American Gun Owners Under Siege: They stood in long lines to pay homage to icons such as Ted Nugent and Oliver North, they got emotional during a tribute to their fallen hero, Charlton Heston, and they vowed to fight to the death for their cherished right to bear arms. But there was a sense of siege hanging over the annual National Rifle Association convention here this weekend...There is a sense that no matter how the 2008 U.S. presidential election campaign shakes out, freedom is again under threat - the freedom to pack heat and defend home and loved ones with lethal force...More than 6,000 of the 4.3-million-member NRA heard from their only hope here Friday, but Republican John McCain was usually referred to by rank-and-file members as the lesser of two evils... http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/427320 --- Illinois County Weighs Licensed CCW: Winnebago County Board member Randy Olson said a groundswell of public support is needed to nudge the Legislature to fall in line with the other 48 states and adopt some form of conceal carry legislation. If the Winnebago County Board adopts its own conceal carry gun law, Olson said, "It would be our goal that every other county in the state follow suit." A resolution, still in draft form but already signed onto by 13 of 28 board members, will authorize the sheriff to issue gun permits to qualified citizens. http://www.rrstar.com/cherryvalley/x1867426755/Public-input-to-be-sought-on-conceal-carry --- Judge Appears Likely to Block Philadelphia Infringements: A Philadelphia judge appeared poised yesterday to grant the National Rifle Association's request to block enforcement of recently enacted city gun laws, with a final decision almost certainly headed for the state's high court. Previous rulings by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court established "that the state regulates firearms, not the city," Common Pleas Court Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan told city attorneys during a hearing yesterday... http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20080520_Phila__judge_likely_to_grant_NRA_request.html --- Misuse of Power Proposed in Pennsylvania: .. Pennsylvania law gives the attorney general the power to adopt consumer-protection regulations that have the "force and effect of law." Pennsylvania law provides that the "Attorney General may adopt, after public hearing, such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the enforcement and administration of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL). Such rules and regulations when promulgated shall have the force and effect of law." ...It's clear that the attorney general can mandate that lost or stolen guns be reported to law enforcement within a reasonable time of learning about it through his power of issuing regulations. Other state attorneys general have acted successfully in using their regulatory power to address guns. (Note that the author of this piece is the Democratic candidate for attorney general.) http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20080519_A_CLEVER_END_RUN_ON_GUN_REGULATION.html --- Police Erred in Pennsylvania Open-Carry Incident: Police officers and prosecutors seemed either unfamiliar with the law or unprepared May 9 with how to handle a dozen customers at Old Country Buffet who were openly carrying guns, a Dickson City police report shows. But Assistant District Attorney Corey Kolcharno said he and police handled the situation as best they could given that one customer had not fully cooperated with police. That customer, Richard Banks, of Mountaintop, had his weapon confiscated for not carrying a concealed-weapons permit and was initially arrested for disorderly conduct and failure to carry a license for the weapon. Mr. Kolcharno said that might have been avoided had he known Mr. Banks was a federal firearms dealer, exempt from carrying a license for a concealed gun. No charges were filed against Mr. Banks... http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19703654&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6 --- Louisiana Still Debating Campus Carry: While recent school shootings have triggered a national debate about guns on college campuses, a bill pending in the Louisiana Legislature that could allow guns in Louisiana schools brings that debate close to home. Rep. Ernest Wooton's House Bill 199 would extend the rights of licensed concealed weapon carriers to college campuses, which previously were statutorily designated as gun-free zones. The bill would affect all Louisiana colleges and universities, including private institutions. The all-encompassing nature of the bill poses a major concern for Loyola University - a private, Catholic institution - amid strong opinions for and against integrating guns into campus life. The Rev. Kevin J. Wildes, Loyola president, opposes the Wooton bill. If passed, the bill would undermine the authority of every Louisiana college or university chief executive... http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2008-05-20/news_feat2.php --- Arizona Campus-Carry Bill Killed in Senate: A bill that would allow some students, professors and administrators to carry guns on Arizona's college campuses is dead - at least for this year, said its chief sponsor, state Sen. Karen Johnson. The Mesa Republican said Senate President Tim Bee has blocked Senate Bill 1214 from going to a full chamber vote. Johnson said she believes many lawmakers, facing re-election races this fall, had pressured Bee to kill the bill so they wouldn't have to take a position on such a controversial issue... http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0519guns0520.html --- Arizona Vehicle-Carry Bill Stiffens Murder Sentences: A bill that would allow a person to carry a gun in vehicles other than public transit without having a concealed-weapon permit has become a multipronged anti-crime measure. The bill, approved Monday on a 16-9 vote by the state Senate, would order that a person convicted of first-degree murder be sentenced to life in prison without parole if not sentenced to death...The newly expanded weapons bill returns to the House for consideration of changes made by the Senate. Those changes also include increasing the penalty for a person convicted of sexual conduct with a minor. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/85735.php --- 18-Year-Olds Can Possess Handguns in South Carolina: Youths ages 18 through 20 can possess handguns legally under a state Supreme Court ruling issued Monday. The unanimous decision mirrors a new state law that took effect last month. The five-member high court said the old law violated the state constitution, which grants full legal rights to everyone who is at least 18 - with the exception of alcohol purchases. "By expressly allowing the regulation of the sale of alcoholic beverages to the 18-to-20-year-old age group and not stating any other situation in which the General Assembly may restrict the rights of this age group, the state constitution precludes the General Assembly from prohibiting this age group's possession of handguns," Justice James Moore wrote for the court. http://www.thestate.com/local/story/410185.html --- Microstamping Debated in New York: Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel today went to the New York State Police firing range in Albany to call attention to a live demonstration of semiautomatic pistols equipped with microstamping technology...Schimel, D-Great Neck, proposed legislation that would require every semiautomatic weapon manufactured in New York to be equipped with the technology...Following the demonstration, a heated debate broke out between supporters and opponents of microstamping when Assemblyman Greg Ball, R-Carmel, said the gun industry, including firearms stores and associations, are not being allowed to test out the microstamping technology or witness demonstrations. Ball was standing along side of Jake McGuigan, director of government relations for the National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc. Schimel denied the accusations. http://www.legislativegazette.com/day_item.php?item=377 http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2008/05/19/ball-at-firearms-demonstration/ Related Video: http://blog.nysrpa.org/?p=1374 Microstamping Bill Appears Stalled: Efforts to mandate "microstamping" technology in handguns, which advocates say would allow police to better trace bullets, appear to have faded in the state Senate after being targeted by opponents in the gun lobby. News that the effort lost momentum emerged Monday following a live-fire demonstration at the State Police headquarters target range to promote the technology... http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=689896&category=CAPITOL&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=5/20/2008 --- Ohioans Renew CHL's: Northeast Ohio's licensed concealed carry handgun permit holders are beginning to line up to take care of their required renewals. First instituted in 2004, the concealed carry permit process must be renewed between 90 days prior to the holder's expiration date to 30 days after. If the permit is not renewed within this time slot, a document holder must retake the required several-hour course. The renewal process began only several weeks ago with both Lake and Geauga County sheriff departments saying business has been brisk. http://www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19700999&BRD=1698&PAG=461&dept_id=21849&rfi=6 --- DC Police Will Not Wait for Locking Mounts for Rifles: The Metropolitan Police Department says officers will start receiving assault rifles this summer as scheduled but the weapons will be unsecured in vehicle trunks until the locking devices are installed. "The question is: 'Is it safer not to have them?' " said Assistant Chief Joshua Ederheimer, referring to concerns about criminals having more powerful weapons than police officers. (There are departments that use locking mounts inside the vehicle and departments that use locking mounts inside trunks but it seems foolish to advise the criminals that the rifles will be available t them if they can just pop the trunk on a cruiser.) http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/METRO/202610745/1001 --- Oops, Wrong House: A man wanted for home break-ins in as many as 10 counties picked the wrong house last week in White County. Police said the burglar, Bryan Cook, 32, of Crossville, attempted to rob a house but was shot and killed by homeowner, Keith Girdley. Girdley told authorities he arrived home Thursday morning to find Cook about to leave after breaking inside. When he asked Cook what he was doing, he said the burglar pulled a gun from his waistband. That's when Girdley pulled out his own gun and shot the man. http://www.wsmv.com/news/16331280/detail.html --- From AzCDL: 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 Third Read on Monday, May 19, 2008, by a 17-9 vote with 4 Senators not voting. AzCDL is working with the sponsor 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, and the language from HB 2634 removed. Meanwhile HB 2634, the 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, is scheduled for debate in the Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. HB 2629, an AzCDL requested bill that clarifies when a defensive display of a firearm is justified, has been scheduled for the House Final Read on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. HB 2629 passed the House Third Read by a 32-26 vote (1 Representative not voting) on March 19, 2008, and the Senate Third Read by a 19-7 vote (4 Senators not voting) on May 12, 2008. If HB 2629 passes the House Final Read, it will be sent to the Governor. Please take the time to send a polite note to your Senator urging them to vote for the passage of HB 2634, and to your Representatives urging them to vote for the passage of HB 2629. You can find your legislators here: http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp . Please be sure to include your name, address, and phone number in all correspondence. We have more 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 COW on Monday, May 19, 2008. During the House COW debate, SB 1070 was amended, at the request of AZ DPS and the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association (ASRPA), to restore the language in the current statute requiring CCW instructors to create a training organization, and to make other technical changes. 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 .