Trouble in Mexico? Anti-Gunners Say, “Blame America.”
Over the past few weeks, the number of stories in the press regarding the escalating violence in Mexico has dramatically increased. Now, hardly a day goes by when another story describing the atrocities committed by violent drug cartels cannot be found in an American newspaper or on a cable news channel.
Gun owners need to pay attention to these stories, because the opponents of our Second Amendment rights are starting to use this situation as a pretext to push their gun ban agenda here in the United States.
New Attorney General Eric Holder is the first Administration official to cite Mexican drug cartel killings as an excuse to reinstate the semi-auto ban. And now some in Congress have jumped on the bandwagon.
National Park Service Calls For Lead Ammo Ban: The National Park Service (NPS) has announced its intention to ban traditional ammunition containing lead in all its parks. The move would needlessly push hunters to use more costly bullets made of tungsten, copper, and steel. The restrictions, set to take affect by the end of 2010, were announced without regard to science and without soliciting feedback from sportsmens’ groups.
Volunteers Needed In Phoenix For 2009 NRA Annual Meetings: The 2009 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend, as thousands of NRA members will come together May 15-17, 2009, in Phoenix, AZ. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.
What Should We Expect Now from the White House? Update for the Second Amendment Book Bomb: With Attorney General Eric Holder indicating his intent to reinstate the ban on the sale of “assault weapons,” Independent Institute Research Fellow Stephen P. Halbrook was recently interviewed by Lou Dobbs on CNN on the new threats of gun control.
Grassroots Minute Video:
STATE ROUNDUP (Please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ALABAMA: Employee Rights Bill Heads to Senate Floor On Wednesday, March 11, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 407 by a vote of 7-0 with two members not voting. The bill now heads to the Senate Rules Committee before it can reach the Senate floor for a vote. Sponsored by State Senator Roger Bedford (D-6), SB407 would protect your right to lawfully transport and store firearms in a privately-owned and locked motor vehicle while parked in publicly accessible parking lots controlled by your employer or a business you frequent. Last month, the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld an Oklahoma statute that protects the rights of employees to store firearms in locked vehicles in publicly accessible parking lots. The proposed Alabama bill is very similar to the Oklahoma law, and should withstand any similar challenges that might be launched. Click here for more information regarding this court case. Please contact your State Senator TODAY and respectfully urge them to vote in favor of SB407 when it comes before them. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Emergency Powers Bill Moving Forward in Alabama! On Tuesday, March 10, Senate Bill 296, sponsored by State Senator Scott Beason (R-17), passed the full Senate by a unanimous vote of 24 to 0. SB296 would protect our Second Amendment rights by prohibiting any government agency from confiscating firearms 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. SB 296 now moves to the House where it awaits a committee assignment. As we previously reported, House Bill 225, the companion bill to SB296, was passed unanimously by the House on Thursday, February 19. HB225 is still waiting to be assigned to a Senate committee. Please contact your State Legislators TODAY and respectfully urge them to support SB296 and HB225. Please click here for contact information.
ARIZONA:
Important Worker Protection Bill Heading to House Floor! House Bill 2474, sponsored by State Representatives John Kavanagh (R-8) and Frank Antenori (R-30), passed the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, March 5, by a 6-2 vote. HB 2474 now heads to the House Floor. HB 2474 would protect your right to lawfully transport and store firearms in your privately-owned locked motor vehicle while parked in publicly accessible parking lots controlled by your employer or a business you frequent. Please contact the members of the Arizona House of Representatives and respectfully urge them to support your right to protect yourself while traveling to and from work by voting for HB 2474. Contact information for your State Representative can be found by clicking here.
ARKANSAS: Numerous Pro-Gun Bills Need Your Help Today! The clock is ticking and several NRA-backed bills need your help to pass. For more information about these bills and how to take action on their behalf, please click here.
