FBI Data Again Shows More Guns = Less Crime
Anyone needing proof that fanaticism for gun control hasn't waned on Capitol Hill, that anti-gunners are -- as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) put it last year -- only waiting to "pick the time," should watch the video of Mexican president Felipe Calderon's speech to Congress last week, versions of which have been posted on youtube.com. When Calderon asked that the federal "assault weapon" ban be re-imposed, a very large number of U.S. Representatives and Senators present gave him a standing ovation.
However, on Monday the FBI released crime statistics that should cause the applauding anti-gunners to sit on their hands. The statistics indicate that between 2008 and 2009, as gun sales soared, the number of murders in our country decreased 7.2 percent. That amounts to about an 8.2 percent decrease in the per capita murder rate, after the increase in our nation's legal and illegal population is taken into account. And it translates into about a 10.5 percent decrease in the murder rate between 2004, when the ban expired, and the end of 2009. And finally, it means that in 2009 our nation's murder rate fell to a 45-year low.
Sen. Inhofe Introduces Legislation To Protect Second Amendment Rights Of Military And Dept. Of Defense Civilian Personnel: Over a period of some months, NRA members in the Armed Forces have called NRA's attention to the fact that certain military base commanders, exercising arbitrary authority given them under military law and regulations, have issued orders violating military personnel's Second Amendment rights. In a particularly egregious example, Fort Riley, Kansas, has imposed a preposterous regulation that, among other things, (1) requires the registration, with Fort Riley, of its soldiers' privately-owned firearms kept off-base, and those of the soldiers' family members residing anywhere in Kansas, (2) prohibits soldiers who have firearm-carrying permits from carrying firearms for protection off-base, and (3) authorizes unit commanders to set arbitrary limits on the caliber of firearms and ammunition their troops may privately own.
Hillary Clinton And The UN Arms Trade Treaty Rumor: We continue to receive numerous inquiries regarding UN international treaties, and their impact on our Second Amendment rights. The latest rumor making its way around the Internet claims that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton actually signed a UN small arms treaty.
Voter Registration Alert: With the 2010 elections rapidly approaching, gun owners have a tremendous opportunity to elect officials who will support our Second Amendment rights. This will not be possible, however, unless you make your voice heard by voting, and encouraging your family, friends, and fellow gun owners to do the same. Therefore, it is critical that gun owners in these states are registered to vote for the November elections, and for the upcoming primary elections.
Bank Of America Clarifies Position: Over the past few months, NRA-ILA received information from a few members detailing some problems that firearm-related businesses were having with Bank of America (BoA).
Join Noted Author Stephen Halbrook for Book Reception: In 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark ruling on the Second Amendment's individual right to "keep and bear arms" in Heller v. District of Columbia. But the question remains whether the States and their political subdivisions must recognize this right.
Grassroots News Minute Video: To view this week's "Grassroots News Minute" video, please click here:
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.)
GEORGIA: Two Pro-Gun Bills Awaiting the Governor's Consideration!Two important pro-gun bills (Senate Bill 291 and Senate Bill 308) have passed the General Assembly and are now on Governor Sonny Perdue's (R) desk awaiting his consideration. SB291 would allow a person lawfully licensed to carry a firearm the Right-to-Carry in all non-secure areas of airports, as well as while dropping off or picking up passengers at an airport. Also included in the bill is a provision that would make the license renewal process much easier. Instead of the licensee having to remember to renew, the probate court will be required to send out renewal notices 90 days before expiration. SB308 would reform Georgia's carry laws so that the carry license would enable the person to carry any handgun or knife, openly or concealed. SB 308 would also allow Georgia Firearm License holders to carry in more places by repealing the broad and vague "public gathering ban." Please continue to contact Governor Perdue today by phone at (404) 656-1776 or via e-mail by clicking here and respectfully urge him to sign SB291 and SB308. Also, please e-mail State Senator David Shafer (R-48) at [email protected] and State Senator Mitch Seabaugh (R-28) at [email protected] and thank them for all their efforts with these important bills.
ILLINOIS: Anti-Gun Attacks Continue in Springfield! While the Illinois General Assembly tries to complete its business, anti-gun extremists are putting on a desperate push to pass attacks on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As mentioned previously, House Bill 5849 and House Bill 5480, both sponsored by State Representative Harry Osterman (D-14), are still expected to be debated on the floor, along with the amendments previously discussed. Another bill that is likely to be brought up is House Bill 5751, introduced by State Representative Edward Acevedo (D-2), which would ban countless semi-automatic handguns, rifles, and shotguns, and many parts for those guns, as well as .50 caliber rifles and ammunition. Time is rapidly running out for this year's legislative session, and anti-gun extremists will stop at nothing to try to force through any attack on the Second Amendment that they can! Please continue to contact your State representative and urge him or her to oppose HB5480, HB5751, and HB5849! Please click here for contact information.
