FEDERAL AGENCIES PROPOSE
CLOSING PUBLIC LANDS TO SHOOTING AND HUNTING!
Federal agencies have proposed closing hundreds of thousands of acres of public land to recreational shooting and hunting in Arizona, Florida, and Nevada! It is critical that gun owners and sportsmen attend any upcoming public meetings and let their voices be heard!
BLM PROPOSES BANNING RECREATIONAL SHOOTING ON ARIZONA PUBLIC LANDS -- IRONWOOD FOREST NATIONAL MONUMENT! The BLM will be holding a series of public meetings to discuss banning recreational shooting on the Ironwood Forest National Monument. It is critical that gun owners attend those meetings!
HUNTING PROGRAM ON FLORIDA REFUGE IN JEOPARDY! A draft Waterfowl Hunting Plan and Environmental Assessment for Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge (www.fws.gov/southeast/TenThousandIsland/) (NWR) in Collier County, Fla. would ban waterfowl hunting on the refuge. The plan describes two alternatives for hunting on the refuge: (1) the proposed action alternative would open a waterfowl-hunting program, and (2) the "no action" would close the refuge to waterfowl hunting. Currently, waterfowl hunting is allowed on the refuge.
SHOOTING CLOSURE EXPECTED ON BLM LANDS OUTSIDE LAS VEGAS The Bureau of Land Management has announced its intent to close certain areas within Nye County, Nev. to recreational target shooting. BLM is citing rapid increases in population and growth of Pahrump, Nev., as the reason for closing the area to target shooting.
SPACE FILLING UP FAST FOR GRASSROOTS EVENTS AT ANNUAL MEETINGS! The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREE Grassroots Workshop on April 13, in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in St. Louis. (Please click title link above for more information or to register.)
SECOND GRASSROOTS EVENT PLANNED FOR ST. LOUIS In addition to the FREE Grassroots Workshop being held in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in St. Louis, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division is holding an additional FREE event in St. Louis.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN ST. LOUIS! Once again NRA is seeking volunteers to help at the 2007 NRA Annual Meeting in St. Louis, April 11-15. To volunteer, or for more information, please visit any of NRA's web sites or the Annual Meeting site (www.nraam.org), or contact NRA Field Rep Gregg Pearre at (573) 761-5466, or Dennis Eggers, South Central Region Director, at (270) 522-0909. Their respective e-mail addresses are: GPearre@nrahq.org and DEggers@nrahq.org.
NRA AND THE MEDIA-"IT'S NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS" Once again NRA will assemble a panel of media insiders to give us their perspective on how the media treat NRA and what NRA members can do about it.
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ARIZONA
NRA-Supported Candidate for Arizona Game & Fish Commissioner Up For Confirmation! NRA-supported Arizona Game and Fish Commissioner Jennifer Martin, whose interim ends in June of this year, is up for confirmation before the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, March 21st. It is very important to the pro-firearm and pro-hunting community that Ms. Martin be confirmed by the Senate. Members of the committee can be reached by calling the Senate Information Desk at (602) 926-3559 or at http://www.azleg.gov/.
BLM Proposes Banning Recreational Shooting on Arizona Public Lands -- Ironwood Forest National Monument! The BLM will be holding a series of public meetings to discus banning recreational shooting on the Ironwood Forest National Monument. It is critical that gun owners attend those meetings. For a list of meetings, click here.
ARKANSAS
Arkansas: Help Defend Your Hunting Heritage! Please continue contacting members of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs, and urge them to co-sponsor Senate Joint Resolution 7 (SJR 7). SJR7 would recognize hunting and fishing as constitutional rights. State Representatives can be reached at (501) 682-6211.
FLORIDA
Florida "Employee Rights" Legislation Needs Your Help! Your help is needed to pass HB 1417 and SB 2356. STOP corporate giants from trampling our Second Amendment Rights. Representative Dennis Baxley (R-24) and Senator Durell Peaden (R-2) have filed identical companion bills to stop anti-gun businesses from searching customer and employee vehicles in parking lots and from taking punitive action against people who keep firearms in their vehicles for self-defense and other lawful purposes. Please contact the members of the House Environment & Natural Resources Council and the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.
GEORGIA
Important Georgia Pro-Gun Legislation Being Stalled by Anti-Gun Big Business! Critical NRA-supported legislation to protect our gun rights is being stalled in Senate by big corporate interests opposed to your gun rights. SB 43 would allow employees to lawfully possess firearms in their locked motor vehicles on their employer's property. Please your State Senator at (404) 656-5030 and urge him or her to support SB 43
ILLINOIS
Gun Ban Headed to Illinois Senate Floor Any Day! Legislation to ban countless firearms and further restrict the type of firearms law-abiding Illinoisians can own is heading to the Senate floor for a vote any day now. Please contact your State Senators at (217) 782-715 and respectfully urge them to oppose Senate Bill 1471 and Senate Bill 16.
KANSAS
Important Right-to-Carry Reform Bill Heads to Kansas House Floor! HB2528, legislation that removes language that was being misinterpreted by Kansas cities to ban concealed carry of handguns on city owned property such as parks, greenways, and all city buildings is heading to the House floor on Monday, March 19. Please contact your State Representative at (800) 432-3924 and urge him or her to support HB2528.
MARYLAND
Maryland "Assault Weapons Ban of 2007" No Longer a Threat! Last night, March 15, the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee deadlocked with a 5 to 5 vote on the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2007," which means this anti-gun legislation has died in committee and will proceed no further this year. Remember, this fight is not over, as gun-ban extremists are sure to bring it back next year, so continue to call your State Senator and State Delegates and urge them to oppose any and all anti-Second Amendment legislation!
MINNESOTA
Critical Minnesota Self-Defense Bill Being Held Hostage! Important self-defense legislation ("Castle Doctrine") could be defeated without being debated because of tricks played by the Chairman of the House Public Safety Committee, State Representative Joe Mullery (D-58A). Please contact your State Representative at (651) 296-2146 and respectfully urge him or her to co-sponsor HF 498 and request a hearing so that it will be heard in committee.
MISSOURI
"Missouri Disaster Recovery Protection Act" Marching Forward! The Missouri Senate worked overtime to pass Senate Bill 257, the "Missouri Disaster Recovery Protection Act," sponsored by State Senator Kevin Engler (R-3). This critical measure will ensure that your Second Amendment rights shall not be suspended during an emergency or disaster. Please contact your State Representative at (573) 751-3659 and strongly encourage him or her to support and vote for SB257 in its current form.
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota "Castle Doctrine" Legislation Headed to Senate! House Bill 1319 has passed the North Dakota House of Representatives and is on its way to the Senate. This legislation would allow an individual to use deadly force in the home, place of business, or vehicle when life or safety is threatened as well as provide civil and criminal immunity when force, up to and including deadly force is necessary in self-defense. Please contact your State Senator at 1-888-NDLEGIS (635-3447) or 701-328-3373 (local) and respectfully urge him or her to vote YES on HB 1319.
NEBRASKA
Range Protection Legislation Heading to Nebraska Senate! LB352, vital range protection legislation sponsored by State Senator Chris Langemeier (I-23), passed the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee last week. The bill now heads to the Senate. Please contact your State Senator at (402) 471-2271 and respectfully urge them to support LB352.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Victory for Right-to-Carry Permit Holders in New Hampshire! Senate Bill 44, sponsored by State Senator Peter Burling (D-5), and State Representatives Lee Hammond (D-Grafton 11) and John Tholl (R-Coos 2), was defeated in the Judiciary committee on Thursday, March 15. Thanks to your calls and efforts we were able to defeat the first anti-gun measure before the Judiciary Committee this year!
PENNSYLVANIA
House Committee Schedules Statewide Hearings on "Gun Violence" in Pennsylvania! The House Judiciary Committee, Chaired by Tom Caltagirone (Berks -D) has scheduled statewide hearings on gun-related crime. This will be an opportunity for gun owners in Pennsylvania to express their concerns regarding the many recent anti-gun proposals introduced in the House of Representatives, that include "one-gun-a-month" schemes and semi-automatic firearm bans. If you are unable to attend these hearings, please call your State Representative at (717) 787-2372.
TEXAS
"Castle Doctrine" Self-Defense Bill Marching Forward in Texas! SB 378 passed on the Senate floor and was referred to the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence. Committee Chairman, State Representative Aaron Pena (D-Edinburg), called a meeting of his committee on the House floor at the end of Wednesday's Session and SB 378 was heard and voted out. Please contact your State Representative and respectfully urge him or her to support SB 378. Contact information for your State Representative can be found by visiting http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php.
VIRGINIA
Update on the Roanoke Times Article Endangering Virginia's Right-to-Carry Permit Holders! The Roanoke Times published an article observing the importance of open government and public access on Sunday, March 11. The focus of this particular article was concealed handgun permits and which citizens currently maintain a valid carry permit -- however, the Roanoke Times didn't stop there. After receiving a database of all concealed carry permittees in Virginia via a Freedom Of Information Act request, the paper provided a searchable database on its website. After repeated contact from concerned law-abiding gun owners, the Roanoke Times has decided to remove the concealed carry permit database from its website and not repost it.
Virginia's Governor Kaine Signs Another Pro-Gun Bill! Earlier this week, Governor Tim Kaine (D) signed House Bill 2106, sponsored by Delegate Carrico, into law. HB2106 repeals the authority for localities to require fingerprints for initial concealed carry permit applicants. Please contact Governor Kaine at (804) 786-2211 or email by visiting www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm to thank him for signing this critical legislation, and also encourage him to sign two more pro-gun bills currently awaiting his action.
WASHINGTON
Anti-Gun Show Bill Dead in Washington State! Senate Bill 5197 was not heard in the Senate before the Wednesday, March 14 cut-off deadline to move to the State House of Representatives. Because it did not meet the cut-off deadline, the bill is considered "dead" for this legislative session.
WEST VIRGINIA
Important Pro-Gun Bills Pass West Virginia Legislature! The West Virginia Legislature passed HB3074, important Right-to-Carry reciprocity legislation, and HB2348, emergency powers legislation. Please contact your State Legislators to thank them for their support of these critical bills. Both bills are now on headed to Governor Joe Manchin (D) for his consideration.
WISCONSIN
Gun Ban Group Twists Truth in Favor of Wisconsin Anti-Second Amendment Bill! Recently, gun-ban advocate group "Mothers Against Gun Violence," falsely asserted that selling a firearm to a felon is somehow legal in Wisconsin. In reality, committing such an act is a federal felony, as well as a crime as defined in Wisconsin code sections 941.29(4) and 939.05(2)(b). The group made this false claim to generate support for an anti-freedom bill, LRB 0861/2 introduced by State Senator Spencer Coggs (D-6), which would require all private transfers of firearms in Milwaukee County to be conducted through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). Please contact your State Senator at (608) 266-2517 and your State Representative at (608) 266-1501 today and respectfully request that he or she oppose LRB 0861/2.