CALIFORNIA: Two Anti-Gun Bills Proposed in Sacramento! As previously reported, two anti-gun bills taking aim at our Second Amendment freedoms are pending in the California Legislature. Assembly Bill 962, sponsored by Assembly Member Kevin De Leon (D-45), would make it a crime to privately transfer more than 50 rounds of ammunition per month, even between family and friends, unless you are registered as a “handgun ammunition vendor” in the Department of Justice’s database. 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 purchasers submit to fingerprinting, which would be submitted to the Department of Justice. Mail order ammunition sales would also be prohibited. Senate Bill 585, authored by State Senator Mark Leno (D-3), would prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition at the Cow Palace. In short, this bill is a stepping-stone to banning all gun shows in the Golden State. These bills have yet to be assigned to committees. Please continue checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates.
COLORADO: Bill Responding to “Outrage of the Week” on "Zero Tolerance" On Wednesday, March 4, Senate Bill 237 was received by the House and assigned to the House Education Committee, after having been passed unanimously by the Colorado State Senate. Introduced by State Representative Kevin Lundberg (R-15), SB 237 was a response to the story recently reported in our “Outrage of the Week” section. Marie Marrow was expelled from Cherokee Trail High School for leaving non-operative prop rifles, which she was using during drill team rehearsals, in the back of her car. Representative Lundberg’s bill is designed to bring common sense to Colorado’s school expulsion statue by allowing the school to use discretion in such cases rather then being forced to proscribe the mandatory expulsion as is currently the case. Please contact the members of the House Education Committee and urge them to return common sense to Colorado’s school expulsion statue by supporting SB 237. Contact information can be found here.
CONNECTICUT: “Micro-Stamping” Bill Scheduled for a Hearing on Monday, March 16! On Monday, March 16, the Joint Committee on Judiciary will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 353, a bill sponsored by State Senator Martin M. Looney (D-11) that would ban the sale of all semi-automatic pistols not equipped with so-called “micro-stamping” technology. Micro-stamping is an unproven technology that would require unique identifying information from the firearm, including the make, model, and serial number to be etched into the firing pin and breech face in such a manner that those identifiers are imprinted on the cartridge case upon firing. The technology can easily be defeated with common household tools, has no public safety value, and adds substantially to the cost of the firearm. 
If SB 353 is passed, it will become ILLEGAL to sell or transfer any semi-automatic pistol that is not capable of micro-stamping. This would mean that any semi-auto handgun that you currently own could never be sold or transferred in Connecticut. In addition, this would ban the sale of used semi-auto handguns without this technology, and would prohibit estates from bequeathing semi-auto handguns that do not include micro-stamping technology. Since no manufacturers currently incorporate micro-stamping in their firearms, this bill would result in a de facto ban on all semi-automatic handguns in Connecticut! The hearing will be held on Monday, March 16, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 2C of the Legislative Office Building (LOB), in Hartford. It is critical that Connecticut gun owners attend this hearing. We encourage all of our members to attend this meeting and voice your opposition to SB353. If you would like to testify before the committee, you must submit 45 copies of your written/typed testimony to the Judiciary Committee staff in Room 2500 at least two hours prior to the start of the hearing. If you are unable to attend the hearing, please contact the members of the Joint Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to defend our Second Amendment rights by opposing SB353. Contact information for the members of the committee can be found here. Also, please contact your own State Legislators and respectfully urge them to oppose SB353. Contact information for your State Representative can be found by clicking here. Please click here to find contact information for your State Senator.
