U.S. Supreme Court Grants NRA Motion
For Divided Argument In McDonald v. City of Chicago
On Monday, January 25, the U.S. Supreme Court granted NRA's motion to allow it to participate in the upcoming oral argument in McDonald v. City of Chicago.
"We are pleased with the Court's decision to grant our motion," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "NRA's solitary goal in McDonald is to ensure that our fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms applies to every law-abiding American in every state. We are hopeful that the Court will share our view that the Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment clearly intended to apply the Second Amendment to the states."
Last September, the Court agreed to consider the McDonald case, on appeal from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. That court incorrectly claimed that prior Supreme Court precedent prevented it from holding in favor of incorporation of the Second Amendment. NRA believes the Seventh Circuit should have followed the lead of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in Nordyke v. King, which found that Supreme Court precedent does not prevent the Second Amendment from applying to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. As a party in McDonald, NRA looks forward to participating in the upcoming oral argument.
Volunteers Needed For 2010 NRA Annual Meetings In Charlotte: The 2010 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend, as thousands of NRA members will come together May 14-16, 2010, in Charlotte, NC. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.
Get Your Copy of Stephen Halbrook's Freedmen, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Right to Bear Arms, 1866-1876: Does the Second Amendment apply to the states? The Supreme Court will soon decide that critical question. As that historic day approaches, there's no better time for all Americans to learn more about this issue.
Now, you can donate to NRA-ILA and get the top source on the subject: Freedmen, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Right to Bear Arms, 1866-1876, by Stephen P. Halbrook.
Your Help Is Needed In Support of BATFE Reform Bills S. 941 And H.R. 2296:
As we've been reporting for months, Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) have introduced S. 941, the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act" in the U.S. Senate. Representatives Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio) have introduced a companion bill -- H.R. 2296 -- in the U.S. House. The bills would roll back unnecessary restrictions, correct errors, and codify longstanding congressional policies in the firearms arena. These bipartisan bills are a vital step to modernize and improve BATFE operations.
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The NRA Online Advisory Panel: A few weeks ago, we launched a brand new service -- the NRA Online Advisory Panel -- a community of our most active and loyal supporters.
Help Defend Your Gun Rights One Click At A Time: We have a 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! It's the NRA-ILA Toolbar, and you can make a difference by downloading and using it.
Grassroots Minute Video:
STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.")
CALIFORNIA: Hunting Threatened on Mojave National Preserve
The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), in concert with the Sierra Club and other anti-hunting organizations, has filed a petition with the California Fish and Game Commission to ban most hunting in the Mojave National Preserve, including rabbit and varmint hunting. What hunting remains (resident game birds, deer, and bighorn sheep) would be restricted. The "Petition for Rulemaking Regarding Hunting in the Mojave National Preserve" blames hunters for the declining population of the desert tortoise, a threatened species under the state's Endangered Species Act. CBD filed a similar petition in 2003, but the commission did not act on it. The commission could schedule a hearing on it early this year.
The petition contains the flimsiest of evidence that hunting in the preserve is the cause or even a contributing factor of the decline in the tortoise population. In fact, statistics confirm that vehicular traffic and increased tourism within the designated critical habitat of the tortoise have increased substantially since 1994 when the preserve was established. Those activities are believed to be the leading causes of tortoise mortality. Further, there is sufficient research to suggest that predation by ravens and coyotes are also taking its toll on this protected species. The objective of the petition is not to protect and enhance the tortoise population. Rather, it is an attempt by this coalition of anti-hunting organizations to permanently end hunting in the Mojave National Preserve. CBD was also behind the ban on the use of lead ammunition for hunting big game within the range of the California condor, and earlier this year, CBD attempted unsuccessfully to extend that ban to all game species.
Please take a few minutes to contact the commission and ask that they deny the petition. Please address and mail comments to:
John Carlson, Jr., Executive Director
California Fish and Game Commission
1416 Ninth Street, Room 1320
Sacramento, CA 95814
[email protected]
Hunters are continually being harassed with restrictions on hunting and access to hunting areas for reasons not based on science. Please do not let CBD impose their pseudo-science on those who hunt in the Mojave National Preserve!
COLORADO: Pro-Gun Bills Await Action in Denver
Two crucial pieces of legislation are currently waiting to be heard in the Colorado State Legislature. Emergency Powers legislation (SB 51)is currently awaiting action in the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee. This bill would remove the Governor's ability to "suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation" of firearms during a declared state of emergency. Currently scheduled for a hearing is HB 1094, which guarantee your right to self-defense in the workplace. It is important that you contact the members of the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee and urge them to protect the rights of lawful gun owners during states of emergency by setting a hearing date for Senate Bill 51. Also, please contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee and respectfully urge them to support HB 1094. Contact information for both committees can be found here.
