings and endorsements, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. Early voting has already started and will last through Election Day. For more information about voting in Alaska, please click here. Remember to Vote Freedom First on Tuesday, August 26!
ARIZONA: Arizona Primary Elections, Tuesday, September 2! Tuesday, September 2 is Primary Election Day in Arizona. Please be sure to vote Freedom First. For candidate ratings and endorsements, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. Early voting has already started and will last through Election Day. For more information about voting in Arizona, please click here. Remember to Vote Freedom First on Tuesday, September 2!
CALIFORNIA: Gun Show Ban Legislation Heads to Senate Floor in California! As we earlier reported, three anti-gun bills were placed in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file due to cost constraints. Fortunately, two of the three (Assembly Bill 2062 and Assembly Bill 2235) failed in last weeks hearing. However, the fight is far from over. Assembly Bill 2948 was passed out of the Committee and now heads to the Senate floor. AB2948 would prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition on the property or inside the buildings that comprise the Cow Palace. Simply put, this bill is a stepping-stone to banning all gun shows in the Golden State and it must be stopped. Please contact your State Senator TODAY and respectfully urge him or her to oppose AB2948 when it comes before them for a vote. Contact information for your State Senator can be found here.
Management Plan for Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, and Sutter National Wildlife Refuges is Open for Public Comment: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared a plan for these refuges encompassing 24,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley, approximately 90 miles north of the city of Sacramento. The plan offers three management alternatives to the present management approach that allows hunting with a focus on youth and disabled hunters. The plan is available for viewing and downloading online at http://sacramentovalleyrefuges.fws.gov. The comment period is open until September 12. Comments can be sent via electronic mail to [email protected]. If you hunt on these lands, please take time to review and comment on the plan.
FLORIDA: Florida Primary Elections, Tuesday, August 26! Tuesday, August 26 is Primary Election Day in Florida. Please be sure to vote Freedom First. For candidate ratings and endorsements, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. Early voting has already started and will last through Election Day. For more information about voting in Florida, please click here. Remember to Vote Freedom First on Tuesday, August 26!
LOUISIANA: Employee Rights Protection Act Goes into Effect Today! Senate Bill 51, NRA-backed legislation that passed during the recent session of the Louisiana Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Bobby Jindal (R), will take effect today, Friday, August 15, 2008. Now known as Act No. 684, the law reaffirms the rights of law-abiding Louisianans to transport and store lawfully possessed firearms in locked, privately-owned motor vehicles, including while traversing or parking in any parking lot, parking garage or other parking area. Property owners, tenants, public or private employers, and businesses may not prohibit the transportation or storage of firearms in motor vehicles in their parking lots or garages if those areas are accessible to the general public. These entities may only regulate the transportation and storage of firearms in secure parking areas if they meet certain conditions. For a summary of the provisions of Act No. 684, please click here. Please report any violations of this law to NRA-ILA's Grassroots Office.
MARYLAND: Baltimore City Council Violates Preemption, Passes Lost or Stolen Ordinance! On Monday, August 11, the Baltimore City Council approved legally questionable legislation that would force law abiding gun owners to report the loss or theft of their firearm to the Baltimore City Police within 48 hours. Any person who violates this ordinance will be subject to a $250 fine. To view the ordinance, please click here. This past session, both the Maryland House Judiciary Committee and Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee defeated similar legislation (House Bill 880 and Senate Bill 585) put forward by the Baltimore delegation. Please contact Mayor Sheila Dixon TODAY and respectfully urge her veto this illegal attack on the Second Amendment. Mayor Dixon can be contacted by phone at (410) 396-3835, by fax at (410) 576-9425, or email [email protected].
MISSISSIPPI: Jackson Councilman Proposes Gun Sales Ban! Councilman Kenneth Stokes (D-Ward 3) has stated that he will be submitting an ordinance for the council’s consideration to ban the sale of firearms in pawnshops within Jackson’s city limits. In 1987 and in 2006, the Mississippi Attorney General’s office ruled in favor of gun rights activists when faced with similar ordinances. Current Attorney General Jim Hood made comments in 2006 stating, “counties and municipalities may not adopt any ordinance restricting the possession, transportation, sale, transfer or ownership of firearms or ammunition or their components.” Mississippi law requires that all pawnshops follow federal firearm laws, and they are required to perform criminal background checks on all persons who purchase a firearm. An ordinance of this nature clearly violates the states firearms preemption law, and the previous opinion of the Attorney General confirms this. Please contact the members of the city council and urge them not to support such an egregious attack on the rights of law-abiding gun owners in Jackson. To find contact information for the council members, please click here.
NORTH CAROLINA: Management Plans for Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge are Open for Public Comment: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared plans that will guide management of the 50,000-acre Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. Mattamuskeet currently allows deer and waterfowl hunting, including a program for youth. The plan offers two management alternatives to the present management approach for Mattamuskeet. Alternative B would continue the existing hunts, but the refuge would explore how to increase youth hunting opportunities for deer and waterfowl and would work with the state to conduct activities that promote hunter recruitment and retention. Alternative C would expand on those efforts. The deadline for comments on this plan is this Monday, August 18th. It is important for the Service to hear from the hunting community on its proposals to expand hunting on these two refuges. Please take the time to review the plan and comment. You may view the planning document at http://southeast.fws.gov/planning, and submit your comments at that address, or to [email protected].
MINNESOTA: August 18th Deadline for Comments on Roads Plan for Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: Monday is the deadline for public comments on a Travel Management Project that will determine what roads will be closed and what roads will remain open in this Minnesota forest. The plan could close up to 28% of forest roads. Two alternative approaches have been developed in addition to the “status quo.” Comments should be sent to [email protected]. The document can be viewed at http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/rec/tmr/index.html. For those who hunt in the Chequamegon-Nicolet, it is important that you examine the proposals to ensure that your ability to access your hunting area is not eliminated in Alternative 2 or Alternative 3. Please send your comments today!
WASHINGTON: Washington State Primary Elections, Tuesday, August 19! Tuesday, August 19 is Primary Election Day in Washington. Please be sure to vote Freedom First. For candidate ratings and endorsements, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. For more information about voting in Washington, please click here. Remember to Vote Freedom First on Tuesday, August 19!
WEST VIRGINIA: Martinsburg Mayor, City Council Pass New Anti-Gun Ordinance On Thursday, August 14, the Martinsburg City Council passed an ordinance (#2008-26) banning the possession of firearms in any city-owned buildings. A previous ordinance banned firearms on public property altogether. West Virginia law (§8-12-5a) strictly prohibits any municipality from passing any ordinance more stringent than current state law. The original ordinance passed in 2005, which is still on the books, is a direct violation of this statute. Please contact the Mayor and City Council members and urge them to repeal both of these ordinances. Please click here to contact the council members.
WYOMING: Wyoming Primary Elections, Tuesday, August 19! Tuesday, August 19 is Primary Election Day in Wyoming. Please be sure to vote Freedom First. For candidate ratings and endorsements, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. For more information about voting in Wyoming, please click here. Remember to Vote Freedom First on Tuesday, August 19!