Hearing to Discuss Fate of Board of Firearm Permit Examiners on Monday! On Monday, March 16, a hearing has been scheduled in the Government Administration and Elections Committee for Senate Bill 839. Introduced at the request of Governor Jodi Rell (R), SB 839 would have an immeasurable impact on Connecticut's law-abiding gun owners by transferring operations of the Board of Firearm Permit Examiners to the Department of Public Safety. If approved, an applicant who is denied a pistol permit would have to appeal to the very body, the Department of Public Safety, which rejected the permit. The removal of this currently independent board will make it harder for law-abiding gun owners to regain their pistol permits if they have been revoked or denied without proper cause. The Public Hearing will be held on Monday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m., in Room 2B of the Legislative Office Building (LOB). We encourage all of our members to attend this meeting and voice your opposition to SB839. If you are unable to attend the hearing, please contact the members of the Government Administration and Election Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to defend our Second Amendment rights by opposing SB 839. Contact information for the members of the committee can be found here. Also, please contact your own State Legislators and respectfully urge them to oppose SB 839. Contact information for your State Representative can be found by clicking here. Please click here to find contact information for your State Senator.
IDAHO: Pro-Gun Bill to be Considered on Monday! On Monday, March 16 at 8:00 a.m., the Senate State Affairs Committee will consider House Bill 65A. Sponsored by State Representative Joe Palmer (R-20A), this pro-gun bill would enable law-abiding Idahoans to purchase firearms in non-contiguous states. It would also permit non-residents to purchase long guns in Idaho. As the outdated law currently stands, residents of Idaho can only purchase firearms from immediately surrounding states. With the passage of HB65, a resident of Idaho would now be allowed to purchase a firearm in most of the 49 other states. This bill affects only rifles and shotguns, as federal law prohibits interstate handgun sales. An additional benefit is that out-of-state visitors would be able to purchase long guns while in Idaho. Please continue to check www.NRAILA.org and your e-mail for updates throughout the legislative session.
Senate State Affairs Committee to Hear “Idaho Sport Shooting Immunities Act (IDSSIA)” Next Week! Next week, the Senate State Affairs Committee will consider House Bill 194, the “Idaho Sport Shooting Immunities Act (IDSSIA).” HB194, sponsored by State Representative Marc Gibbs (R-31), would protect existing shooting ranges and increase opportunities for recreational shooters and hunters to practice on safe and monitored ranges by protecting those who volunteer or serve as range officers. Many shooting ranges require range officers to operate safely and most range officers are volunteers. Currently, in Idaho there is a shortage of range officers because people that would volunteer are afraid of being sued. This bill will provide those volunteers the protection they need from frivolous lawsuits. A range officer should not be subject to a frivolous suit while volunteering his or her valuable time. In addition, HB194 would protect government entities involved in creating and operating shooting ranges, thus encouraging them to open more ranges. Limiting the liability of shooting range operators, firearms instructors, and those involved in running matches and other events, will help save existing ranges from being forced to close and protect those involved with running ranges from frivolous lawsuits. Please contact the members of the Senate State Affairs Committee today and respectfully urge them to support HB194. Contact information can be found here.
ILLINOIS: News Report for 2009 Legislative Session Several bills of importance to Illinois’ gun owners are currently making their way through the General Assembly. For more information, please click here.
INDIANA: Please Voice Your Support of SB11! Senate Bill 11, authored by State Senator and NRA Board Member Johnny Nugent, would protect the rights of lawful gun owners in Indiana by allowing them to store their locked firearms in their cars while using publicly accessible parking lots. SB 11 passed the Senate by an overwhelming, bi-partisan majority of 42-8. However, Indiana’s “Parking Lot” bill is stuck in the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code. Before the parking lot bill can be voted on by the House, it must be scheduled for a committee hearing. Unfortunately, there are anti-gun committee members who are trying to prevent the bill from being considered. Please contact the Courts and Criminal Code Committee Chairman, State Representative Matt Pierce, and respectfully indicate your support for bringing SB 11 up for a committee hearing. Senator Johnny Nugent and SB 11, Indiana's “Parking Lot” bill, are depending on you! Contact information can be found here.
IOWA: Right-to-Carry Reform Measure Pending Action on House Floor On Wednesday, March 11, House File 193, Iowa’s “permit-to-carry” legislation, passed out of the House Public Safety Committee by a vote of 18-3. Introduced by State Representative Clel Baulder (R-58), HF 193 is currently awaiting action on the floor of the House. Please contact your State Representatives and urge them support HF 193 to expand the self-defense rights for all Iowans. The contact information can be found here.
