Microstamping Works - Sometimes: New technology currently being tested by the University of California at Davis could make it easier for police to identify the gun from which shells left at a crime scene have been fired. The technology, called microstamping, works by stamping each shell with an identifying mark unique to the gun from which it was fired. The recently concluded study found that microstamping is feasible, however it did not work equally well for all guns and ammunition in the pilot and wider testing should be done... http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/323052 --- Appellate Ruling Applauded: The media have been telling us to watch the gun-control case now before the U.S. Supreme Court, where we await a decision about Americans' Second Amendment rights. But the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just handed down an equally important gun decision that has additional implications against judicial supremacy. The court, which convenes in New York City, shot down the longtime liberal dream of achieving gun control by suing gun manufacturers for crimes committed by firearms. In a remarkable decision, this federal appellate court dismissed City of New York v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp. and protected gun corporations against frivolous lawsuits in state and federal courts...This decision provides a road map for how Congress should withdraw jurisdiction from judicial supremacists in other fields, too. The decision is a sweeping affirmation of Congress' power to stop future and pending lawsuits in federal and state courts... http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64358 --- NRA Touts Annual Meeting: An amazing story is about to take place in Louisville, Kentucky. Tens of thousands of Americans will gather to celebrate their freedom, love of country, and devotion to the ideals upon which this great nation was founded. They will arrive dedicated and leave motivated...The mainstream media will cover the NRA Annual Meetings in Louisville. But I doubt they'll capture our passion and dedication to the Second Amendment. They'll downplay the importance of our gathering, but that's their mistake. You can bet the politicians will be paying attention to us in Louisville, and you better believe we're going to send them a message loud and clear! http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=397 Related Article: http://www.fox41.com/Global/story.asp?S=8326557 --- Oklahoma Congressman to Join NRA Board: U.S. Rep. Dan Boren on Wednesday announced his appointment to the National Rifle Association's board of directors... Nominated for membership in February and confirmed in a recent vote, Boren is expected to attend the NRA's annual conference in Louisville, Ky., to join a 76-member board whose members have included actor Tom Selleck, professional basketball player Karl Malone and rock musician Ted Nugent. (Note how easy it is to confuse "appointment" and "election" to the NRA Board of Directors.) http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080515_16_A1_spancl933078 http://www.koco.com/politics/16269844/detail.html --- How to Become a "Gun Felon": At 2:15 PM on January 8 of this year, the Milwaukee jury in the trial of United States vs. David R. Olofson convened. Forty minutes later they emerged, returning a unanimous verdict against the veteran and National Guardsman: "Guilty." Olofson, you see, had loaned one of his rifles, and it malfunctioned at a range, firing off short bursts before jamming. This was called to the attention of local authorities who seized the rifle, an Olympic Arms AR-15. They in turn called BATFE, who decided to make a federal case out of it, charging Olofson with illegally transferring a machinegun. Enter Len Savage (See "Failing the Test," July 2005), President of Historic Arms, LLC, brought in by Olofson's defense to testify the automatic fire was not by design or intent, but rather by mechanical failure, and that the firearm in question was simply a semiautomatic rifle that needed to be repaired... http://gunsmagazine.com/DGR0708.html Related Commentary: http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/05/gun-owners-one-malfunction-away-from.html --- Let's Get Something Straight: ...Last year, nearly 800,000 walked through one of the courthouse's two X-ray machines, said David Ricker, Pima County Superior Court spokesman. In the process, Securitas staff found nearly 19,000 "potential" weapons, he said. While many are household items people would never dream of using as a weapon - such as cigar cutters, tape measures, forks and pocket knives - others are weapons people claim they carry for self-defense and simply forgot to leave at home that day, Gauthier said. If the items aren't illegal to carry, they are checked into a locker and the owners can pick them up on their way out of the courthouse...(Arizona law requires public facilities that ban weapons to provide secure, on-site, readily retrievable storage for them. If people are being instructed not to bring them to court, that is illegal.) http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/239271 --- Possible Victory Over California Ammo-Registration Bill: The Assembly Committee on Appropriations has just placed AB 2062 on the Suspense File. Even though any bill with costs of over $150,000 automatically goes to suspense, Assemblyman Kevin DeLeon amended his bill in an attempt to get below this fiscal threshold...The Suspense File is often used by the committee as a tool to bury bills they want to see go away. They simply leave the bill on suspense until after the deadline to take up any more bills. They then claim that the state does not have enough resources to fund the bill which allows the author to save face...Ask any pro-gun member of the Appropriations