Free Republic

Tensions were high as both sides of the gun control aisle spoke during a Senate Law and Public Safety Committee held earlier this month in Trenton, NJ. As the hearing progressed, gun-rights supporters grew frustrated at the legislators move to amp measures that would only pertain to law-abiding gun owners and not the criminals they aimed to stop. In a particularly heated exchanged, 2nd Amendment advocate James Kaleda, 36, was asked to keep his comments relative to bills being heard. “I am on the bill. And I will be heard,” Kaleda said. But Committee Chairman Donald Norcross (D-Camden) called Kaleda...

I thought that stench smelled familiar... Heritage Foundation   h/t Doug Ross

Looks like you've lost The National Review, Senator... More- RUBIO: Gang o' 8 Immigration Bill 'Might Have Trouble in the Senate' and 'Can't Pass the House' Rubio Flushing His Political Aspirations -and the Entire GOP- Down the Toilet _________________________________________________________________ -h/t Drudge-

The Boston Marathon Bombing, where three people were killed and 264 wounded, many with legs or feet blown off, continues to be a big media story, but we are still waiting for answers to many questions. How did our government miss so many clues that the Tsarnaev brothers were a deadly danger to Americans? They came into the United States as visitors from Kazakhstan, where many ethnic Chechens live without persecution and then cooked up a claim to be refugees, which was a fraud. After a few years, the father returned to Dagestan, Russia, where he now lives safely. Once...

Author's Note: check out www.letterstoayoungprogressive.com for a free chapter of my latest book. Students and their parents need to be warned about the latest serious threat to liberty on America's college campuses. They have probably already heard of campus speech codes, anti-discrimination clauses, and sexual harassment tribunals. The latest threat takes the form of "disorderly conduct" hearings. Many readers are wondering what exactly constitutes disorderly conduct. The more appropriate question might be "what does not?" Of course, it is natural for students to have conflict in college. Many are away from home for the first time and they are...

When I heard the news that the Senate had failed to pass a Universal Background Check, I was at a police seminar on the topic of active shooters. The panelists had agreed that “active shooter” was a poor descriptor, one noting that some attackers use other weapons, such as the blade-wielder in the recent Texas case.

Amid all the heated, emotional advocacy of gun control, have you ever heard even one person present convincing hard evidence that tighter gun control laws have in fact reduced murders?

As President Barack Obama pulls out all the stops to push his gun control agenda, even using Air Force One to fly parents of Sandy Hook victims to lobby on Capitol Hill, the man who launched the first inquiry about Operation Fast and Furious more than two years ago may be poised to derail the president’s runaway train. Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley is still working out the details of an alternative bill that, according to spokesperson Beth Levine, will emphasize mental health, protecting veterans from losing their gun rights, and improving school security. It will not erode Second Amendment rights...

This weekend Knife Rights issued an alert regarding a repeal of the ban on switchblades in Texas. They are asking that those who reside, work, or travel to Texas contact the legislators below urging their support for HB 1862 which would repeal the ban. I'm glad to see that Knife Rights is working so hard on the second front for the Second Amendment. In Texas, Knife Rights supported HB1862 has been scheduled for a hearing this Tuesday, April 9, before the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence. HB1862, sponsored by Representative Harold Dutton Jr., will repeal the antiquated, senseless ban...

UPDATE (April 2, 2013) – Yesterday was a landmark day for Alaskan knife owners. HB 33 and SB 11 were combined. What is needed now before the session ends on April 14 is for HB 33 to pass the Senate and receive a concurrence in the House. Doing so will make it legal for an adult 18 years and older to own a Switchblades and Gravity knife. The American Knife & Tool Institute continues to stay in touch with Rep. Mark Neuman’s office to provide support. Alaska Bill Would Better Define Gravity and Switchblade Knives and Enact Knife Preemption“House Bill...

We humans irrationally think we’re rational. We think that we decide how to behave by weighing the pros and cons. In reality, the strongest influence on our decisions is the example of the people around us — even, oddly enough, when they are imaginary. =snip== It seems that almost anything you would want to nag people about can be more effectively done by instead telling them how much everyone else is doing the right thing. If you want young people to vote, don’t tell them how many people aren’t voting. Tell them how many are. Safe sex, anyone? Hand washing?...

Missoula, MT --(Ammoland.com)- A lot of action is happening on MSSA bills right now. The full rundown is below, so I’ll only cite bill numbers for the ones which need your action. Contacting the Governor: You can email Governor Bullock at mailto:governor@mt.gov, or use the message form at http://governor.mt.gov/contact.aspx If emailing, put the requested action in the shortest possible Subject line, such as “Please approve SB 145.” With either email or Webform, BE NICE. You may say you feel strongly, but do not threaten or browbeat. Keep your email or Webform body to three short sentences (one short sentence would...

Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) wants to create a "virtual Congress," where lawmakers would leverage videoconferencing and other remote work technology to conduct their daily duties in Washington from their home districts. Under a resolution Pearce introduced on Thursday, lawmakers would be able to hold hearings, debate and vote on legislation virtually from their district offices.

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Thursday Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s “assault weapons” ban by a straight party-line vote, despite Republican efforts to point out the obvious holes in the legislation. The California Democrat’s bill — which prohibits 157 specific firearms, those with a single cosmetic feature she thinks is scary looking and standard magazines that have over 10 rounds — applies to all Americans except current and retired law enforcement officers. She believes this one class is able to use the firearms for self defense. Sen. John Cornyn attempted to point out the flaws in the logic of her legislation. During...

Today, the Kansas Senate voted 32 to 8 to pass Senate Bill 45, an important pro-gun reform that would prohibit taxpayer money from financing gun control campaigns in any manner. This bill now goes to the state House of Representatives where it will be assigned to an appropriate committee for further consideration. SB 45 is a common sense reform that would help preserve the rights of taxpayers to ensure that public funds are not used to pursue a political agenda against our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Another bill of interest to sportsmen and hunters in Kansas has been...

Stumbled on this site providing input to congress on pending legislation. If it's already been posted by someone else, great. If not, give it a shot and see if you like it. Looks and sounded good to me. Weighed in on a lot of issues in an easy format with feedback to you.

During a brief address Saturday (March 9) in Benton County, Rep. Sue Scott, R-Rogers, discussed a plan to revive an amended version of her open-carry measure, House Bill 1408. The amended bill, which she referred to as a “baby step,” would protect those with a concealed-carry permit if their firearm inadvertently becomes exposed, as when the wind blows a jacket open, in unincorporated areas, she said. The amended version is expected to be heard Tuesday in the House Judiciary Committee, Scott said.

The gun grabber's legislative (National) bill compendium, updated: House Bills: H.R. 21: NRA Members' Gun Safety Act of 2013. Sponsor: Rep Moran, James P., Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. H.R. 34: Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2013. Sponsor: Rep Rush, Bobby L., Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. H.R. 65: Child Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act of 2013 . Sponsor: Rep Jackson Lee, Sheila, Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. H.R. 117: Handgun Licensing and Registration Act...

Grass Roots North Carolina has released an analysis of the firearms-related legislation that have been introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly so far this session. Their analysis also indicates their support, opposition, or a neutral or non-position on a bill. NC Gun Legislation Analysis GRNC offers apologies that the intense activities surrounding state and national legislation have delayed our legislative update to members. In particular, we have been inundated with emails regarding SB 124: "Shoot Gun From Inside/To Harm or Incite Fear.” A more detailed analysis is below, but the short answer is that although the bill does not...

Six far-reaching Democrat sponsored gun control bills are scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee and the State Affairs Committee on MONDAY, MARCH 4th. If these bills pass, we will lose our rights, reduce our safety, and we will watch multiple companies close their doors, fire their employees and move out of Colorado. Have your voice heard. Come to the Capitol Monday, March 4th to tell your Senator to put the rights of law-abiding citizens before out-of-state special interests. It is imperative that Coloradans make their voices heard, now! Committees will begin at 10:30 AM on the second...

Click this link to take you to a page which allows you to tell the entire membership of both the New Mexico Senate Public Affairs Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee (16 senators) to oppose House Bill 77 with one mouse click.House Bill 77 has been revised since it was first introduced, and initially failed to move forward, but it has now passed in the New Mexico House and been referred to the Senate Public Affairs And Senate Judiciary Committees.According to the NRA, HB 77 "is the first step toward the criminalization of all private firearm transfers..." and "mandates that...

This page allows you to tell the entire membership of both the New Mexico House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee (18 representatives) to oppose House Bill 402 with one mouse click. HB 402 is an "all-out assault on law-abiding gun owners" in New Mexico. The bill is "one of the worst gun control bills filed in the entire country," as it would ban "the future possession and transport of a so-called 'assault weapon' or 'large-capacity ammunition-feeding devices.'" The legislation would mean that "Ownership of the affected firearms and magazines could not be transferred AT ALL....

Arizona, as with many states, has numerous definitions of what is legally considered a firearm. The definition of “firearm” is found in several different places in the Arizona legal code. This makes it difficult for citizens and lawyers to determine what is legal and what is not. People have faced prosecution for possessing items that most would not consider to be firearms, such as BB guns, airsoft replicas, squirt guns, or antique guns that are not legally firearms under federal law. One man was prosecuted for possession of a firearm for a collection of parts that experts testified could not...

A Way for Your Voice to be Heard at Speaker Madigan's Public Hearings on Proposed Right to Carry and Other Gun Issues. Public Invited to Speak and/or File Witness Slips Speaker Mike Madigan has called for two public hearings for Illinois residents to voice their support or opposition to proposed Right to Carry legislation. This is an opportunity to speak out against a Chicago-style carry law and in support of a fair and reasonable law. It is also an opportunity to speak against firearm and magazine bans and other firearm related issues. Please plan to attend one of these meetings...

I just received a call from an organization called "Mayors against illegal guns" or some such. It was an attempt to call and get me to speak with my representative about how I wanted to support the recent legislation around 30 round magazine bans and universal background checks. I spent about 5 mins telling the caller why they were wrong and that these laws always ended in confiscation and enslavement of the citizens. To no avail and we eventually agreed to disagree and hung up. However, this tells me that there is a STRONG push to get people to influence...

The gun grabber's legislative (National) bill compendium, updated (almost) daily: House Bills: H.R. 21: NRA Members' Gun Safety Act of 2013. Sponsor: Rep Moran, James P., Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. H.R. 34: Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2013. Sponsor: Rep Rush, Bobby L., Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. H.R. 65: Child Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act of 2013 . Sponsor: Rep Jackson Lee, Sheila, Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, And Investigations. H.R. 117: Handgun Licensing and...

The President and the national media have created a crisis that they say must be addressed—the crisis of gun crime. In fact, crime is at a long-time low, and the crisis is a farce (check out FBI crime statistics if you don't believe me). Nevertheless, the President insists that we must do something about it, and has introduced legislation ostensibly to that end. He says that those who disagree with him ought to be willing to compromise. What nobody's mentioning is that the current situation is already the vilest of compromises. So I agree with the President; let's do something—even...

Charlottesville, Va., has become the first city in the United States to formally pass an anti-drone resolution. The resolution, passed Monday, "calls on the United States Congress and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia to adopt legislation prohibiting information obtained from the domestic use of drones from being introduced into a Federal or State court," and "pledges to abstain from similar uses with city-owned, leased, or borrowed drones." The resolution passed by a 3-2 vote and was brought to the city council by activist David Swanson and the Rutherford Institute, a progressive civil liberties group based ACA premium...

[Thanks to all Freepers who helped out.]After nearly five hours of heated testimony and debate, a measure that would have required mandatory background checks for firearm purchases from gun shows or private vendors failed to advance in the New Mexico’s House of Representatives. ...One Democratic legislator, Rep. Eliseo Alcon, D-Milan, joined with the committee’s Republican members in voting against the legislation. The other Democratic committee members voted in favor it. ...Note that: ... About 180 people attended the hearing, a turnout so large that debate on the bill was moved to the floor of the House of Representatives, the most...

The gun grabber's bill compendium, updated (almost) daily: House Bills: HR 21: NRA Members' Gun Safety Act of 2013. HR 34: Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2013. HR 117: Handgun Licensing and Registration Act of 2013. HR 137: Fix Gun Checks Act of 2013. HR 138: Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act. HR 141: Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2013. HR 142: Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2013. HR 226: Support Assault Firearms Elimination and Reduction for our Streets Act. HR 227: Buyback Our Safety Act. HR 236: Crackdown on Deadbeat Gun Dealers...

The Empire Strikes Back: Round two of the effort to cynically use the Sandy Hook tragedy to deprive Illinoisans of their constitutional right to bear arms.... HB0132: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=85&GA=98&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=132&GAID=12&LegID=68539&SpecSess=&Session= The legislation appears to deny the use of most modern firearms, ammo mags over ten rounds, makes it harder to quickly access your weapon in your home and car, appears to also negate the recent case law that allowed glove compartment storage, and makes it easier to lose your FOID card if you don’t play their game. There does appear to be some sort of grandfathering, but only if you slobber and...

There’s a widely-unknown provision in the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) — legislative wording that is capturing attention in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Pushed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), a newly-noticed regulation that was placed deep within the bill back in 2010, among other things, bans doctors from documenting patients’ answers to questions that focus upon guns. The Washington Post first reported on Dec. 30 about the presence of this controversial wording. Under a section with the headline “Protection of Second Amendment Gun Rights,” the NRA-advocated wording is nestled deep within the...

Remember when the left pretended they liked the Second Amendment? That’s passé. Today, Democrats around the country are preparing for a big gun grab, the likes of which the Republic has never before seen. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has actually publicly pitched all-out gun confiscation (or alternatively, forced gun buybacks), is now preparing grandiose new legislation designed to strip New Yorkers of “assault weapons,” as well as restrict the size of magazines. In the only provision actually designed to reduce crime, Cuomo will also propose harsher penalties for using a gun in the commission of a crime....

It looks like there will be a showdown at the state Capitol this year over the Second Amendment. Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, predicted in back-to-back interviews with The Gazette editorial board that there will be a political battle over gun regulations. “Absolutely, your gun rights are going to come under attack,” Waller said. “Word on the street is that there are probably eight or 10 bills that are going to go after your gun rights in one way or another.” He and Morse both said there will likely be bills...

While the federal government and other states ponder more rigorous gun control laws following the shootings at a Connecticut elementary school, some legislators in Texas have taken the opposite approach. They have emphasized the need to make firearms more available, and their discussions have included increasing access for teachers and other school personnel. Ahead of the 83rd legislative session, bills have been proposed with that mission in mind. The efforts have drawn the praise of statewide elected officials including Gov. Rick Perry.

Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)- When Congress reconvened this week, one of the first items the U.S. Senate voted on was S. 3525, “The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012.” As we reported last week, S. 3525 is an essential piece of legislation focused on the expansion and enhancement of hunting, recreational fishing and shooting on federal public land. But it’s more than that. Of critical importance is the fact that, in addition to promoting land access, S. 3525 would amend the “Toxic Substances Control Act” to prevent this and future administrations from using the Environmental Protection Agency to eliminate the right of hunters,...

Maybe I'm not reading legislation thoroughly, but I think I am. Does anyone seriously think Obama would sponsor legislation to fire federal workers for non-payment of income taxes? Fox Business says Obama sponsored a bill in 2007 "identical" to that of yesterday's bill from Rep. Jason Chaffetz to do just that. Chaffetz wants federal employees fired if they haven't paid their taxes, and he wants no one hired who has delinquent taxes. Obama's 2007 legislation, which died in committee in a Democratically controlled Senate, called only for barring tax-evading contractors and those receiving grants. Big difference. The rest of the story...

Back door gun control is the phenomena where an entity will enact a law that indirectly affects your right to keep and bear arms. It’s easier to pass legislation that harms Second Amendment rights when it does not directly require the citizen to surrender a gun. Examples of back door gun control are: Define ammo components as an unhealthy threat. Environmental laws designed to outlaw the use of ingredients that comprise components of arms related materials. The easiest example to point to is lead. Lead has long been the primary ingredient of bullets. Designating lead as an environmental hazard means...

According to the Los Angeles Times, California lawmakers have passed legislation that would provide homeowners with some of the nation’s strongest protections from foreclosure. The cornerstone of the legislation mirrored provisions of the national settlement earlier this year between federal regulators and the five largest servicers, including Ally Financial (ALLY), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (NYSE: C), JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC). The legislation, SB 900 and AB 278, also would simplify dealings between homeowners and their banks or loan servicers by requiring that clients be given a single representative to work with, helping to prevent bureaucratic runarounds....

Once again, the Virginia Citizens Defense League has delivered for Virginia gun owners. Thanks to the tireless efforts of VCDL activists, the 2012 Legislative Session was even more of a rousing success than the 2011 Session. Not only was every single anti-gun bill opposed by VCDL defeated but the session ended with almost a dozen VCDL supported bills passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor McDonnell. These important changes will take effect on July 1st … Better Protection For Gun Owners During Declared Emergencies I have written before about the dangers of emergency declarations stripping citizens of their right...

The Gongwer News Service is reporting on the second hearing on HB495 (Reciprocity & Concealed Carry Modernization), which was held yesterday before the House Committee on State Government and Elections. According to the article, gun rights advocates urged members of the committee to ease restrictions on concealed carry licensees, while opponents warned the bill would bring Ohio's firearm regulations into line with the "lowest common denominator" among states. National Rifle Association member Omar Ganoom said the legislation (HB 495) would eliminate an onerous and unfair requirement for licensees to undergo competency training for renewing their licenses, he said, noting that...

The Maryland General Assembly could consider legislation that would soften the impact of an April court ruling classifying pit bulls as “inherently dangerous” in the latest of several recent cases that have highlighted the checks and balances between the state’s legislative and judicial branches. A panel of Maryland lawmakers will meet later this month to study the possible effects of a state Court of Appeals decision that makes owners of pit bulls or pit-bull mixes liable if their dog attacks another person, even if the dog had no prior history of dangerous behavior. The assembly is expected to hold a...

CHESTERTOWN The Maryland Transportation Authority, which controls tolls on highways and bridges in the state, will have to listen harder to the public next time it decides to raise prices. Legislation sponsored by Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-36-Upper Shore, in the 2012 regular session, established a "protocol by which the Maryland Transportation Authority raises tolls ... and requires public comment throughout the process," according to a Pipkin press release. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and the House. It was signed into law two weeks ago. At the MDTA board's September meeting, where they took a unanimous vote for an...

Veteran gun rights activist Joe Waldron, former executive director of the Bellevue-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and now its legislative director, has unveiled what he calls a “progressive pro-gun road map” for the Evergreen State. He shared the draft document exclusively with the Gun Rights Examiner, stressing that this is not designed as a carved-in-stone agenda, but more in the nature of "food for thought" for gun owner consideration over the next couple of years. With certain modifications, this could apply to other states. Waldron, now headquartered in Florida with national responsibilities – while...

Remember the good old days when we generally knew which politicians were bad on gun rights? Bill Clinton had foolishly convinced his colleagues that you could vote for a gun ban and remain in office or even win political favor. How wrong they turned out to be. In the wake of the Clinton “assault weapons” ban, a pro-gun revolution swept both houses of Congress. Even Clinton acknowledged the role of the NRA and gun owners in turning the tide, and he’d later credit them with Al Gore’s defeat. The anti-gunners had learned their lesson. Now they quite literally camouflage their...

Premier Obama has signed yet another executive order, this one is Identifying and Reducing Regulatory Burdens, that when coupled with his Executive Order Promoting International Regulatory Cooperation and Executive Order Establishing a White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities, opens a direct path to bring United Nations regulations to the grass roots of our body politic. This latest executive order will allow the soviet socialists in our local communities through their committees to adopt and enact United Nations regulations designed to establish absolute United Nations’ control over our every resource. The laws of the United States, individual states, counties,...

The 2012 legislative session officially ended on May 3, 2012. The Senate adjourned at 8:22 PM. The House adjourned at 8:25 PM. To view a summary of legislation that AzCDL monitored this session, along with each bill’s current status, visit our Bill Tracking page. The following are firearms related bills that were signed by the Governor this session. The effective date on these legislative changes is August 2nd, 90 days after Sine Die. HB 2457, which allows the possession of an otherwise “prohibited” weapon (i.e., for self-defense) while hunting, was signed by the Governor on April 10th. HB 2639, the...

Mandatory "Event Data Recorders" will even know you're speeding in reverse. After a certain point, it's not paranoia. The latest brick in the wall is the predictably named "Moving Ahead For Progress in the 21st Century Act," also known as Senate Bill 1813. (See here for the full text of the bill itself; the relevant section is 31406.) This legislation -- already passed by the Senate and likely to be passed by the House -- will impose a legal requirement that all new cars made beginning with the 2015 models be fitted with so-called Event Data Recorders (EDRs). These are...

Color of Change, a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation that engages in lobbying and public advocacy, is organizing a campaign against the “stand your ground” self-defense laws in a variety of states, particularly in Florida as a result of the Trayvon Martin incident that took place in Florida. Color of Change was founded in 2005 by James Rucker and Van Jones. Rucker previously directed Grassroots Mobilization for MoveOn.org — one of multiple groups funded by George Soros. Jones served as Special Advisor for Green Jobs in the Obama administration, a position from which he resigned after it was exposed that he belonged...

All new legislation offered by members of the House of Representatives since January 3, 2011 is required to include, under House Rule XII, a reference to the constitutional authority under which the bill is presented. Most of the bills offered since then show either the members’ lack of understanding of, or blatant disregard for, the purpose of Rule XII: to tie the proposed legislation to the enumerated powers under the Constitution. The rule states:A bill or joint resolution may not be introduced unless the sponsor submitted … a statement citing as specifically as possible the power or powers granted to...