KANSAS: Important Pro-Second Amendment Resolution Needs Your Help! Senate Concurrent Resolution 1611, recently introduced by State Senator Mike Petersen (R-28), would fix a century old problem with the Kansas State Constitution. This constitutional amendment would change the wording of Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution to preserve and reflect an individual right, not a collective one. A 1905 Kansas Supreme Court ruling stated that the original language of Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution, as written, protects a “collective right,” not an “individual right.” For over 100 years, this misguided interpretation of Kansas' Right to Keep and Bear Arms amendment has limited and endangered law-abiding gun owners’ freedoms. SCR1611 would amend the state constitution to say that "A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose." Only 27 votes are needed for passage in the Senate. Currently, the resolution has 28 cosponsors and supporters. SCR1611 still needs to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee before being heard by the full Senate. If passed by a two-thirds majority of the Senate and House, the resolution would be placed on the 2010 ballot for Kansas voters to consider. Please contact your State Senator TODAY and thank them for their support in cosponsoring this resolution. Also, please contact your State Representative and respectfully encourage them to support this resolution when it moves to the House. Contact information for your State Legislators can be found here.
MARYLAND: Ammunition Registration Bill Scheduled for a Hearing Next Week House Bill 1446, a bill requested by the Maryland State Police to require the registration of ammunition at purchase, has passed out of the House Rules & Executive Nominations Committee. It has been re-referred to the House Judiciary Committee and scheduled for a hearing at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19. This bill would require that any person engaged in the business of selling ammunition to maintain extensive records on all sales, including the date of sale, purchaser’s full name, address, date of birth, and form of ID used, as well as the type and quantity of ammunition purchased. The bill also forces a business that sells ammunition to allow the inspection of its sales records by a law enforcement officer upon request. HB 1446 is tantamount to firearm registration, will do nothing to stop crime, and will only increase the size and bureaucratic scope of the Maryland State Police. If passed, the next step will no doubt be pursuing a background check or license to purchase ammunition. HB 1446 targets law-abiding gun owners and does little to curb crime. It is a de facto gun registration scheme concocted by the Maryland State Police and will not stop criminals from driving out of state to purchase ammunition for nefarious purposes. The U.S. Congress has tried ammunition registration in the past, only to discover that it was not only ineffective as a law enforcement tool, but also completely unmanageable due to the sheer volume of transactions. Ammunition registration creates huge record keeping requirements and provides no useful benefits for law enforcement which is why it was repealed by the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. Please contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose HB 1446. Contact information can be found here.
Proposed Bill Attacks Hunting in Maryland! On Wednesday, March 18, at 1:00 p.m., the Maryland House Environmental Matters Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 1309. HB 1309 would arbitrarily expand the hunting “safety zone” from 150 yards to 300 yards from any occupied building. HB 1309 is sponsored by Delegate Barbara Frush (D-21) and Delegate James Hubbard (D-23A), two anti-hunting legislators whose goal is to end all hunting in Maryland. This legislation is the first test on a full slate of anti-hunting bills in Maryland and we must defeat this bill if we are going to protect the future of hunting in Maryland. Please contact the members of the House Environmental Matters Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose HB 1309. Contact information can be found here.