Committee and they will tell you that the lobbying effort spearheaded by Gun Owners of California was timely and effective. We will continue to lead the way. http://www.gunownersca.com/news/display/?id=444 --- "No Guns" Sign Draws Protest: A recently posted sign requesting that guns not be brought into Boones Mill town hall sparked controversy at a town council meeting Tuesday night - and drew the attention of the Virginia Citizens Defense League...More recently, however, debate has been waged over a series of signs first demanding, then requesting that weapons not be carried by those attending meetings. Frith said the first sign went up about a month ago after it was approved at the last council meeting. However, according to Mark Flynn, director of legal services for the Virginia Municipal League, Virginia law prohibits a city or town from banning guns in most public buildings or property, although there are exceptions for schools, courthouses, jails and police stations... http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/161882 --- From AzCDL: The pressure you put on the Rules committees last week had an impact! The log jam has broken, and AzCDL requested and supported pro-rights bills are finally moving towards floor votes in the House and Senate. HB 2389, an AzCDL requested bill that clarifies that it is permissible to carry a weapon, without a CCW permit, visibly or concealed, anywhere within a means of transportation, excluding public transit, passed out of the Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. However, amendments were added during the COW debate, by Senators Cheverount, O'Halleran and Waring, which did not alter the existing language of HB 2389, but advanced their issues. You can read each amendment here: Cheverount - http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/adopted/s.2389cheuvront.pdf O'Halleran - http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/adopted/s.2389ohalleran.pdf Waring - http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/adopted/s.2389waring.pdf Unfortunately, without informing AzCDL or either bill's prime sponsor, Senator Waring included the language of HB 2634 (Rep. Murphy's bill that allows former felons whose right to bear arms have been restored to obtain a CCW permit, see page 19, line's 23-25 using the above link) in his amendment. Adding this language could effectively kill both bills at the same time if the Governor should veto HB 2389. AzCDL must now try to get HB 2389 into a Conference Committee, where the differences between the original House version and the amended Senate version can be worked out in favor of law-abiding gun owner's rights. We must also now ensure that HB 2634 continues to move through the process, and that no excuses are used that "the bill has already been debated", since it has not been, as apparently no one was aware of this maneuver but Sen. Waring. It's time to let Senator Waring know that YOU don't appreciate his actions. His contact information is as follows: Phone: 602-926-4916 Fax: 602-417-3150 Email: jwaring@azleg.gov . Personalized letters are always preferred. Below is a sample letter you can use as a template. Please be sure to include your name, address, and phone number in all correspondence. Subject: HB 2389 & HB 2634 sabotage Senator Waring: The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that the amendment you added to HB 2389 contains language that could facilitate the defeat of both HB 2389 and HB 2634 if HB 2389, in its current form, goes to the governor. Instead of just amending HB 2389 with language from bills you had sponsored, you added the language from Representative Murphy's HB 2634, allowing former felons whose right to bear arms had been restored to obtain a CCW permit. HB 2634 enjoys broad bi-partisan support, passing in the House with a unanimous (59-0-1) vote. It stands a good chance of becoming law. If the Governor should veto HB 2389 containing the language from HB 2634, then HB 2634 is effectively dead. Why would you wish to give an opposition party Governor the opportunity for a "two-for-one" veto of good, pro-rights legislation? If the Republican party is going to be moving in that direction, what incentive do I, as a gun owner and supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, have to go to the polls this fall? The only way to mend this situation, and your reputation among gun owners in Arizona, is to see to it that HB 2389 is heard in a Conference Committee, and have the language from HB 2634 removed before the bill is sent to the Governor. Senator Waring, do the right thing! Sincerely, Your name Street Address City, State & zip telephone number Meanwhile HB 2634, the original AzCDL requested bill that clarifies that a person with an expunged or set-aside felony conviction, or one who has had their rights restored, may obtain a concealed weapons permit, finally passed out of the Senate Rules Committee on May 12, 2008. Next stop is Senate COW, assuming that Senate leadership is still willing to hear the bill on the floor. Its fate could be dependent on removing the same language from the amended HB 2389. We do have some good news! SB 1070, an AzCDL requested bill that makes it easier for lawful gun owners who have satisfactorily completed training to obtain a permit, or renew an expired one, and SB 1106, Senator Chuck Gray's bill that provides for an optional lifetime CCW permit, both passed out of the House Rules Committee on May 13, 2008. From here they move on to the House COW. Stay tuned! Information on these and other bills can be found at the AzCDL website: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization. Join today! AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html Copyright © 2008 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .