Maybe Brady Campaign Should Switch To Decaf
The hand-wringers at the Brady Campaign must have figured out what the rest of us have known for quite some time. Having been rendered all but entirely irrelevant, at least for the time being, the group is resorting to weird publicity stunts, in a vain attempt to again be taken seriously by its former not-so-secret admirers in the national anti-gun news media.
Last month, the group gave President Obama an “F” for “failed leadership” on gun control, accusing him of “squandering” the opportunity to push for tighter gun control laws. Now it’s attacking Starbucks for allowing people to carry firearms in its stores as provided for by state law.
Get this doozie: “It’s everyone’s right to sit in a restaurant or coffee shop with their families without intimidation or fear of guns,” the Brady Campaign says, in its modern rendition of FDR’s famous “freedom from fear” quote.
Housing Authority Lifts Gun Ban, Restores Second Amendment Rights: Delaware gun owners and Second Amendment advocates earned a victory this week as the Newark Housing Authority (NHA) withdrew a gun ban that had prohibited its residents from legally possessing firearms in their homes.
The Caesar Rodney Institute (CRI), a research and education organization in Delaware, recently released a series of Special Reports drawing attention to the plight of public housing residents being stripped of their right to self-defense, which prompted swift action from NRA.
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.
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.
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.”)
ALABAMA: State House Passes Legislation Repealing Ban on Short Barreled Rifles House Bill 2 passed the House on Thursday, January 28 by a 97 to 2 vote. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. Sponsored by State Representative Jeremy Oden (R-11), HB2 would repeal the Alabama statute that prohibits the possession, sale, receipt, or use of rifles with barrels less than 16 inches long. These rifles are already legal under federal law when properly registered. Please contact your State Senator TODAY at (334) 242-7800 and respectfully urge them to support this common sense legislation. Further contact information can be found by clicking here.
COLORADO: Pro-Gun Bills Await Action in Denver Two crucial pieces of legislation have been introduced in the Colorado State Legislature. House Bill 1094, which would guarantee your right to self-defense in the workplace, is scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, February 11. Senate Bill 51 would remove the Governor’s ability to “suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation” of firearms during a declared state of emergency. This bill has been assigned to the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee and currently awaits action. It is important that you contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee and respectfully urge them to support HB 1094. Also, please contact 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. 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. State Representative Kent Lambert (R-14) and State Senator Al White (R-8) objected to imposing the proposed fee on the constitutional rights of Coloradans, likening it to a poll tax. To learn more, please click here.
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 greater 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.
IOWA: Help Make Iowa A Shall-Issue Concealed Carry State! Earlier this week, legislation was introduced in Des Moines that would, among other things, change Iowa from a "May-Issue" state to a "Shall-Issue" state and require law enforcement to issue a Permit to Carry a concealed weapon to all applicants who are not subject to narrowly-drawn disqualifiers. HF 2255 has been referred to the Committee on Public Safety for consideration but a hearing date has not yet been scheduled. It is important that you contact your legislators today and respectfully urge them to support HF 2255. To find contact information for your legislator please click here
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!
The final, FREE NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop will be held:
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.
KENTUCKY: State House Protects Military Personnel’s Concealed Carry Licenses The Kentucky State House unanimously passed House Bill 19 last week by a vote of 95 to 0. Sponsored by State Representative Robert Damron (D-39), HB 19 allows military personnel who are on active duty to renew their concealed carry license early and by mail. It also allows for those military personnel whose license expires while on active duty to renew the license within 90 days after the end of their deployment, with no late fees or other penalties. HB 19 has been assigned to the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection Committee. Please contact committee members and respectfully urge them to support HB 19. Contact information can be found here.
MARYLAND: Update on Proposed “Assault Weapons” Ban On Wednesday, February 3, State Senator Michael Lenett (D-19) introduced Senate Bill 516, a bill that would designate certain firearms as "assault weapons" and would prohibit the possession, transfer or receipt of these firearms by law-abiding Maryland residents. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. With no coherent reason to ban semi-automatic firearms by honest, law-abiding residents in Maryland, SB516 is nothing more than posturing by an extreme anti-gun politician looking to take away our Second Amendment rights. Please contact your State Senator TODAY and respectfully request that he or she oppose Senate Bill 516! For contact information please click here.
“Castle Doctrine” Bills Introduced! Two Maryland state senators have introduced separate legislation to codify the “Castle Doctrine” principle in Maryland state law. Senate Bill 386, sponsored by State Senator Nancy Jacobs (R-34), would provide civil immunity to a person who uses force, including deadly force, against anyone who enters the person’s dwelling or business with the intent to commit first, second or third degree burglary or a crime of violence. Senate Bill 411, sponsored by State Senator Thomas Middleton (D-28), would provide immunity from damages when force, including deadly force, is reasonable under the circumstances to repel an attack. Both bills have been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee where they await a hearing. Please contact your State Senator TODAY and respectfully urge them to protect your right to self-defense. For contact information, please click here.
