NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert Vol. 14, No. 17 04/27/07
NRA STATEMENT ON LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS ON CAPITOL HILL
Recent reports in the Washington Post, Newsweek and other media outlets are fanning Internet rumors regarding the NRA's position concerning legislation currently being discussed in Congress in the aftermath of the horrific crimes that occurred at Virginia Tech.
The NRA has a long history of supporting measures to keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals and those who have been adjudicated by a court as mentally incompetent, and we will continue to do so. We will also continue our efforts to make sure that the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) is accurate, fair, and instant by seeking changes to permanently ensure that no fee is associated with the check, that system outages are minimized, and that our men and women in uniform who have served our country honorably are not unjustly denied their constitutional rights. As always, the NRA is committed to ensuring that any proposal does not infringe upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
It is impossible to predict right now what any final bill will look like; therefore, we will withhold judgment until we see a final product. However, the NRA will continue to work with Members of Congress throughout the process to ensure that any changes to the NICS benefit lawful gun purchasers while ensuring that those adjudicated by the courts as mentally incompetent are included in the system.
Including necessary records on prohibited persons into the NICS is a position we have long supported. However, history has shown that no law will stop a madman intent on doing evil.
The NRA believes that our schools are not adequately protected. Therefore, we believe a national conversation on school security is necessary, and we look forward to those discussions and finding meaningful solutions to keep America's children safe.
For more information, visit www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?id=217&issue=018
KANSAS LEGISLATURE OVERRIDES GOVERNOR SEBELIUS' VETO OF VITAL RIGHT-TO-CARRY REFORM LEGISLATION: The Kansas State Senate today voted 30 to10 to override Governor Kathleen Sebelius' veto of vital legislation that would allow law-abiding Kansans to protect themselves outside their homes.
THE VIEW'S NO LONGER ROSIE: One of the shrillest anti-gun celebries, Rosie O'Donnell, who often used her spot on T.V. talk-show The View as a platform for her anti-gun blathering, recently failed to agree to terms of a contract extension and, thankfully, will be leaving the show.
GATEWAY TO SUCCESS! St. Louis Annual Meetings Shatter Records! As we reported in the April 13 edition of the Grassroots Alert, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop, held that day in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings & Exhibits in St. Louis, Mo., was a tremendous success, with more than 200 pro-gun patriots in attendance!
The following day, Saturday, April 14, the ILA Grassroots Division rolled out its inaugural special session, called "In Their Own Words." The timing couldn't have been better, as prior to the session, those who attended NRA's Annual Meeting of Members were treated to rousing speeches by NRA's officers, and got to participate in conducting the official business of the Association.
Based on the success we enjoyed in St. Louis this year, we are already excited to head to Louisville, Kentucky for the 2008 Annual Meetings. We hope to see you there!
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ALABAMA: Update on Pending Legislation in Alabama! Senate Bill 62 and House Bill 23, would permit a resident to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition in non-contiguous states and would also allow a non-resident to make a purchase within Alabama, provided it is legal under federal and state law; and Senate Bill 370 and House Bill 598, would protect our Second Amendment rights during a state of emergency by prohibiting any government agency from regulating the lawful sale, possession, transfer, transport and carry of firearms need your help. Please call your State Legislators today and urge them to support the above bills. The State Senate can be reached at (334) 242-7800 and the House of Representatives can be reached at (334) 242-7600. Anti-gun legislation, House Bill 600, is pending in the House Judiciary. Please contact your State Representative at (334) 242-7600 and urge him or her to oppose HB 600.
ARIZONA (1): Help Improve the Southeast Regional Park Shooting Range! Please help continue improvements at the Southeast Regional Park Shooting Range. Written comments can be submitted no later than Thursday, May 31, 2007. For more information on where to mail your comments, please click here.
ARIZONA (2): Arizona Game & Fish Department to Host Meetings on BLM and Forest Service Plans! The Arizona Game and Fish Department will host a series of meetings across the state to provide an overview of the Forest Service and BLM planning processes and how you can become engaged. The plans could potentially include proposed alternatives that change the way you currently enjoy public lands, particularly with regard to recreational shooting and hunting.
ARIZONA (3): Stop the Bureau of Land Management From Banning Recreational Shooting on Arizona Public Lands! The 128,000-acre Ironwood Forest National Monument is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and is generally open to dispersed recreational shooting. A management plan released for public review and comment is likely to change that if BLM's preferred management alternative (Alternative C) is adopted. Alternative C would close the Monument to recreational shooting. Hunting would continue to be allowed for the time being. Let your voice be heard! Please send written comments to the BLM and let them know that recreational shooting is a legitimate use of public lands, and a traditional recreational use in Ironwood Forest National Monument.
COLORADO: Attack on Right-to-Carry Heads to Governor's Desk! Senate Bill 34 is on its the desk of Governor Bill Ritter (D). If enacted, out-of-state carry permits will no longer be honored if the permit holder is not a resident of the state that issued the permit. Please contact Governor Ritter TODAY at (303) 866-2471 or email Governor.ritter@state.co.us and respectfully urge him to veto SB34.
CONNECTICUT: The Connecticut "Gun Trafficker Protection Act" is Back! Senate Bill 903 has already passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 903 seeks to make criminals out of burglary victims by making it a crime to fail to report a gun theft to police within 72 hours of when the owner "discovered or should have discovered" the theft. SB 903 also includes language that would subject gun owners to criminal investigation and jeopardy of prosecution even if they report the theft within the required time period! Please contact your State Legislators today at (860) 240-0100 and strongly, yet respectfully, urge them to oppose SB 903.