Will County Considering Opening New Hunting LandsThe Will County Board of Commissioners is considering opening up forest preserve land within the county to public hunting opportunities. The deer population in the forest preserves needs to be managed to maintain balance and sustainability, and one option under consideration is public hunting. Please take a moment to contact members of the Will County Board of Commissioners and urge them to support public hunting in the forest preserves in Will County as a means to manage the deer population. To find contact information for County Board Members, please go to http://www.willcountyboard.com/yourcountyboard.htm, and then click on the link for the Board Member you wish to contact.
KANSAS: Kansas State Rifle Association Annual Meeting to be Held June 12-13! On Saturday, June 12, and Sunday, June 13, the Kansas State Rifle Association (KSRA) will hold its annual meeting at the Grand Prairie Hotel and Convention Center in Hutchinson. Current KSRA members and Second Amendment supporters are all welcome to attend this two-day event in support of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The event will kick-off on Saturday morning at 9 a.m., and will include the election of officers and speeches from congressional candidates. In the evening, there will be a $25-per-plate KSRA PAC fundraiser dinner with additional speakers, including U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt (R) and former NRA President John Sigler. Sunday's activities will take place at the Central Kansas Gun Club of Reno County and include a Cowboy Action Shooting exhibition and high power rifle, pistol and shotgun open shoots. These are just a few of the festivities planned for the weekend. For a complete itinerary and registration form please click here.
LOUISIANA:State Park Carry Bill Scheduled to be Heard on June 3! Last week the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 534, which would bring Louisiana into agreement with a recently passed federal law that allows the carrying and possession of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges in accordance with applicable state carry laws. SB534 would allow possession and transportation of any lawfully-owned firearm in state parks, state historic sites, state preservation areas, wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas and other areas controlled by the Office of State Parks. SB534 sits in the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee where it is scheduled to be heard at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 3 in HCR-6. Please contact the members of the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to SUPPORT SB534. Contact information for the committee is listed here.
MARYLAND: Attorney General Gansler Issues Opinion on .22 Caliber Rifles Maryland's Office of Attorney General issued a favorable opinion Monday, May 24, as what constitutes a "copy" of a so called "assault weapon." These firearms are subject to Maryland's "regulated firearm" law. The issue at hand was whether .22 caliber rimfire rifles that may cosmetically resemble any firearms defined as "assault weapons" in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Safety Article § 5-101, should be regulated under that section as "copies" of the listed center-fire models. According to the opinion, a copy must be similar "in its internal components and function to the designated weapon" and "cosmetic similarity to an enumerated assault weapon alone would not bring a weapon within the regulated firearms law." The opinion also states that the Maryland State Police will make the initial decision as to whether the gun's internal parts make it a "copy" of an "assault weapon." This is a victory for Maryland's law-abiding citizens who use these common rifles for competition, sport shooting and home defense. You can read the opinion in full by clicking here.
NEW YORK: Legislation to Expand Hunting Opportunities Awaiting Consideration in Albany! Assembly Bill 924 and Senate Bill 6793, bills authorizing Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to promulgate rules for the use of crossbows for hunting in the Empire State, are pending consideration in the Assembly and Senate Environmental Conservation Committees, respectively. The aggressive expansion of hunter choice and opportunity by DEC is needed at a time when hunter retention and recruitment rates are declining at unsustainable rates. For every 100 hunters who permanently quit hunting in New York, only 55 replace them. If this trend is allowed to persist, our proud hunting heritage will be placed in serious jeopardy. This legislation is one significant step forward in the effort to reverse this decline. Please take time today to contact lawmakers and ask that they support A924 and S6793. More hunters entering the fields and woods of New York would be a good thing for wildlife conservation and the preservation of our hunting heritage. State Assembly Members can be reached by phone at (518) 455-4100. To find your Assembly Member, please click here. Your State Senator can be contacted through the Senate switchboard at (518) 455-2800. To find your State Senator, please click here.
Legislation Advances that Could Ban All New Semiautomatic Handguns in New York! Assembly Bill 6468C, sponsored by State Assemblywomen Michelle Schimel (D-16), passed the Assembly, and the Senate version of the bill, Senate Bill 6005, sponsored by State Senator Eric Schneiderman (D-31), is still pending in the Senate Codes Committee. Both bills would require that semi-automatic pistols manufactured or delivered to any licensed dealer in the state of New York be capable of micro-stamping, and establish fines for violations of this requirement. If allowed to become law, this bill will serve as a ban on all new semi-automatic handguns in New York State! It is imperative that you contact your lawmakers and ask their position on A6468C and S6005. Also, respectfully urge them to oppose these bills. State Assembly Members can be reached by phone at (518) 455-4100. To find your Assembly Member, please click here. Your State Senator can be contacted through the Senate switchboard at (518) 455-2800. To find your State Senator, please click here. Also, please e-mail NRA-ILA's State & Local Affairs Division at state&[email protected] and let us know what response you are getting from your lawmakers concerning A6468C and S6005.
