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News alerts. Please give immediate attention.
On Wednesday, just over five weeks after
Inauguration Day, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the
Obama Administration will seek to reinstate the expired federal
"assault weapon" ban and impose additional restrictions.
"As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a
few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them
would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons,"
Holder said. Based on Holder's testimony during his confirmation
hearings before the Senate, those other "changes" presumably include
prohibiting private transfers of firearms and banning most center-fire
rifle ammunition as "armor-piercing."
Holder said that new gun control laws are needed because in Mexico, a
country with a history of corruption and disregard for individual
rights, there's a shooting war going on between drug gangs and
government troops, and some of the gangsters' guns have been illegally
purchased in the United States.
Second Amendment Victory In Washington, D.C.! Yesterday, the
United States Senate voted, with overwhelming bipartisan support, to
adopt an amendment offered by Nevada Senator John Ensign (R), that
seeks to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens
in the District of Columbia. The amendment, attached to S.160, the
"D.C. Voting Rights Act", will repeal restrictive gun control laws
passed by the District of Columbia's (D.C.) city council in defiance
of the landmark D.C. v. Heller Supreme Court decision. The vote
margin was 62-36.
Palin Supports New Rule On Guns In Parks: Last week, Alaska
Governor Sarah Palin (R) once again demonstrated her steadfast
commitment to America's gun owners, as she urged U.S. Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar to support recently adopted regulations that
enable Right-to-Carry permit holders to carry concealed firearms in
national parks and wildlife refuges in states that recognize their
permits. The new rule applies only to law-abiding citizens who have
met the requirements to acquire a carry permit, and who are legally
allowed to carry in the state in which the park is located. Salazar
has asked for a review of the new regulations, which were implemented
by the Bush administration.
Swiss Face Pump-Action Ban: Radical anti-gun activists in
this country have already called for pump-action firearms to be banned
as "assault weapons." Bills to that effect, based on draft legislation
developed by the San Francisco-based Legal Community Against Violence,
have been introduced at the state level, and Donna Dees-Thomases of
the Brady Campaign-affiliated Million Mom March, a close friend of
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has advocated a pump-action ban as
well.
Big Brother's New Target: Tracking Firearms (H.R. 45): As we
previously reported, last month, U.S. Representative Bobby Rush
(D-Ill.) sponsored
H.R. 45, also known as "Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record
of Sale Act." The bill is, at its core and as its name implies, a
licensing and registration scheme.
The measure calls for all handgun owners to submit to the federal
government an application that shall include, among many other
things: a photo; an address; a thumbprint; a completed, written
firearm safety test; private mental health records; and a fee. And
those are only some of the requirements to be licensed! To
read more, please click
here.
You can call your U.S. Senators
at (202) 224-3121 and your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121 or
enter your Zip code and follow the link to e-mail your Legislators.
A LOOK AT THE STATES
ALABAMA:
Bill to Repeal Ban on Short Barreled Rifles and Shotguns Pending
Action
House Bill
2 is still pending action in the State Senate. HB2 would repeal the
section of the Alabama statute that prohibits the possession, sale,
receipt, or use of short barreled rifles and shotguns. These firearms
are already legal under federal law when properly registered. HB2 is
anticipating a final read and a Senate vote in mid-April. Please
continue to contact your State Senator TODAY at (334) 242-7800 and
respectfully urge him or her to support HB2. Contact information
for your Senator can be found
here.
ALASKA:
Important Alaska Self-Defense Reform Needs Your Help!
House Bill
381, an important self-defense reform measure, is currently on the
move in Juneau. With just three weeks in the legislative session
remaining, it is imperative that you stand up and make your voice
heard in support of this legislation. HB381 would remove the duty to
retreat in Alaska. Under this bill, Alaskans would have the right to
use force, including deadly force, for self-defense anywhere they have
a right to be. Please contact your State Representative and
your State Senator TODAY and respectfully urge them to
support HB381. To determine who your State Legislators are,
please click
here.
Contact information for your State Representative can be found
here.
Click
here to
find
contact information for your State Senator.
ARIZONA:
House Passes Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment
On Wednesday, March 24, HCR 2008, Arizona's Right to Hunt and Fish
Constitutional Amendment, passed its third and final reading in the
House by a vote of 37 to 18, with five listed as absent. HCR 2008
will now head to the Senate for assignment. Although it has been an
activity conducted by humans since the beginning of time, hunting has
been targeted for extinction by the well-funded animal "rights"
extremists at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). They
spend $120 million a year lobbying and litigating against hunting and
science-based wildlife management. Hunters are America's true
conservationists. No other group contributes more in order to
preserve and reestablish wildlife populations and their habitats. It
is time that hunting receives the highest form of protection available
and that is what is provided in HCR 2008. The emotional cries of the
animal "rights" extremists cannot be allowed to dictate the future of
Arizona's wildlife policies. If passed and approved by the voters,
HCR 2008 would make Arizona one of nearly a dozen states with such a
constitutional protection. Please contact your State Senator
and respectfully urge him or her to support this important
constitutional amendment. Contact information can be found by
clicking
here.