Governor Bill Ritter Pushing Unconstitutional Gun Tax!
On Thursday, January 21, Governor Bill Ritter's (D) unconstitutional gun tax proposal hit a roadblock when members of the Joint Budget Committee openly stated that they would not support it. Representative Kent Lambert (R-14) and Senator Al White (R-8) objected to imposing the proposed fee on the constitutional rights of Coloradans, likening it to a poll tax.
The proposal would charge gun buyers a $10.50 fee to pay for state-mandated background checks. The Colorado Joint Budget Committee (JBC) typically submits a budget bill with consensus among its members, but it's unlikely the "gun tax" will win such favor in the JBC. This would strike a major blow to the onerous proposal. The state background checks, conducted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, were mandated in 1998. At the time, lawmakers assured gun owners that the state would fund these checks because the National Instant Background Check System is free. At this time, the proposal for the state budget bill is still under consideration and has yet to be introduced in the Colorado State Legislature.
Governor Ritter's proposal is a blatant attack on our Second Amendment rights and NRA-ILA will continue to monitor state budget debates to ensure this proposal doesn't advance. Please be sure to check your e-mail and www.nraila.org for future updates.
Colorado State University Seeking to Outlaw Concealed Carry on Campus
On Wednesday, January 20, Colorado State University (CSU) formally announced a draft proposal to prohibit firearms on all CSU campuses. Exempt from the ban would be firearms used by law enforcement and military personnel and by the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. This draft policy will be brought up for consideration at the CSU Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday, February 23. A copy of the draft can be found at www.safety.colostate.edu/files/weapons_policy_draft_01_15_10.pdf. It is important that Colorado's NRA members tell CSU's President that the policy must uphold Colorado law and allow permit holders to carry concealed handguns for self-defense. Please contact President Tony Frank TODAY by phone at 970-491-6211 or e-mail [email protected] and respectfully urge him to comply with Colorado law.
Support Needed to Re-Open Rampart Shooting Range!
Following an accidental shooting last July, the Forest Service closed the very popular and heavily used Rampart Shooting Range on the Pike National Forest. In its nearly 20 year history, Rampart had never before experienced a shooting-related injury or fatality. Rampart is the only free public range in El Paso County and receives 40,000 visitors a year. The Service called the closure a "time-out" in order to assess whether the design of the range was a factor. An investigation determined that the range was not a factor in the accident. Safety experts have said that the accident could have happened at any range. But after it closed Rampart, the Forest Service devised a scheme to keep the range closed permanently.
The Forest Service has listed requirements that must be met before it will reopen Rampart. There is no timetable for meeting these requirements and likely no money to cover costs. The most significant issue is the requirement of full time supervision. Most ranges on federal lands operate without supervision and this requirement could place all such ranges in jeopardy. Rampart Range is in need of improvements which were identified more than two years ago. Such improvements can be addressed and implemented with the range reopened. The Forest Service has said that it could take up to five years before Rampart is reopened, but there is no guarantee that it would reopen Rampart in that timeframe or at any time in the future.
NRA has been working to get Rampart Range reopened since the day it was closed, but we need the help of Colorado hunters and shooters to show the Forest Service and your elected officials that the federal government cannot continue to close public lands to recreational shooting, and certainly not without replacing those areas lost with other areas of the same or great value. Rampart Shooting Range is an important resource for the shooting community along the Front Range. There is no incentive for the Forest Service to reopen Rampart unless the shooting sports community demands it!
Shooting ranges on public lands are few and far between in Colorado. In addition to the closure of Rampart, the Forest Service has closed its lands to recreational shooting near Boulder and on the Pawnee Grasslands, and large acreage closures have occurred west of Sedalia. The Forest Service is not planning for recreational shooting. Closures are imposed without opening new areas and needed improvements to existing areas, including the Rampart Shooting Range, have not been made. Recreational shooting is not being treated by the Forest Service in Colorado as a legitimate and valued recreational activity on forest lands.
Please send an e-mail in support of the immediate reopening of Rampart to:
Tom Tidwell, Chief of the Forest Service, at [email protected], and copy your letter to:
Senator Mark Udall at [email protected],
Senator Michael Bennet at http://bennet.senate.gov/contact/,
Congressman Doug Lamborn at [email protected], and
Governor Bill Ritter by clicking here.
Please stress that keeping the range closed is not supportable by the investigative report; that the closure has robbed the shooting community of a valuable resource; and that needed improvements to the range can be planned and implemented without closure.
INDIANA: Pro-Gun Bills Advancing in Indiana!