OREGON:Proposed Hunter Orange Mandate! There are five different options under the proposed hunter orange rule currently being considered by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. They range from maintaining the status quo of no hunter orange requirement to a mandate for all firearms hunters other than those pursuing turkey and waterfowl. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a Hunter Orange Report to the Commission (HORC) http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/safety/docs/Draft_Hunter_Orange_Commission_Report.pdf that contains creative statistics in support of a mandate. Even in this era of ever-expanding government mandates, the decision to wear hunter orange should be left up to the individual, not the state. Please plan to attend a meeting on Friday, June 4th, and make your voice heard! The meeting begins at 8 a.m. at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Headquarters, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE. Salem, OR 97303. The Commission will be briefed on these rule options during this meeting in Salem, when they will decide whether to move forward with formal rule-making. If they decide to proceed, final rules regarding hunter orange would be considered at the Oct. 1, 2010 meeting in Bend when 2011 big game regulations will be set. Members of the public may testify in person about mandatory hunter orange at the June and October Commission meetings. If you are unable to attend, written comments about the proposals can also be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent to ODFW Information and Education Division, 3406 Cherry Ave NE, Salem, OR 97303. For more information please click here.
PENNSYLVANIA:Castle Doctrine Passes out of Judiciary Committee 
On Tuesday, May 25, the House Judiciary Committee successfully passed HB40, Castle Doctrine legislation which will now head to the House floor for consideration. The committee also defeated three anti-gun bills (HB1043, HB1044 and HB1045). House Bill 40, would permit law-abiding citizens to use force, including deadly force, against an attacker in their homes and any places outside of their home where they have a legal right to be. It would also protect individuals from civil lawsuits by the attacker or the attacker's family when force is used. House Bill 1043 would have created a new Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking or a "Firearm Trafficking Czar" in the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. Passage of this bill had the potential to establish yet another anti-gun biased bureaucratic agency within the state government. House Bill 1044 would have gutted Pennsylvania's firearm preemption statute which currently allows only the State Legislature to enact laws pertaining to firearms. House Bill 1045 would have brought California-style gun-control to the Keystone State and ultimately banned many semi-automatic firearms commonly owned by Pennsylvanians. Please contact your State Representative and respectfully urge him or her to support House Bill 40 when it comes up on the floor. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Join State Representative Tim Krieger for his 2010 Sportsmen's Event on Saturday, June 12! On Saturday, June 12, join your pro-gun State Representative, Tim Krieger, for a day celebrating our Second Amendment freedoms and outdoor heritage. Don't miss the exhibits, information booths, and seminars on subjects like archery, fishing, firearms, muzzle loading, turkey calling, wild game cooking, and more. This free, family-oriented event will be held on Saturday, June 12 from noon until 5:00 p.m. at the Police Rod and Gun Club located at 153 Bigem Road in New Alexandria. For more information, please call 724-834-6400. This is a great opportunity to spend time with fellow NRA members and show your support for Representative Krieger.
SOUTH CAROLINA:Hunting Opportunities In Draft Management Plan for Cape Romain NWR The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a draft plan for Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge located in Charleston County, SC. Established in 1932 as a migratory bird refuge, Cape Romain encompasses 66,267 acres along a 22-mile segment of the southeast Atlantic coast. The draft plan will guide management of the refuge for the next 15 years. The plan presents the current management guidance, along with two management alternatives. All three approaches to refuge management provide for hunting and fishing opportunities. The plan can be found at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/planning/. Click on Draft CCP Documents and scroll down to 'Cape Romain'. Public comments are being invited until June 1, and can be e-mailed to [email protected]. For further information, please call 912-496-7366. It is very important for the Service to receive public support for maintaining and enhancing hunting opportunities on Cape Romain. Anti-hunting interests regularly use the public process to demand that all wildlife refuges be closed to hunting.
TENNESSEE: Tennessee Senate Overrides Restaurant Carry Veto On Thursday, May 27, the Tennessee State Senate overrode Governor Phil Bredesen's (D) veto of Senate Bill 3012 by a vote of 22 to 10. This legislation now heads to the State House and could be heard as early as Tuesday, June 1. SB3012 would allow a person who has a valid right-to-carry permit to carry a firearm for self-defense in restaurants where alcohol may be served, as long as the permit holder is not consuming alcohol or is not otherwise prohibited by posting provisions. Please contact your State Representative and urge him or her to support the veto override of SB3012. Contact information for your Representative can be found here.
VERMONT: Mentored Hunting Bill Signed by Governor! On Wednesday, May 26, Governor Jim Douglas (R) signed H. 243 into law. H. 243, introduced by State Representative Steve Adams (R-Windsor 4), will establish a mentored hunting license that will allow prospective hunters to try their hand at hunting before completing a hunter education course. Apprentice hunters would have to be directly supervised in the field by a mentor who is at least 21 years old and who holds a valid hunting license. Experience in more than two dozen other states with these laws shows that this kind of mentored hunting program is exceptionally safe and will bring many new hunters into the field. There is no reason to believe that the citizens of Vermont will prove to be the exception to this outstanding track record. Please contact Governor Douglas and respectfully thank him for signing H. 243 into law. The Governor can be reached by phone at (802) 828-3333 and click here to send e-mail.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend,
and please remember those who have paid the ultimate price to protect our freedom!
In observation of Memorial Day, NRA will be closed on Monday, May 31.