Two Sunday Hunting Bills Introduced Two bills that would expand hunting opportunities in Maryland have been introduced and assigned to the House Environmental Matters Committee, where they await a hearing. HB245, sponsored by the Allegany County delegation, would authorize a person to hunt turkey in Allegany County on the last Sunday in April and the first Sunday in May, except for Easter Sunday. HB246, sponsored by both the Allegany County and Garrett County delegations, would allow bowhunting for deer on private property in Allegany County and Garrett County during open season on the last three Sundays in October and the second Sunday in November. Please contact the members of the House Environmental Matters Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to pass HB245 and HB246. Contact information can be found here.
OKLAHOMA: Lifetime Concealed Handgun License Bill Introduced House Bill 3124, legislation that would create an optional lifetime concealed handgun license, has been introduced and referred to the House Public Safety Committee. No hearing date has been scheduled. Please contact the members of the House Public Safety Committee and respectfully urge them support HB3124. Contact information can be found here.
Hunting Included in Management Plan for Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft plan with several options for managing the Tishomingo Wildlife Refuge for the next 15 years. Tishomingo is located in south central Oklahoma and consists of more than 16,000 acres. It was established over 70 years ago to preserve nesting grounds for migratory waterfowl. The draft plan describes three management alternatives, all of which include some level of hunting. Comments on the draft are due Tuesday, March 23 and can be emailed to [email protected]. Include "Tishomingo NWR Draft CCP and EA" in the subject line. Comments can also be faxed to Mr. Lujan at 505-248-6874. The plan can be viewed at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/planindex.html. For further information please call 505-248-7458. It will be extremely helpful in the planning process if hunters familiar with the refuge can comment on which of the alternatives best reflect the needs and desires of those who hunt on this refuge.
PENNSYLVANIA: Mandatory Reporting of Lost or Stolen Firearms to be Introduced in Radnor Township on Monday! Legislation that would require gun-owners to report lost or stolen firearms or face fines and possible imprisonment will be formally introduced at Monday’s meeting of the Radnor Township Board of Commissioners. CeasefirePA has already presented testimony supporting such legislation before the Township Board. This proposal not only violates Pennsylvania’s state preemption laws, but potentially also turns law-abiding gun owners -- who have already been victimized by theft -- into criminals. The next meeting of the Radnor Township Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Monday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m. It will be held at the Township Municipal Building located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne. Please make plans to attend this hearing and show your support for the Second Amendment. Also, please contact the members of the Radnor Township Board of Commissioners TODAY and respectfully voice your opposition to this unwarranted, unjust and illegal proposal. Contact information can be found here.
RHODE ISLAND: Help Stand-Up for Gun Shops in the Town of South Kingstown! Your help is needed to fight proposed amendments to Articles 3 and 5 of the Zoning Ordinance that would put restrictions on firearm retailers in the Town of South Kingstown. These amendments would impose limitations and extra burdens on firearm retailers by limiting the locations where the businesses can be, as well as requiring a special permit process in order to have the establishment in certain areas. To learn how you can help, please click here.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Help Create Hunting and Recreational Shooting Opportunities! The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), along with the South Carolina Conservation Bank, The Conservation Fund, and the National Wild Turkey Federation, is working to acquire the Belfast Plantation, which will help to greatly expand hunting and shooting opportunities in South Carolina. The 4,664-acre property is located in Laurens and Newberry Counties and SCDNR intends to use the land for hunting as well as recreational shooting. The first step of this approval process involves the legislators who serve Newberry County, who must support the effort. Please contact State Senator Ronnie Cromer (R-18) and State Representative Walton McLeod (D-40) TODAY and encourage them to support SCDNR's efforts to acquire the Belfast Plantation. In addition, please contact the members of the Newberry County Council and urge them to support this effort. Contact information can be found here.
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 establish 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. 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.
WASHINGTON: “Assault Weapon” Ban Being Considered in Olympia! NRA-ILA has previously informed you about Senate Bill 6396, legislation that would bring California-style gun-control to the Northwest and ultimately ban many semi-automatic firearms commonly owned by Washingtonians. SB6396 was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee but no action was taken. SB6396 is more far-reaching than it appears on the surface and will absolutely impact a large number of Washington firearm owners, including concealed pistol license holders, hunters and competitive pistol shooters. For more information about the bill, please click here. YOUR CALLS AND EMAILS ARE WORKING! It is important that NRA members keep the pressure on their legislators by respectfully urging them to oppose SB6396. Please contact your legislators TODAY and continue to urge them to oppose SB 6396! Brief messages can be left for your legislators by calling the toll-free legislative hotline at 800-562-6000.
Proposed Bill Violates Gun Owners’ Due Process Rights Legislation has been introduced in Washington State that puts the due process rights of gun owners in jeopardy. House Bill 2778 is being touted as a bill that would bring Washington into compliance with Federal law. In actuality, it is much broader. It would expand both the types of relationships that qualify as “domestic” and the types of offenses for which firearms rights would be lost. It would also bar “ownership” of firearms while a qualifying restraining order was in effect, whereas a person under federal law loses possessory but not property rights. Though domestic abuse is undeniably tragic and deplorable, this bill is an unnecessary and unfair overreaction. 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. Please contact your state legislators TODAY at 800-562-6000 and respectfully urge them to remove the firearm provision in HB2778 or to oppose the bill entirely.