ILLINOIS: Many Anti-Gun Bills Still A Threat! There are still many anti-gun bills moving through both the State Senate and House. To view a list of all of these bills and how they work against our Right to Keep and Bear Arms please click here. Please call your State Senator and State Representative today and urge them to vote "No" to all anti-Second Amendment legislation. The Illinois State Senate can be contacted at (217) 782-5715. The Illinois House of Representatives can be contacted at (217) 782-8223.
LOUISIANA (1): Management Plan Underway for Mandalay and Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuges! The National Resource Planner is taking comments on how Mandalay and Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuges should be managed. Comments may be submitted until Friday, May 18th. Please address comments, questions, and requests for further information to: Charlotte Parker, National Resource Planner, Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 61389 Highway 434, Lacombe, LA 70445 or call (985) 882-2000 or send comments and questions via email to Charlotte_Parker@fws.gov.
LOUISIANA (2): Legislation to Ban "Assault Weapons" Pending in Louisiana House! House Bill 869 would establish far-reaching restrictions on semi-automatic firearms (dubbing them "assault weapons") and ammunition magazines. HB 869 affects every firearm modified to conform with the now-extinct Clinton Gun-Gan plus other semi-automatic firearms that have no resemblance to those rifles that were banned. Please contact the members of the House Criminal Justice Committee and respectfully urge them to oppose HB 869.
LOUISIANA (3): Attention Louisiana Hunters: Help Protect the Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge! To ensure that our nation's wildlife refuges remain open to hunting, it is important for the hunting community, particularly those who hunt on wildlife refuges, to submit comments for the public record. With that said, a conservation plan has been made available by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service addressing the uses of the Catahoula National Wildlife. Comments will be accepted until May 21 and should be sent to: Central Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 401 Island Road, Marksville, LA 71351. A copy of the plan is available at: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/ .
MISSOURI: Important Missouri Pro-Gun Legislation Still Needs Your Help! Currently in the Senate Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee, House Bill 845 would require the Missouri Secretary of State to provide voter registration information to non-registered resident hunting license and fishing permit applicants. Headed to the Senate floor is House Bill 462 would repeal Missouri's outdated, arbitrary and redundant "permit to acquire" a handgun, and treat handgun purchases the same as long gun purchases. Currently pending on the House floor calendar is Senate Bill 62, vital "Castle Doctrine" self-defense legislation. Please contact your State Legislators today and respectfully urge them to pass these much-needed pieces of legislation. The phone number for the State Senate is (573) 751-3824 and the phone number for the State House of Representatives is (573) 751-3659.
NEVADA (1): Three Pro-Gun Bills Pending in Nevada Legislature! State Senate and Assembly Committee members need to hear from you on three important pieces of pro-gun legislation. Senate Bill 237, the long-awaited Right-to-Carry reciprocity bill; Senate Bill 92, which would eliminate handgun registration in Clarke County; and Assembly Bill 95, the Emergency Powers Protection Act. The full text of SB 237, SB 92, and AB 95, as well as contact information for the members of the Senate and Assembly Government Affairs Committee and the Assembly Judiciary Committee, can be found online by visiting www.leg.state.nv.us.
NEVADA (2): Nye County Recreational Shooting Areas Are In Danger Of Being Closed! Federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have been systematically closing vast acreage of our public hunting land to recreational shooting. The public comment period has been extended to May 1. It is critical that BLM hears from you. Please send comments to stop this tragedy from happening to BLM's Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines, Las Vegas, NV 89130. NRA's comments to the BLM can be read by clicking here.
NEW YORK: New York Anti-Gun Bills on the Move! A broad package of anti-gun legislation has been approved by the New York State Assembly. Assembly Bill 6525, Assembly Bill 829, Assembly Bill 2772, Assembly Bill 3447, and Assembly Bill 7331 each pose a very real threat to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms in the Empire State. Please contact your State Senators at (518)-455-2800 and urge them to vote "NO" on the bills listed above!
NORTH CAROLINA: Anti-Gun Legislation Hiding Within! House Bill 1287 is not what it seems to be. Please call your State Representative and urge him or her to oppose HB 1287.
NORTH DAKOTA: North Dakota Governor Signs "Castle Doctrine" Legislation! On Tuesday, April 24, Governor John Hoeven (R) signed House Bill 1319, critical "Castle Doctrine" legislation. Please call Governor Hoeven at (701) 328-2200 or by e-mail at governo@nd.gov and thank him for supporting our right to self-defense.
OREGON: Oregon "No-Net-Loss" Legislation Passes House, Moves to Senate! House Bill 3164 an NRA-supported bill that would require the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to replace any public lands it closes to hunting with an equal number of public lands that must be re-opened to hunting, is moving to the Senate. Please contact your State Senator and urge him or her to SUPPORT HB 3164. For contact information or help identifying your State Senator, please click here.
PENNSYLVANIA: Gun Registration Legislation Introduced! Your State Legislators need to hear from you about House Bill 760! If enacted, HB 760 would require every firearm in Pennsylvania to be registered with the government! Please call your State Representative and State Senator today and ask them to oppose HB760! For contact information or help identifying your State Legislators, please click here.
TENNESSEE: Important Second Amendment Legislation Moving Forward! Several pro-gun bills are currently pending in the Tennessee State Legislature. "Emergency Powers" legislation, House Bill 1285 and the Right-to-Carry reform bills, House Bill 132 and House Bill 2184, will be heard on Wednesday, May 2. Also, Senate Bill 135, "No-Net-Loss legislation," will be heard as early as next week. Please take the time to contact your State Representative in support of HB1285, the House Judiciary Committee to urge their support of HB132 and HB2184, and your State Senator for SB135. Your State Representative and Senator can be reached at (800) 449-8366 and the House Judiciary Committee at (615) 741-1351 or (800) 449-8366.
