Free Republic

Funnel week has come and gone in Des Moines, and while some good bills made it out of committee, several other good bills were allowed to die a death of apathy. Here's a rundown of what's what under the gold dome. * HF 208 - This bill would modify the disposal requirements of firearms and ammunition seized by or forfeited to Iowa law enforcement agencies, including DPS. It essentially gives the agency that seized the firearms or ammunition greater control over how it is disposed of, including sale to the public. (Assigned to a subcommittee of Baudler, Kressig, and Tjepkes...

Catalina, AZ --(Ammoland.com)- The AzCDL-requested and historic Constitutional Carry legislation that became law in 2010 was not the be-all-end-all of restoring the right to carry in Arizona. It was a major milestone, but there are still a century’s worth of statutes that need to be excised or significantly altered in order to truly restore your right to bear arms in Arizona. Our job is far from over. AzCDL began working with legislators on proposed bills for the 2012 legislative session shortly after the 2011 session ended. As a result, a number of pro-rights bills have been filed. Listed below are...

America the Controlled In early January 2012 the big news was SOPA; the Stop Online Piracy Act. It gave the government the right to shut down the internet as it saw fit. It took the element of control, responsibility and freedom away from private citizenry and put it in the hands of an elite few who called their shots by opinion rather than the terms of law. Later in January came NDAA “The National Defense Authorization Act” which included indefinite incarnation of Americans at the behest of the Federal Government- without formal charges. Late January saw an effort to bail...

Today, the Virginia House of Delegates passed two pro-gun bills: House Bill 25 and House Bill 754. HB 25 passed in the state House by an 81 to 17 vote and HB 754 passed by a 74 to 22 vote. Both bills will now go to the Virginia Senate for its consideration. HB 25, sponsored by Delegate Mark Cole (R-88), seeks to prohibit the Clerk of the Court from disclosing information contained on a concealed handgun permit application or on an order issuing a concealed handgun permit. Sponsored by Delegate Ben Cline (R-24), HB 754 would eliminate the optional fingerprinting...

The New Hampshire state Senate rejected several controversial gun bills Wednesday. All of the proposals originally passed the House. The move suggests that the Senate’s patience for 2ndAmendment legislation may be about up. The Senate made brisk work of the so-called gun bills in front of them. “We spent a grand total of 6 minutes on 5 bills because we want to focus on the issues that are important to the New Hampshire people,” Senate President Peter Bragdon said. The bills the Senate down include a measure allowing people to carry loaded weapons – including crossbows – in their vehicles...

Michigan - -(Ammoland.com)- Senate Bill 58 was introduced by Senator Green early last year and co-sponsored by Senators Kowall, Brandenburg, Colbeck, Casperson, Emmons, Jansen, Moolenaar and Robertson. It is currently sitting with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would eliminate the so-called “Pistol Free Zones” for CPL (Concealed Pistol License) holders. As readers of this column may recall, I often refer to the “Pistol Free Zones” as “Mass Murderer Empowerment Zones.” This is because the list includes several places where mass killings have occurred. As any thinking person knows, the only effect of any “gun free zone” that is not...

Several new firearms related bills have been introduced in the Iowa House over the past several days. Here is a rundown of each of them: * HF 2113 – This bill would restore “Constitutional Carry” rights to Iowans. This bill is currently assigned to a Public Safety Subcommittee of Reps. Tjepkes, Baudler, and R. Olson. * HF 2114 – This bill would put and end to the patchwork of anti-carry ordinances, rules, and regulations that localities have adopted since Iowa went to a “Shall Issue” system of permit issuance on 1/1/11. This bill is currently assigned to a Public Safety...

A repeal of the state's one-handgun-a-month law and a bill to require voters without identification to cast provisional ballots have passed the state's House of Delegates and are on to the Senate. Both bills were the topic of substantial debate Tuesday, and Democrats again lashed out at the legislation today. The voter ID measure -- House Bill 9, introduced by Del. Mark L. Cole, R-Spotsylvania -- passed on a 69-30 vote. The vote came a day after a rally in opposition to the bill drew more than 300 people to the Capitol. Those opposed claim the legislation is designed to...

Catalina, AZ --(Ammoland.com)- Your help is needed to get these pro-rights bills heard in committee. Letters have been prepared and are waiting to be sent by you at AzCDL’s Action Center: HB 2095: http://capwiz.com/azcdl/issues/alert/?alertid=60874501 . SB 1077: http://capwiz.com/azcdl/issues/alert/?alertid=60877501 . Last week, two bills protecting your right to bear arms were scheduled for committee hearings but were “held” without being heard. It’s time to shine some light on those committees and let them know these bills need to heard and voted on favorably. HB 2095 was scheduled for a hearing in the House Government Committee on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, but...

IOWA – -(Ammoland.com)- Progress at the Capitol!This has been a busy, busy couple of weeks for IFC, your Iowa NRA Affiliate Club! We have 3 issues to update you on, a new state added recognition of Iowa’s Permit to Carry, steady progress on the Traditional Ammunition Ban front and most importantly Stand Your Ground legislation is moving forward! Iowa Permit Now Recognized in Georgia IFC has been working with NRA, and also with Gary Slider at www.hangunlaw.us, to help get Georgia to recognize Iowa’s Permit to Carry. Thanks to all parties involved for their efforts. Georgia law was written such...

Some of the country's most prominent gun reformers are urging President Obama to promote stricter firearm rules in tonight's national address. Mayors Against Illegal Guns — a group headed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino – called on Obama this week to use the State of the Union speech to press Congress for tighter background checks on potential weapons buyers. "Last year, 12,000 Americans were murdered with guns," Bloomberg and Menino wrote Monday in a letter to Obama. "But the grim fact that guns are used to murder 34 people a day is barely...

Correct me if I am wrong, but unlike Newt Gingrich, Romney and Santorum rarely speak about specific legislation that they would introduce or push if they are elected president. Gingrich often speaks about elements in his Contract with America listed on newt.org. What I usually hear from Romney is boasting about being a business man and how that may translate into a good president. He rarely pushes specific economic or cultural policy items. What I usually hear from Santorum is his boasting about his family values and he being the go-to guy in congress. He rarely pushes any specific legislative...

Brother testifies in favor of “Terri Schiavo Day” by Matt Lacy – Bobby Schindler, the brother of Terri Schiavo testified on Tuesday in support of a New Hampshire bill proclaiming March 31 of each year as a day to remember Terri Schiavo. Schiavo, who spent 15 years on a feeding tube, became a focal point over the right to die issue and highlighted the need for individuals to have a living will specifying their wishes.. On February 25, 1990 Schiavo collapsed while at home. After being admitted to the hospital, doctors were unable to determine an exact cause of...

An unlikely trio of House members has introduced an eclectic trio of gun-rights bills — one of which is a direct challenge to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other big-city mayors. With the support and aid of the Kansas State Rifle Association, Reps. Jana Goodman, Connie O'Brien and Jim Kelly came into the session locked and loaded, on a mission to make Kansas legally safer for gun sellers, gun manufacturers and corrections officers who want to conceal and carry. “It’s in the Constitution, and that right should be defended for self-protection,” Goodman said when asked why she is...

renton, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- Last Tuesday, the first day of the 215th session of the New Jersey Legislature, Assembly Bill 857 was introduced. Introduced by Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose (R-24), A 857 would repeal New Jersey’s law which allows residents to purchase only one handgun per month. Current law states, “A dealer shall not knowingly deliver more than one handgun to any person within any 30-day period.” Supporters of gun rationing claim that this law is needed to prevent criminals from buying large quantities of handguns for illegal resale. The following are three reasons why gun rationing should be repealed: 1....

An article last month in the Conducive Chronicle raised the question of civil liability for publishing studies (or enabling their publishing) that support the "wrong" side of the climate change debate--or even making involvement in such studies illegal (emphasis added): Which raises the question: if these studies are largely designed not to shed light on climate change, but to create doubt and confusion to delay greenhouse gas regulations, why is it legal, and do those deliberately spreading misinformation face liability? Entrance into the debate about anthropogenic climate change is obviously far beyond the scope of St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner,...

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill proposed for the 2012 Utah Legislature would prohibit a person who is lawfully carrying a firearm in public from being charged with non- firearm related crimes such as disorderly conduct or disturbing the operation of a school. HB49, sponsored by Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, states that, “… in the absence of additional threatening behavior, the otherwise lawful possession of a firearm … whether visible or concealed” would not in itself constitute a violation of various criminal statutes. The statutes specified by the bill also include failure to leave a higher education campus when ordered,...

California --(Ammoland.com)- I know that our fundamental right to keep and bear arms for self-defense is important to you. This individual liberty ensures that we have an opportunity to protect our lives and those of our loved ones should the need arise. We Californians are all too aware of the many infringements of this enumerated right that regular, law-abiding people like us face on a daily basis, yet it’s for this very reason the road to freedom runs through the Golden State. 2011 was a notable year for gun rights and our culture of respect for the constitution. Over the...

A legislative committee approved a bill that would suspend several of the Department of Justice emergency rules for concealed carry, including the rule requiring a minimum time for training. On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Legislature Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules held a meeting regarding the training requirements to obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon and passed the legislation suspending several of the DOJ’s emergency rules by a 6-3 majority. The next step for the bill will be to head to the Legislature for approval. The committee recommended in the legislation that parts of the DOJ’s emergency rule...

Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Coons (D-DE) have teamed up to create the "American Growth, Recovery, Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Act," more simply known as the AGREE Act. This legislation focuses on policies that both Democrats and Republicans have proposed and endorsed. After all the gridlock in Washington, it looks like this bill, sponsored by Rubio and Coons, might actually start creating jobs in our horrible economy. I commend both Rubio and Coons for taking the first step to introduce a true bi-partisan bill that can be passed by both houses of Congress and the White House. What is in the...