This has been a busy week in Indianapolis. On Monday, January 25, the State Senate passed NRA Board Member and State Senator Johnny Nugent's (R-43) Workplace Protection bill (SB25) by a vote of 41 to 9. The bill now heads to the House for committee assignment. This critical legislation would prevent a business from adopting or enforcing a policy or rule that prohibits an individual from legally possessing a firearm that is locked in the individual's private vehicle while the vehicle is in or on the business' property. Also, on Tuesday, January 26, the State House passed House Bill 1065 and House Bill 1068. HB1065 passed without any unfriendly amendments by a vote of 76 to 21. HB1068 passed 84 to 11. Both bills now head to the Senate where they await committee assignment. HB1065 would prevent state or local government authorities from confiscating lawfully-owned firearms during declared states of emergency, such as occurred in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. HB1068 would limit access to the Indiana Right-to-Carry permit list in order to protect the privacy rights of law-abiding citizens. Please contact your state legislators TODAY and politely encourage them to support SB25, HB1065, and HB1068. Your State Representative's contact information can be found here. For your State Senator's contact information, please click here.
IOWA: Iowa's state legislature has convened for 2010, and important legislation affecting your rights, including Right-to-Carry legislation, will be considered. In order to ensure that Iowa's gun owners are fully engaged to protect freedom, NRA-ILA will be hosting a series of FREE Grassroots Workshops across the state to help gun owners join the Frontlines today!
At these FREE Workshops, NRA-ILA Staff will discuss how you can take on an even more active role in your community in our fight to advance and protect our freedoms in this very busy year! We will provide you with the materials and strategies needed to educate, empower, and engage your fellow gun owners as well.
With your support and attendance at these Workshops, you'll help ensure that NRA members and gun owners across Iowa are actively in engaged in the battle to protect the Second Amendment. Please encourage your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to attend as well!
These FREE NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshops will be held:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Bass Pro Shops
2901 Bass Pro Drive
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
(712) 325-6000
(Registration and hors d'oeuvres from 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
/workshops/Register.aspx?ID=CouncilBluffs10
Thursday, February 4, 2010
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Embassy Suites on the River
101 East Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-244-1700
(Registration and hors d'oevres from 6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
***Parking is across the street in the parking garage and cost is $7.00. NRA will pick up cost. You will need to get a voucher from NRA staff prior to leaving the meeting.
/workshops/Register.aspx?ID=DesMoines10
Saturday, February 6, 2010
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Clarion Hotel & Convention Center
525 33rd Avenue SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
319-366-8671
(Registration and continental breakfast from 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)
/workshops/Register.aspx?ID=CedarRapids10
For more information, please contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.
MARYLAND: Important Self-Defense Bill Needs Your Help!
On Wednesday, February 3, at 1:00 p.m., the Maryland House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 207. Sponsored by Delegate William Frank (R-42), HB207 would provide civil immunity to a person who uses force, including deadly force, against someone who enters their dwelling or business with the intent to commit first, second or third degree burglary or a crime of violence. Please contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to support your right to self-defense by voting in favor of HB207. Contact information can be found here.
MISSISSIPPI: Various Pro-Gun Bills Taking Shape in Jackson!
A number of bills have been filed to create a sales tax holiday weekend on the sale of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies: Senate Bill 2407, House Bill 242, House Bill 396 and House Bill 1207. Legislative leaders may be hesitant to bring these proposals forward due to the state's dire economic situation, so the need to hear from you. Please call and e-mail your State Senators and Representatives in Jackson and urge them to move forward on consideration of these bills. Contact information for state lawmakers can be found at http://www.mississippi.gov. Also, a number of bills have been introduced to loosen restrictions on where concealed pistol permit holders may lawfully carry. This past week, the Senate Judiciary A Committee unanimously reported out Senate Bill 2153, which repeals the state ban on carrying in public parks. The full Senate will likely vote on this measure next week. Please contact your State Senators and urge them to vote for SB 2153 on the Senate floor. Lastly, nearly 40 House co-authors have signed onto House Bill 1502, by Representative Warner McBride (D-10). This bill would significantly roll back restrictions on many of the "prohibited locations" listed in the state's concealed carry law. A summary of its provisions can be found here. Please contact your State Representative and either thank them for already signing on as a co-author to HB 1502 or urge them to sign on as a co-author to this important measure! A list of current sponsors can be found by clicking on the bill name.
NEW JERSEY: Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs Files Lawsuit Against One-Gun-A-Month Law! The Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court of New Jersey seeking nullification of the recently enacted one-gun-a-month gun rationing law. ANJRPC's federal lawsuit is in response to New Jersey's lawmakers reneging on their promise of the new legislation exempting firearm collectors and competitive shooters from the law. The Firearms Task Force, which was created by former Governor Jon Corzine (D), promised that the one-gun-a-month reform bill would provide an exemption to gun collectors and competitors, claiming they were not the target of the law. With New Jersey's government blatantly ignoring the Constitutional rights of its citizens, it is time that we take action and stand up against such offensive legislation.
