Virginia May Alter Mental-Health System: A package of bills to reform the state's mental health system in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy passed unanimously out of a Senate committee yesterday, while others made their way through the House. The Senate omnibus bill would loosen Virginia's tough standards for involuntary commitment, require better monitoring of those receiving outpatient treatment to make sure they get the treatment that is ordered and allow better sharing of mental health records. The legislation and others in the Senate and House are attempts to reform a mental health system that has come under increased scrutiny since a mentally disturbed student killed 32 students and faculty members and then himself at Virginia Tech in April. http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080129/METRO/836188184/1004 --- Utah Student Discusses CCW: A USU student who has a concealed weapons permit said he likes to exercise his Second Amendment right and feel protected...He said his concealed weapon came in handy when several men demanded he give them his wallet in North Salt Lake while he was pumping gas. The student said he told the men he had a gun and "doesn't miss." He said he then pulled out the gun, and the men left...There are four places (in Utah) where carrying a concealed weapon is prohibited, Taylor said, which include federal buildings, courts or mental health facilities, secure areas of an airport and property of religious institutions that have registered with the state. http://media.www.utahstatesman.com/media/storage/paper243/news/2008/01/28/Features/Concealed.Weapons.On.Campus-3171725.shtml --- Idaho Gun Shop Will Get Day In Court: Red's Trading Post will have its day in court, possibly in February. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge of Boise on Thursday rejected a federal agency's claim that the Twin Falls gun dealing business has fallen short of showing grounds for a hearing. "The judge wants to hear all the people and look at all the evidence," said Mark Geston, a Boise attorney representing the gun dealership. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had asked for a summary judgment against the business it says "willfully" violated agency rules. The ATF can administratively revoke a gun dealer's federal firearms license. But in Red's case, the business has challenged the agency in court and in the court of public opinion. http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/01/26/news/local_state/129503.txt --- Huh?: Major Florida gun-show promoter Victor Bean has weighed in on Tuesday's Republican presidential primary, telling an e-mail list of nearly 90,000 Second Amendment advocates the he's voting for John McCain. Bean's e-mail says he consulted with Pasco County GOP Chairman Bill Bunting, a prominent statewide gun-rights advocate, who spoke with McCain, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee about gun issues in recent days. Bunting and many Second Amendment activists were backing Fred Thompson, who dropped out of the race last week. (I guess his gun shows only sell space to licensed dealers.) http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/01/28/gunshow_promoters_back_mccain.html --- Maryland Mayor Calls For Microstamping: In the wake of a double homicide in Annapolis' Bay Ridge Gardens apartments, Mayor Ellen Moyer is pushing for lawmakers to draft legislation that requires gun manufacturers to produce microstamp imprints of a gun's serial number on shell casings. The Annapolis mayor plans to meet with state leaders today, including House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Annapolis, City Police Chief Joseph Johnson and representatives from several state agencies to push for legislation and secure crime and drug-prevention funding. (If it's supposed to work in California...) http://www.examiner.com/a-1183701~Annapolis_mayor_wants_fired_guns_to_automatically_stamp_bullets.html --- Prohibitionist Attacks America Fights Back: Arthur Hayhoe is the executive director of a group calling itself the Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Inc., a well funded anti-gun organization that has received grant funding from the extremist Americans for Gun Safety. AGS is a Trojan horse gun control group that has had to change its name to the less-onerous "Third Way" in order to keep fooling people about its mission. Americans for Gun Safety is bankrolled by millionaire anti-gunner Andrew McKelvey, former board member of Handgun Control, Inc., which became the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Connect the dots! http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0936783508/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt/105-2825806-0439633?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 --- Colorado State Patrol Chooses S&W M&P: Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation , parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 156-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, announced today that it has received an order from the Colorado State Patrol for 850 of the company's Military & Police (M&P) Series of advanced-design polymer pistols. The Smith & Wesson M&P40, chambered in .40 S&W, will be issued to each officer of the Colorado State Patrol to replace early-model Smith & Wesson pistols that have served as the primary duty firearms for the department. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/LAM06228012008-1.htm -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .