GUN BILL DRAFTS POSTED
We now have copies of the drafts introduced yesterday in a joint session of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
Most of these drafts, (which will be introduced as “committee bills” so no legislator’s names are on them,) will be introduced as House Bills. The “lock up your gun” draft has been introduced in the Senate.
As you know, while anti-gunners control both the House and Senate, they are stronger in the Senate. (The recent defection of Ben Westund to the Democrats gives them an additional vote.) We believe that bills introduced in the House will have any pro-gun language stripped out when the bills make their way to the Senate, where they will be under the control of Ginny Burdick.
One of these drafts eliminates the ability to petition for a restoration of rights after a felony conviction. Keep in mind, if Burdick has her way, almost all gun owners will be felons.
Another is the Sheriff’s bill from last year that OFF members killed. It is basically a wish list of new ways to revoke or deny permits. Interestingly, it includes our language from last year which would allow active duty military, who are deployed away from home, to renew concealed handgun licenses by mail. This was the token pro-gun addition the Sheriffs allowed last year in hopes of getting our approval. That bill had been introduced in the House as well, and we knew that when it went to the Senate and Burdick, it was likely that the pro-gun token would be stripped out. The rest of the bill was bad news. We opposed it, and when you made your voices heard the bill died
.
We have no plans of supporting any bill that reduces gun owners’ rights. Last year the bill was opposed by the NRA. We have no idea whether we can count on their opposition this year.
Also returning is a bill that would define the word “unloaded” for situations where a person was operating a snowmobile or atv. Currently, it is a traffic violation to operate either with a firearm that contains a round even if not in the chamber. This bill would define “loaded” has having a chambered round, or a round under the hammer of revolver.
All the drafts can be downloaded here.
Please bookmark this page. It will be where all gun bills will be tracked in the 2007 session