NEW MEXICO: Pro-Gun Bills in Santa Fe Need Your Support!
The Senate version of the restaurant carry bill is beginning to move in Santa Fe, having recently moved to the Senate Judiciary committee, where it must pass before going to the Senate floor. However, its companion bill, HB83, remains in the House Business and Transportation Committee and has yet to be scheduled for a hearing. These bills would allow concealed handgun licensees to lawfully carry for self-defense in establishments that are licensed to serve beer and wine for consumption on the premises. Also recently introduced is SB 212, which would eliminate the unnecessary two-hour refresher course for concealed handgun licensees. SB 212 has been referred to the Senate Public Affairs Committee, but is not currently scheduled for a hearing. During this 30-day fiscal session, it is important that we make our voices heard. Please contact these committee members and urge them to defend our Second Amendment rights and support SB40, HB83 and SB212. Click here to learn more about these bills and how you can contact your each committee.
NEVADA: Clark County Shooting Park Needs Your Help!
The Clark County Shooting Park has been the target of a lawsuit by a handful of anti-gun homeowners intending to close this major shooting facility north of Decatur Boulevard in Las Vegas. The Shooting Park was established by federal legislation in November 2003 by transferring nearly 3,000 acres of land from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Clark County.
The NRA previously sent an alert on this issue asking for its members to submit comments to the BLM in support of an Environmental Assessment that the court required BLM to prepare. It was released for public comment in August. More than 1,000 comments in support of the Shooting Park were received by the BLM compared to a fraction in opposition.
However, the issue has not been settled. Because some of the comments provided new information or raised questions or concerns regarding the Environmental Assessment, the BLM was forced to consider a wider range of alternatives and thus had to prepare a supplement. The revised document has been released for a 45-day comment period that will end January 29th.
We ask that our members in Nevada and the surrounding states once again take the time to submit comments to the BLM in support of the Preferred Alternative A, which is the conveyance of the federal lands to the County for the Shooting Park. The environmental assessment is available online at www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html. Written comments should be addressed to Bob Ross, BLM Las Vegas Field Manager, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89130. Your comments will make a difference as to whether the Shooting Park becomes a reality or falls victim to the whims of anti-gunners.
TENNESSEE: Regular Session Returns!
Regular session re-convened Monday, January 25 after a 2-week special session. Several NRA-backed bills have been filed, including restaurant carry reform, permit confidentiality and the Right to Hunt and Fish amendment. We will keep you alerted on all issues related to the Second Amendment. Please continue to check www.NRAILA.org and your email for updates in the coming weeks.
VERMONT: Proposed Legislation Could Ban All Ammunition in Vermont!
The House Fish, Wildlife & Water Resources Committee is currently considering legislation (H. 484) which could potentially ban the sale and use of virtually all ammunition in Vermont. The bill would require the Secretary of Natural Resources to set up a program to identify and ban the distribution of certain toxic chemicals. During questioning before the House committee regarding the potential impact of H. 484, Department of Environmental Conservation Deputy Commissioner Justin Johnson said that it was foreseeable that the enactment of this legislation could outlaw the ammunition you use for hunting, plinking, or self-defense. Following Commissioner Johnson's testimony, Charity Carbine of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), testified and did not challenge the commissioner's assertion that H. 484 could result in the banning of ammunition. Please call your state lawmakers TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose H. 484! Contact information for your legislators can be found by clicking here.
VIRGINIA: Update on Pending Virginia Firearms Legislation
On Wednesday, January 28, the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Sub-Committee #1 stood up for Virginia's law-abiding gun owners by defeating two anti-gun measures. The committee also passed a number of pro-gun advancements, which will be heard by the full committee next Friday, February 5. House Bill 1234 was defeated by a vote of 4 to 1. HB1234, sponsored by Delegate Jennifer McClellan (D-71), was a broad and vague bill, which would have required that all sales at a gun show go through a federally licensed dealer. This bill imposed impractical requirements on the promoter and broadly defined a vendor as someone who "exhibits, sells, offers for sale, transfers or exchanges any firearms at a firearm show." The intent of the bill was to lay the groundwork for an eventual prohibition on the private sales of firearms in Virginia. Please contact the following Sub-Committee members who voted to defeat HB1234 and thank them for their support of the Second Amendment. Unanimously, the Sub-Committee defeated House Bill 879. Introduced by Delegate Mamye BaCote (D-95), this bill would have whittled away Virginia's preemption law by allowing localities to ban the possession of firearms and ammunition in libraries. Please contact the members of the Subcommittee and thank them for protecting gun owners of Virginia from a patchwork of local laws that would ensnare the law-abiding. Contact information for the sub-committee can be found by clicking here.