CONNECTICUT:
Two Bills Pending Action in the Senate
Two
hunting-related bills are currently pending consideration in the State
Senate. Anti-hunting Senate Bill 274, a bill that would prohibit the
"unreasonable" confinement and tethering of dogs, passed out of the
Environment Committee and is pending consideration on the Senate
floor. Senate Bill 207, a bill designed to reduce the recent fee
increases associated with hunting and fishing licenses, also awaits
action. In the meantime please contact your State Senator
and respectfully urge him or her to OPPOSE S274 and SUPPORT S207 when
action is taken on the floor. Contact information can be found
here.
Anti-Gun Bill Fails to Move Forward in Connecticut
Governor's
Bill 28 failed to be approved by the Joint Committee on Government
Administration and Elections before the committee deadline of Friday,
March 26. Introduced at the request of Governor Jodi Rell (R),
Governor's Bill 28 would have had a negative 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
passed, an applicant who is denied a pistol permit would have had to
appeal to the very body, the Department of Public Safety, which
rejected the permit. The dismantling of this currently independent
board would have made it harder for law-abiding gun owners to regain
their pistol permits if they have been revoked or denied without
proper cause. Thank you for taking the time to contact your lawmakers
in opposition to this anti-gun legislation.
FLORIDA:
Contact Governor Charlie Crist Today!
Governor
Charlie Crist has signed SB-1158 into law, the Trust Fund
Protection bill. SB-1158 is the Concealed Weapons Licensing Trust Fund
Bill that is necessary to protect the fund from future raids by the
legislature. Governor Charlie Crist received the bill on Monday, March
29th and signed it the next day, Tuesday, March 30th.
Now,
Governor Crist needs to sign HB-315 to stop adoption agencies from
registering firearms of prospective adoptive parents. Please email
Governor Crist at
Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
right away and thank him for signing SB-1158 and urge him to sign
HB-315 the Adoption/Firearms bill.
IDAHO:
Gun Rights Restoration Bill Passes in Idaho Legislature
On Monday,
March 29, House Bill 631 was unanimously passed by the Senate. The
bill will now head to Governor Butch Otter's (R) desk for his
consideration. HB 631 is designed to update Idaho state law to meet
the requirements set forth in the Federal NICS Improvement Amendments
Act of 2007 (NIAA). People who have been placed under certain types of
mental health-related orders are banned by Federal law from possessing
firearms. The NIAA established clear standards for states to use in
crafting laws to give persons subject to these prohibitions a means of
relief. This legislation, under the guidelines established by the
NIAA, would allow a court to grant relief from the federal prohibition
upon a finding that the petitioner will not be likely to act in a
manner dangerous to public safety and that the granting of the relief
would not be contrary to the public interest. Please contact
Governor Butch Otter and respectfully urge him to sign HB 631.
Governor Otter's contact information can be found
here.
IOWA:
Legislature Passes "Shall Issue" Right-to-Carry Legislation!
On Monday,
March 29, the House of Representatives passed Senate File 2379 by a
vote of 81 to 15 and it will now head to Governor Chet Culver (D) for
his consideration. SF2379 had previously passed in the Senate by a
vote of 44 to 4. This bill is a huge victory for gun owners in the
Hawkeye State and reinforces the legislature's intent to treat the
provisions of the Second Amendment as rights, not state-granted
privileges. This NRA-backed bill would change Iowa from a "May-Issue"
state to a "Shall-Issue" state. This legislation would require
sheriffs to issue a permit to carry weapons to all applicants, unless
they are subject to certain specific disqualifiers. For more detailed
description of the bill please click
here.
Please contact Governor Culver TODAY and respectfully urge him to sign
this important legislation into law. Contact information can be found
here.
KANSAS:
Castle Doctrine Clean-Up Bill Moves to Governor's Desk
On Tuesday, March 30, the Kansas State Senate unanimously passed
Senate Bill 381. This bill, commonly known as "castle doctrine
legislation," would make important corrections to Kansas' current
self-defense statute. The bill now moves to the desk of Governor Mark
Parkinson (D) for his consideration. NRA has diligently worked with
the legislature in both chambers to make sure that Kansas citizens'
self-defense rights are clearly articulated to minimize the chances
that the State Supreme Court will misinterpret the legislature's
intent. Please contact Governor Parkinson TODAY and urge him
to support this important self-defense clean up bill. For more
information on the bill and the Governor's contact information please
click
here.
KENTUCKY:
Pro-Gun, Pro-Hunting Bill Heads to the Governor's Desk in Kentucky!
On Monday, March 29, the Kentucky Senate unanimously passed Senate
Bill 64 by a 37 to 0 vote. SB64 now heads to the desk of Governor
Steve Beshear (D) for his consideration. Prior to receipt by the
House, SB64 was amended at the last minute to include several NRA
components, which include allowing a law-abiding citizen to carry a
firearm for self-defense during bow hunting season. The bill would
also create a "no-net-loss" hunting policy for public hunting lands,
requiring that the Commonwealth maintain at least the same amount and
quality of available public hunting land as currently exists. It
would also require that additional lands be opened to hunting if land
that is currently open to hunting is closed.
Please
contact Governor Beshear TODAY at (502) 564-2611 or
visit
http://governor.ky.gov/contact/contact.htm
to send an
email.
MARYLAND:
Civil Immunity Legislation to be Heard in House Committee
On April
6, at 1 p.m. the Maryland House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to
hear Senate Bill 411. This important self-defense legislation had
previously passed the Senate with overwhelming bi-partisan support by
a vote of 45 to 2. SB411 would provide civil immunity from damages
when force, including deadly force, is used and reasonable under the
circumstances to repel an attack in the persons dwelling or place of
business. Maryland residents deserve the right to defend themselves
and loved ones without the threat of being bankrupted in a civil
suit. The right to self-defense is one of the most important civil
liberties. That right should not be negated by laws that allow
attackers to sue their intended victims. Please contact the
members of the House Judiciary Committee listed below and respectfully
urge them to support SB411. Contact information can be found
here.
Permit to Purchase Bill Handed a Defeat in Maryland!
On Friday,
March 26, the Maryland State House Judiciary Committee gave an
unfavorable report to House Bill 820, Delegate Sandy Rosenberg's
(D-41) egregious and overzealous "Handgun Permit to Purchase"
legislation. House Bill 820 would have required Marylanders to obtain
and apply for a "Handgun Permit to Purchase" before acquiring a
handgun. Thank you to all NRA members who answered the call in defense
of our rights and against further encroachment by Maryland politicians
who blame you for the actions of criminals!
MISSISSIPPI:
Carry Reform, Park Carry Bill Headed to Governor!
Last week, the Senate voted to accept an NRA-supported House
amendment to SB 2862, giving the measure final approval and sending it
to Governor Haley Barbour (R) for his consideration. Originally
Senate Bill 2862 would make retired law enforcement officers eligible
to carry a concealed firearm without a permit under the provisions of
the federal law enforcement safety act by gaining certification
from the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police. State
Representative Warner McBride (D) successfully added a House floor
amendment to SB 2862 that repeals the current state ban on the
possession of firearms in public parks by Mississippi Right-To-Carry
permit holders. This change in state law will allow Mississippi
permit holders to carry in state parks and to benefit from the new
federal law that took effect last month removing the ban on possession
of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges located in the
state. Thank you to all those who contacted their legislators during
this process.
MISSOURI:
Pro-Gun Bill Scheduled to be Heard Next Week!
On Tuesday, April 6 at 6:00 p.m., the Senate Judiciary Committee is
scheduled to hear House Bill 1692. This legislation, sponsored by
State Representative Jason Smith (R-150), contains numerous pro-gun
provisions, such as lowering Right-to-Carry age requirements from 23
years to 21 years, expanding Missouri's "Castle Doctrine" protections
to any property boundaries one leases or owns, and exempting antique
firearms from "unlawful possession" citations. Please contact the
members of the State Senate Judiciary Committee TODAY
and respectfully urge them to support HB1692 with the pro-gun
provisions. Contact information for the committee can be found
here.
NEW YORK:
Several County Legislatures Passing Resolutions Opposing Anti-Gun
Bills in Albany
In recent months, several county legislatures in New York have passed
resolutions opposing the package of anti-gun bills pending action in
the State Assembly in Albany. This includes bills such as gun and
ammo bans, renewal requirements for pistol permits and attacks on
lawful firearm retailers and manufacturers. Counties speaking out
against these assaults on our freedom include Rensselaer, Niagara,
Herkimer, Chenango, and Seneca. If you live in one of these
counties please contact your local lawmakers and thank them for
speaking out. If your county is not listed here, call your county
legislators and encourage them to send a message to Albany, as well!
PENNSYLVANIA:
Please Attend the 5th Annual Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally!
Please join Wayne LaPierre, NRA Executive Vice President, other Second
Amendment activists, and countless patriots for the opportunity to
voice your support for our cherished firearm freedoms. On Tuesday,
April 27 at 10 a.m. at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, Second
Amendment supporters will gather in solidarity for our gun rights.
Don't miss this great opportunity to meet with legislators and urge
them to stand up and support the Second Amendment by passing pro-gun
advancements currently pending action in the
legislature. For more information and to register, please visit
www.2ARally.com.
