Republicans Move to Strengthen Protections for Interstate Travel by Gun Owners

http://freebeacon.com ^ | 3/26/2017 | Stephen Gutowski

[rktman]

Senator Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) introduced a bill to the Senate on March 14 that would institute new protections for gun owners who travel across state lines with their firearms.

The Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act, also introduced by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R., Va.) to the House of Representatives in January, would expand and clarify the interstate firearm transportation rules instituted under the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986. Under that law, Americans are allowed to transport firearms from one state where they can legally possess them to another so long as certain requirements are met, such as the firearms being unloaded and locked in a container not easily accessible to passengers.

The new bill would expand those protections to include stops along the interstate trip and even overnight stays. It would also require that the state pay attorneys' fees for individuals who successfully defend themselves in court under the bill. It would further allow those who are illegally detained for transporting firearms in accordance with the law to sue the jurisdiction that detained them for damages.

[rktman]

I believe the NRA has a pamphlet detailing some of the travel issues when transporting firearms. Although the 2nd amendment should cover you anywhere. When we moved from FL to NV I made sure we routed our trip through gun friendly states. Of course had we been stopped, someone someplace may have had an issue. ;-) Then the boating accident.......

[ctdonath2]

We need to get on to the “keep” part of the 2nd.

I own a short-barreled AR15 with suppressor and standard magazines, all in full compliance with GA & USA law. Were I to move back to NY, the “right to keep” should apply ... despite NY’s SAFE law banning import & possession thereof.

Were we to resolve _that_ problem, interstate travel would become a moot point.

[jdege]

Unfortunately, this still contains a significant flaw:

“(b) In subsection (a), the term ‘transport’—

“(2) does not include transportation—

“(A) with the intent to commit a crime; or

“(B) with knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe, that such a crime is to be committed in the course of, or arising from, the transportation.

This still allows people to be prosecuted for, for example, travelling with hollow-point bullets through New Jersey. After all, possession of hollow-point bullets is a crime in New Jersey.

[redfreedom]

This would be a welcome relief. There is only a hand full of states close by we carry in.

I’d love to carry when we travel Illinois, Maryland & Calif or other leftist havens. It does not matter what the law is, or what the Bill of Rights say, if lefties want to make someone miserable, they will and enjoy every second of it.

[rktman]

LOL! Have no fear, the republicrats will manage to screw it up one way or another. ;-)

[Sooth2222]

"This still allows people to be prosecuted for, for example, travelling with hollow-point bullets through New Jersey. After all, possession of hollow-point bullets is a crime in New Jersey."

Possession of hollow-point bullets is NOT a crime in New Jersey.

New Jersey State Police Website: "Transportation and Use of Hollow Point Ammunition by Sportsmen"

[jdege]

There are toomany things about carrying firearms and ammo that are crimes in certain jurisdictions.

A protection that you can carry unless it’s against the law is no protection at all.