Three Gun Bills on Maryland House Floor As previously reported, the Maryland House Judiciary Committee approved three bills of interest to firearm owners. These bills are awaiting consideration by the full House. House Bill 296 and House Bill 302, both dealing with domestic violence and protection orders, were high priority items for Governor Martin O’Malley (D) and Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown (D). These bills require subjects of final and temporary protective orders to surrender their firearms to law enforcement until the order expires. Unlike federal law, which allows a person to find other places to dispose of his firearms while an order is in effect, these bills would require law enforcement to seize someone’s firearms, even if the subject of the order had no opportunity to participate in the hearing. Domestic abuse is tragic and deplorable. These bills, however, deny due process to those who have not been convicted of a crime. Under this legislation, a victim of false allegations, who had no opportunity to contest those charges in court, cannot defend himself at home or simply possess his own guns for any other lawful purpose. Simply put, HB296 and HB302 trample upon Marylanders’ due process rights. Also heading to the House floor is House Bill 359, sponsored by Delegate Tony McConkey (R-33A). This NRA-backed bill would allow an eligible citizen who has had a temporary or final protective order issued on their behalf to be issued a concealed handgun permit by the Secretary of State Police. This is a step in the right direction toward ensuring that all law-abiding Marylanders can exercise the Right-to-Carry for self-defense. Please contact your Delegate TODAY and respectfully voice your concern about HB296 and HB302. Also, respectfully urge your Delegate to vote for HB359 when it comes before them for a vote. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Castle Doctrine Self-Defense Bill Pending in Maryland Legislature The Maryland House of Delegates passed House Bill 332 by a unanimous vote of 139-0 on Friday, March 6. HB 322 would clarify that law-abiding citizens are justified in using force, including deadly force, against intruders in the home when there is reasonable belief that the intruder intends to commit a crime, such as first, second, or third degree burglary or a crime of violence under § 14-101 of the Criminal Law Article. Last week the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee held a hearing on the Senate version, Senate Bill 420, but no vote was taken. Please contact the members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee TODAY and respectfully encourage them to bring SB 420 up for a vote. Contact information can be found here.
MICHIGAN: The Monroe County Sportsmen will be sponsoring a “Concealed Pistol License Law Update” workshop on Saturday, March 28th at Cabelas in Dundee, MI. The workshop is free and will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the second floor classroom. Monroe County Prosecutor, William Nichols, and local law enforcement and DNR officers will help provide updated information on concealed pistol laws. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Wayne Blank at 734-241-9131. For directions to Cabelas: http://www.cabelas.com/retail-2/--cabelas--en--content--community--aboutus--retail--retail_stores--dundee
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MINNESOTA: Another Gun Registration Bill Introduced On Thursday March 5, State Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-7) introduced Senate File 1165, in yet another attempt to end private firearm transfers in Minnesota. SF 1165 is the companion bill to House File 953, previously introduced by State Representative Michael Paymar (DFL-64B). SF 1165, like HF 953, was designed to not only regulate the sale of firearms at gun shows, but to regulate the sale of firearms between all law-abiding persons, all across Minnesota. SF 1165 only affects law-abiding gun owners, and will in no way keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Also contained in SF 1165, is a de facto registration system created by requiring the records of all transfers to be maintained by the state, which would be made available to all authorities, including for use in “civil” cases. SF 1165 would also remove the permit holder exemption from a background check and even increase the waiting period from five to seven days. SF 1165 is a direct attack on Minnesotans’ Second Amendment rights and needs to be stopped! Please contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and respectfully urge them to oppose this divisive bill. Their contact information can be found here.
Pro-Hunting Reform Advancing in Legislature On Thursday, March 12, House File 128 was referred to the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee after it successfully passed the House Environment and Policy Oversight Committee. Introduced by State Representatives David Dill (DFL-6A) and Tony Cornish (R-26B), HF 128 would allow hunters to have uncased and unloaded long guns and a bow with unnocked arrow in a motor vehicle. Under current Minnesota law, a hunter leaving his/her deer stand cannot legally accept a ride in a motor vehicle, no matter what the circumstances may be, without his/her gun or bow in a case. On Thursday March 5, HF 128’s companion bill, Senate File 1225, was introduced by State Senators Satveer Chaudhary (DFL-50), Tom Saxhaug (DFL-3), and Gen Olson (R-33). SF 1225 is currently pending action in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Please contact the members of the House Public Safety and Oversight Committee and urge them to support HF 128. Also, please contact the members of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee and voice your support for SF 1225. Contact information can be found here.
MONTANA: Right-to-Carry Reform Bill Heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee! House Bill 228, the NRA-backed self-defense bill, has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee for Tuesday, March 17, at 9 a.m., in Room 303.
It is crucial that NRA members and pro-gun activists attend the hearing in large numbers, as our opponents are sure to be out in force! House Bill 228, sponsored by State Representative Krayton Kerns (R-58), is a broad piece of legislation that provides a number of specific protections for law-abiding citizens. The provisions of HB 228, clarify and expand the fundamental right of self-defense and protect law-abiding citizens from undue prosecution should they ever have to exercise the right. For a section-by-section analysis of HB 228 to help you better understand and communicate with legislators, please visit http://progunleaders.org/Self-defense/. If you cannot attend the hearing please contact your State Senator and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to vote for HB 228. You may call (406) 444-4800 to leave a message for your Senator and for the Judiciary Committee. You may also use the “online message form” located here. When contacting legislators, it is important that you be as respectful and courteous as possible. If you don’t know who your legislator is, please click here. Please click here to view a roster of committee members.
NEVADA: Mentored Hunting Bill Heard by Assembly Natural Resources Committee Assembly Bill 246, introduced by Assemblyman David Bobzien (D-24), was heard by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, March 11. No action was taken by the committee. AB 246 establishes an apprentice hunting license that allows prospective hunters 12 years old and older to try their hand at hunting before completing a hunter education course. Apprentice hunters are required to be directly supervised in the field by a mentor who is at least 18 years old and who holds a valid Nevada hunting license. Experience in more than two dozen other states shows that this apprentice hunting program is exceptionally safe and will bring many new hunters into the field. Hunter recruitment is critical to the long-term preservation of our hunting heritage. Hunter numbers are declining and the radical anti-hunting organizations like the Humane Society of the United States will take advantage if given the opportunity to further dwindle the number of hunters. Nevada currently ranks 49th among all of the states in hunter recruitment. For every 100 Nevada hunters who permanently quit hunting, only 30 new hunters replace them. This slide must be reversed, and AB 246 will help in this effort. Research shows that overly burdensome regulations deter citizens trying hunting for the first time. This includes the current requirement that virtually all prospective hunters complete hunter education. An apprentice hunting program allows people a “try it before they buy it” opportunity. Ultimately, many will want to complete a hunter education course in order to hunt on their own and pursue game that requires special tags. In the end, more citizens will complete hunter education and join the hunter ranks as a result. Please continue to contact the members of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to support AB246 when it comes before them for a vote. Contact information can be found here.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Join GO-NH for their FREE “Round-Up” on March 17! Please join Gun Owners of New Hampshire (GO-NH), NRA’s official state association, for New Hampshire, for their FREE “Round-Up” this Tuesday, March 17. Learn more about GO-NH’s recent activities, upcoming events, and legislative alerts while enjoying free food and raffles!
Gun Owners of New Hampshire “Round-Up”
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Holiday Inn
172 Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Doors open at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Gun Owners of New Hampshire at (603) 225-4664. We hope you’ll join GO-NH for this great event!
NEW MEXICO: Senate Passes Restaurant Carry Bill as House Judiciary Committee Approves Companion Bill! On Wednesday, the New Mexico Senate approved Senate Bill 608, by State Senator George Munoz (D-4), by a 26-15 vote. This NRA-backed legislation would enable Concealed Handgun Licensees to protect themselves in dining establishments that are licensed to serve alcohol, if more than half of their revenue is generated from food sales. Please visit http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/BillFinderNumber.aspx to find out how your Senator voted on this important bill, and be sure to email a note of thanks to your Senator if he or she supported SB 608. Contact information for State Senators can be found at http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/legislatorsearch.aspx. Also on Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee reported out House Bill 105 by State Representative John Heaton (D-55). The House version of the "restaurant carry" bill. Please send a quick email of thanks to Committee Chairman Al Park (D-26) for setting the bill for a hearing this week, and to Committee Member State Representative Elias Barela (D-8) for helping shepherd this issue through the committee process. HB 105 now moves to the full House for consideration. Please contact your State Representatives and urge them to support HB 105 when it comes to the House floor for a vote. Contact information for Representatives Park & Barela, as well as for your House member, can be found at http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/legislatorsearch.aspx. With only nine days left in session, it's critical that you make your contacts with state lawmakers polite and brief! A simple "Thank You for Supporting SB 608 or HB 105" in the subject line would be adequate.
NEW YORK: Another Mandatory Storage Bill Introduced Earlier this week, Senate Bill 3098 was introduced in Albany and sent to the Senate Codes Committee. S3098’s companion bill, Assembly Bill 5844, is awaiting action in the Assembly Codes Committee. S3098/A5844 would require households with children to store their guns in locked boxes with trigger locks installed. NRA safety classes teach that guns not readily needed for self-defense be stored unloaded and locked with ammunition locked separately. Moreover, this “one sized fits all” government mandate ignores the fact that many New York families own firearms for self-defense. Please call your lawmakers TODAY and urge them to oppose S3098/A5844. State Assembly Members can be reached by phone at (518) 455-4100. To find your Assembly Member, click here. Your State Senator can be contacted through the Senate switchboard at (518) 455-2800. To find your State Senator, please click here.
Albany County Staging Attack on Ammunition Sales! At Monday night’s meeting of the Albany County Legislature, Legislators PhillipSteck (D), Douglas Bullock (D) and Wanda Willingham (D) introduced Local Law “A” - a proposal that would regulate the purchase of ammunition in Albany County. Local Law “A” would require that a valid firearms license be shown when purchasing ammunition. The law would also mandate that retailers keep a record of ammunition sales, including the type, caliber, and quantity of the ammunition, and the make, model, and serial number of the firearm it is for, as well as the purchaser’s name and address. As if that is not enough, Local Law “A” would also create a secondary method of gun registration for both long guns and handguns. Local Law “A” has been sent to the Law Committee. Congress has tried ammunition registration in the past, only to discover that it was not only ineffective for law enforcement, but also completely unmanageable due to the sheer volume of transactions. Ammunition registration creates huge record keeping requirements and provides no useful benefits as a law enforcement tool; which is why it was repealed under the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. Please contact the members of the Law Committee and the County Legislators TODAY and respectfully voice your opposition to Local Law “A.” Contact information for the members of the Law Committee can be found below. County Legislators can be reached by phone at (518) 447-7168 or fax (518) 447-5695. A roster of the Law Committee and their contact information can be found here. For more contact information, please visit http://www.albanycounty.com/departments/legislature/legislator.asp?id=165.
NORTH CAROLINA: NRA Working to Introduce “Castle Doctrine” Self-Defense Bills In addition to the legislation mentioned last week, NRA is working with State Representative Mark Hilton (R-96) and State Senator Andrew Brock (R-34) to introduce “Castle Doctrine” self-defense bills, which will seek to allow law-abiding citizens to use the force they deem necessary against a violent criminal attacker to protect themselves wherever they have a legal right to be. The bill also provides civil immunity for those who defend themselves from criminal attack. Please contact your State Legislators and respectfully urge them to cosponsor “Castle Doctrine” self-defense legislation when it is introduced and to support passage of this critical reform. Contact information can be found here.
NORTH DAKOTA: Youth Hunting Bill Pending Action in Senate Committee House Bill 1227, championed by State Representative Craig Headland (R-29), remains in the Senate Natural Resources Committee, where action is expected soon. Since HB 1227 cannot be defeated in committee, please begin contacting your State Senator in anticipation of the bill soon being heard on the Senate floor. 
This important piece of legislation would strengthen the future of North Dakota’s hunting heritage by fostering youth mentored and apprentice hunting. It would also create an online hunter education program for hunters over the age of 16. The bill would allow a greater number of youths to participate in North Dakota’s deer hunting seasons by lowering the age from 14 to 12. Currently, North Dakota has one of the country’s most restrictive minimum ages at 14. It is important to consider that roughly 30 states allow parents to make responsible choices for their children who wish to hunt and either do not have a minimum age, or their age limitation is not viewed as a barrier to youth recruitment. Those 30 states have a safety record that is as good as, if not slightly better than, the states with restrictive ages. The bill would also create a one-year apprentice program for older hunters in a “try before you buy” approach that would give them a one-year exemption from hunter safety training requirements. These apprentice hunters would have to be accompanied by an adult hunter. Please contact your State Senator and respectfully urge them to support HB 1227, and ensure North Dakota strengthens its hunter retention efforts. Contact information can be found here.
Please Voice Your Support for Two Pro-Gun Bills! Two pro-gun bills, House Bill 1389 and House Bill 1348, were heard on Thursday March 12, but only testimony was heard and no action was taken. HB1389 deals with Right-to-Carry in public parks. HB1348 addresses firearms storage by college students. For more information about these bills and how to take action on their behalf, please click here.
SOUTH DAKOTA: South Dakota House Repeals Waiting Period! On Tuesday, March 10, a day after being passed unanimously in the House Judiciary Committee, the South Dakota House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 70 by a vote of 67 to 1. SB 70 now heads to the desk of Governor Mike Rounds (R) for his consideration.
Sponsored by State Senator Larry Rhoden (R-29), SB 70 would remove the mandatory post-purchase 48-hour waiting period that was previously in place for those who did not have a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun. Thank you to all of the NRA members who contacted their legislators during this process and urged them to support this pro-gun reform! Please continue to check your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates.
TENNESSEE: Update on Pending Pro-Gun Legislation Numerous pro-gun bills have been introduced in the Volunteer State. To learn more about them and how to take action in support, please click here.
Ban on Right-to-Carry Defeated in Crossville! On Tuesday, March 10, the Crossville City Council defeated a proposed ordinance that would have banned Right-to-Carry on all city owned property. If it had passed, this ordinance would have stripped gun owners of their right to self-defense on all “city owned property,” not just government “buildings” or “premises.” Thank you to all of the NRA members who took action in opposition to this attack on our self-defense and Second Amendment rights. Without you, this victory would not have been possible.
TEXAS: Parking Lot Legislation to be Considered Next Week! On Tuesday, March 17, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee will consider Senate Bill 730 sponsored by State Senator Glenn Hegar (R-18). Simply stated, this NRA-backed legislation would permit employees to transport and store lawfully-possessed firearms in locked, private motor vehicles while parked at work. Please contact the members of the Senate Justice Committee and urge them to support SB 730. A list of committee members can be found here.
UTAH: Pro-Gun Bills Making Progress in Legislature! On Tuesday, March 10, Senate Bill 78 was passed by the Utah House by a vote of 61-11. Also Tuesday, the Utah Senate passed House Bill 357 by a vote of 25-3. Both bills now return to their originating chambers for concurrence. SB78, sponsored by State Senator Mark Madsen (R-13), would protect your right to lawfully transport and store firearms in your privately-owned locked motor vehicle while parked in publicly accessible parking lots controlled by your employer or a business you frequent. HB357, authored by State Representative Steve Sandstrom (R-58), would make it easier for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves without the need to obtain a concealed weapon permit. HB357 corrects the clearly unintended aspect of existing law that makes it illegal to carry a concealed firearm in or on a person’s residence, property or a business under the person’s control without a concealed weapon permit. It would also clarify and simplify the currently vague and inconsistent law by allowing law-abiding citizens to choose how they carry a handgun for self-defense (open, concealed, unloaded or loaded) in a vehicle without the need to obtain a permit. Fifteen states, including Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Nevada permit the carrying of concealed, loaded firearms for self-protection in vehicles without a concealed weapon permit. An additional nine states, including Idaho and Wyoming, allow loaded firearms to be carried openly for self-protection in vehicles. Please continue to check your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates on SB78 and HB357.