Note: attendees must pre-register.
Help Expand Recreational Shooting
Opportunities in the Scranton-Area!
On Monday,
April 5, at 7:00 p.m., the Ransom Township Board will allow the public
to submit inquiries to a consortium which is seeking to expand a
recreational shooting range in Ransom, just west of Scranton. Ranges
like this one offer a safe, controlled environment for local shooters
to hone their skills as well as practice and promote safe firearm
handling. Anti-gun forces will surely mount an offensive to block
this range from expanding. Please attend this meeting and voice
your support for this range. The meeting will be held at 2435
Hickory Lane , Clarks Summit, PA 18411 .
TENNESSEE:
Restaurant Carry Bill Takes a Step Forward in Tennessee!
On Tuesday, March 30, the House Judiciary Voted 8 to 4 to pass House
Bill 2694, NRA-backed Restaurant Carry legislation. HB2694 was filed
as an alternative to House Bill 3125 and is similar but does not
include a provision for restaurants to post to prohibit permit
holders. HB3125, with an NRA-backed amendment, would enable a person
who has a valid Right-to-Carry permit to carry a firearm for
self-defense into restaurants where alcohol may be served, as long as
the permit holder is not consuming alcohol or is not otherwise
prohibited by posting provisions. Senate Bill 3012, sponsored by
State Senator Doug Jackson (D-25), is the companion bill to HB3125 and
is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday,
April 6. Please contact your State Representative TODAY
and respectfully urge them to support HB2694. Contact information
for your State Representative can be found by clicking
here.Also,
please continue to contact members of the House Finance, Ways, and
Means Budget Sub-Committee and respectfully urge them to vote for
HB3125 with the NRA-backed amendment. Contact information for the
committee can be found
here.
Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment Heads to Governor's Desk!
Senate Joint Resolution 30 passed the State House on Thursday, March
18, by a vote of 90-1. This is the final step in the legislative
process to get the Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment on the ballot this
November. SJR30 would propose an amendment to the Tennessee
Constitution recognizing citizens' right to hunt and fish. It
provides truly meaningful protections against the anti-hunting
activists who seek to ban all hunting in America. The ultimate
adoption of this constitutional amendment by the voters this November
would preserve Tennessee's rich hunting and fishing traditions for
generations to come. Please contact Governor Bredesen and urge him
to sign SJR30. He can be reach by phone at (615) 741-2001 or by
email at
Phil.Bredesen@tn.gov.
TEXAS:
Management Plan Includes Hunting on the Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge
The Fish
and Wildlife Service has released a plan to guide management actions
for the next 15 years on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, a
10,000 acre refuge spread across Aransas, Calhoun, and Refugio
Counties. The plan proposes two management alternatives to the
current management plan (Alternative A). Although Alternative B is
the Service's choice, Alternative C calls for significantly expanding
all priority public uses, including hunting. Public comments can be
submitted until Tuesday, April 13 and emailed to
Roxanne_Turley@fws.gov.
The plan can be viewed at
http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/index.html. For
further information please call 361-286-3559. It is important that
the Service receives support for providing and enhancing hunting
opportunities on the refuge. Anti-hunters can be counted on to
pressure the Service against it.
VERMONT:
Mentored Hunting Bill to be Heard Tuesday, April 6!
House Bill
243 will be heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee
on Tuesday, April 6 at 11:30 a.m. This important mentored hunting
legislation has proven an effective way to draw those interested in
hunting to our fields and forests by allowing them to participate with
experienced hunters. More then two-dozen other states already have
some type of mentored hunter program, and this legislation seeks to
give those in Vermont that same opportunity. As a result of this
legislation, more citizens will complete hunter education and join the
hunting ranks as a result. Please contact members of the Senate
Natural Resources and Energy Committee and respectfully urge them to
support H. 243. Committee contact information can be found
here.
Also, please contact your State Senator and encourage him or her to
support H. 243 when it reaches the floor. Contact information for
the Vermont State Senate can be found by clicking
here.
VIRGINIA:
Virginia
Department of Forestry Accepting Public Comment on Concealed Carry in
State Forests!
The Virginia Department of Forestry is currently accepting public
comment on the proposed amendment to Virginia State Forest Regulation
4VAC10-30-170, which would allow concealed carry permit holders the
ability to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense in Virginia's
state forests. Public comments will be accepted by the Virginia
Department of Forestry until Friday, April 16.
Please
click
here
to submit comments respectfully urging the Virginia Department of
Forestry to amend the Administrative Code and to support the Second
Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians.
Also,
please attend a public hearing scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 1:00
p.m. to show your support for this proposed amendment. The hearing
will be held at the Buckingham Agriculture Center Auditorium located
at 13360 West James Anderson Highway, in Buckingham.
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