DC Officials Oppose Gun Bill: D.C. officials are trying to beat back an effort by some lawmakers to send a bill to the House floor that would dramatically weaken the city's gun laws. The gun bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) and Mark Souder (R-Ind.), was introduced previously and stalled. The measure now stands a good chance of gaining approval by the House of Representatives because of an unusual legislative maneuver, congressional staff members and observers said. Souder said he acted because the D.C. government has made only limited changes to its 32-year-old handgun ban since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that it was unconstitutional. In particular, he said, the city's new, temporary legislation still requires handgun owners to keep their weapons disassembled or secured with a trigger lock unless someone in the home was in danger. The District also continues to prohibit residents from owning semiautomatic handguns... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/29/AR2008072902128.html --- Heller II: ...Dick Heller, the D.C. security guard who successfully challenged the District's near-total ban on handgun ownership in a case that reached the Supreme Court, filed suit Monday seeking to strike-down the city's re-tailored gun law. This was no surprise. In fact, District officials such as Mayor Adrian Fenty practically dared Heller, along with his lawyers, to do it. Fenty and the city council decided to let the Supreme Court's landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller restrict them as loosely as possible in redrawing the law... http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/gun_suit_another_round_of_ammu.html ...The District's position seems to be that banning all handguns except revolvers fits with the Supreme Court's implicit approval of bans on "dangerous and unusual weapons." I've noted the circular logic of that exception, whereby banned weapons (such as actual machine guns) remain banned because the ban has made them unusual. The "dangerous" part is puzzling too, since all weapons are dangerous; that's what makes them weapons. But whatever the phrase means, it clearly does not apply to semiautomatic handguns, which are not "unusual" in this country by any stretch of the imagination... http://reason.com/blog/show/127809.html --- Heller Cited in New York: When Lou Matteo got his handgun collection back, town police averted a legal battle based on a new U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding an individual's right to own a gun. Matteo, 75, turned over his firearms in March after a verbal spat with his wife led to an order of protection against him. Guilderland police refused to give the guns back, citing a federal law barring anyone under an order of protection from possessing firearms. But on June 26, the nation's high court struck down a District of Columbia ban on handguns. The ruling also said long-standing provisions barring handgun possession by felons did not violate the Second Amendment. Matteo has never been convicted of a crime, and his attorney, Tom Marcelle, said the Supreme Court ruling meant he was entitled to have his guns returned... http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=707692&category=REGION --- Only 25 Apply for Chicago Amnesty: Only 25 people have taken advantage of Chicago's four-month gun registration amnesty, including former Attorney General Roland Burris. Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) proposed the idea - in shorter form - after he forgot to re-register his arsenal of weapons, as required every year by an ordinance he helped to pass. Mell argued that reopening gun registration wasn't just a personal favor. He insisted that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of otherwise law-abiding Chicago gun owners just like him who had inadvertently allowed their gun registration to lapse... http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1079053,CST-NWS-gun29.article --- Evanston Keeps Handgun Ban for Now: Evanston will hold off amending its handgun ordinance until officials see what gun control groups come up in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling against total handgun bans. Aldermen held off action Monday night on a resolution in which they express intent to amend the city's weapons ordinance in a way to conform with the court's ruling. The June 27 Supreme Court decision held unconstitutional provisions of a Washington, D.C., ordinance similar to Evanston's, that contains a total ban on handguns. Meanwhile Monday evening, the Morton Grove Village Board, by a 5-1 vote, repealed its landmark 27-year-old handgun ban at its meeting... http://www.pioneerlocal.com/evanston/news/1079707,ev-handgun-072908-s1.article --- Mixed Ruling on Florida Parking-Lot-Storage Law: Employees with concealed weapons permits can keep guns locked in their cars at work in Florida, but businesses are allowed to prohibit customers from bringing firearms on their property, a federal judge has ruled. The Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Retail Federation, which challenged the state law that took effect July 1, huddled with their lawyers Tuesday to understand the split decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in Tallahassee and decide whether they should challenge it. Rick McAllister, president and CEO of the retail federation, said he doesn't believe his organization will appeal...However, Marion Hammer, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, called Monday's decision "a huge win for the people." http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jul/29/judge-says-employees-can-keep-guns-locked-cars/ --- Georgia Group Defeats Local Gun Bans: ...Since its incorporation in 2006, Georgia Carry has fired off a steady stream of lawsuits against local gun bans by leaning on a state law that bars any entity but the General Assembly from regulating the carrying and possession of firearms. Georgia Carry appears to be winning the fight against Georgia's restrictions, which it calls the most stringent in the country, according to John Monroe, the group's vice president and attorney...For Athens-Clarke County's gun prohibition, the writing was on the wall after Georgia Carry's victory in the state Court of Appeals in December forced the repeal of a gun ban in Coweta County, according to Athens-Clarke County attorney Bill Berryman. The court ruled that state law pre-empts local jurisdictions from enacting ordinances on how firearms are carried. "Once that came out, we didn't feel like we had any alternative," Mr. Berryman said. http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/072808/met_467339.shtml --- Massachusetts House Kills Fee Increases: Leaders of the state House of Representatives today killed a disputed proposal by the governor to hike license fees for guns. House budget writers stripped the proposed fee hikes from a more comprehensive bill submitted by Gov. Deval L. Patrick. The bill, set to be approved today in the House, also calls for raising money to finance the state's near-universal health care law. House leaders defeated the gun fee hikes after 59 members of the chamber signed a letter opposing the increases. A dozen members from Western Massachusetts, including Democratic Reps. Peter V. Kocot of Northampton and John W. Scibak of South Hadley, signed the letter... http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/house_leaders_kill_governors_p.html?category=Statehouse --- California Could Restrict Ammo Sales: For the second year in a row, a Los Angeles assemblyman is pushing a bill that would create a handgun-ammunition licensing system for firearms dealers statewide. The bill would require dealers to purchase an annual license from the Department of Justice to sell more than 50 total rounds of handgun ammunition each month. These licenses would cost an estimated $50, according to the department. The measure also would make it illegal to sell ammunition through the mail or over the Internet. It would require ammunition to be stored behind the counter... http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_ammunition21.1b10986.html --- Oops, Wrong House, Florida Version: A Port St. Lucie resident shot a man trying to break into his Northeast Floresta Drive home through the kitchen window Tuesday afternoon, and the bleeding man jumped into his car and drove it into a utility pole, police said. The injured man was later airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach, said Port St. Lucie Police spokesman Officer Robert Vega. Police are not identifying those involved and no charges have been filed. The condition of the man who was shot wasn't available Tuesday night... http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jul/29/psl-homeowner-shoots-injures-man-trying-break-his-/ --- Oops, Wrong House, Pennsylvania Version: A 78-year-old man used a kitchen knife and a shotgun to chase three men posing as exterminators from his Lowhill Township home, according to police...When the homeowner ordered them to leave his house, a fight broke out. While the homeowner struggled with one of the younger males, the older male restrained the homeowner. But the homeowner broke free, grabbed a kitchen knife and ordered all three men out of his house. The older male tried to regain entry. But by then, the homeowner had a shotgun in hand. The three men fled in a green van south on Route 100. They managed to steal about $10 in coins. http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-lowhillincident0729-cn,0,1250041.story --- Oops, Wrong House, Mississippi Version: An 84-year-old man, who repeatedly held off an alleged intruder Sunday when the man tried to break into his home, finally got a gun in desperation and shot through a door, wounding the intruder in the leg...Although meant as a warning shot, the round struck 20-year-old Wade Ledesma of Bay St. Louis in the lower left leg. He was initially taken by American Medical Response to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, then was transferred to University Hospital in Jackson. Ledesma was listed in fair condition Monday, Fizer said... (I'm starting to wonder if those people who believe in warning shots might not be better served to buy blank-firing guns. In an unfriendly jurisdiction it's difficult to justify shooting someone with a "warning shot.") http://www.sunherald.com/pageone/story/711027.html --- Rule One Reminder: A Tucson teen who police say shot his 14-year-old stepsister to death told authorities he didn't know the gun was loaded and wanted only to scare her, according to documents released Tuesday. Shelden Andrew Pruitt, 15, said that he stole the handgun from his stepfather, who lives in Colorado, a few weeks ago and brought it with him when he moved to Tucson to live with his father and stepmother and her children, according to an interim complaint. "He stated he brought it with him because there are home invasions in Tucson," the document said... (Rule One: All firearms are always loaded.) http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/250498 --- Rule Four Reminder: A white police officer accused of fatally shooting an unarmed black woman holding her 1-year-old son thought he was being fired upon by a drug dealer when he pulled the trigger, his attorney said Tuesday. The death of 26-year-old Tarika Wilson set off protests and debate about race relations in this northwest Ohio city, where one in four residents is black. Sgt. Joseph Chavalia heard gunshots that two fellow SWAT team officers fired at pit bulls released from a first-floor back bedroom by drug dealer Anthony Terry, defense attorney Bill Kluge said during opening arguments in Chavalia's trial...(Rule Four: Always be sure of your target and what's beyond it.) http://www.azstarnet.com/news/250402 --- NYPD SOP-9 Reports: Although posted by a hostile source, these annual Firearms Discharge Reports from NYPD provide some interesting insights into gunfight dynamics, negligent discharges and more. http://www.nyclu.org/node/1756 --- From The Firearms Coalition: One More Last Chance for Parks You have another last chance to post comments about disarming law-abiding citizens in National Parks. Take advantage of this opportunity and Post a Comment, even if you have already posted a comment before! Be sure that your family members post comments too! The decision in the Heller case makes our position stronger and that needs to be brought out. Politely demand that the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service stop denying Constitutional Rights. Adoption of the proposed regulations would be a first step toward constitutional compliance, but the Department of the Interior must go farther. They should adopt the proposed amendment and then take the next steps to stop illegally restricting the open carry of personal defense firearms. They need to either adopt a blanket policy against any firearms possession restrictions on any property administered by the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service - or any other federal agency for that matter - or at a minimum adopt state firearms laws in the same way that National Forests and BLM lands do. A couple of anti-gun Senators were able to get the Department of the Interior to extend the comment period on the proposed regulations from June 30 to August 8 as a delaying tactic in hopes of drumming up more opposition to the proposed rules. The Brady's have been busy encouraging people to send in negative comments and many gun groups - unhappy with the limitations of the proposal - have been urging unfavorable comments. We must not let this opportunity for a major improvement pass us by. Encourage the adoption of the proposed amendment and urge further action. Don't wait! Get your comments in now! To submit a comment, follow this link: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=090000648053d497 or http://tinyurl.com/66frtt Either of those links should open a page on Regulations.gov with, "Document Details" as the title and, "Docket Title General Regulations for Areas Administered by the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service" Go to, "Add Comments" and click on the little yellow balloon. That will open up a comment form. All fields on the form are not required. Fields marked with a # are going to be publicly displayed so don't put information in those fields that you don't want the world to see. If you don't know what to put in a field or you're uncomfortable sharing that information, just leave it blank. For the comment section, encourage the adoption of the proposed amendment, but also let them know that you would like to see restrictions further eased. Below is the comment I sent in. You are welcome to copy it or use it as a guideline for your own comment if you'd like. Regarding Rulemaking Proposal, Reference Number 1024-AD70, here are my comments: As a frequent visitor to National Parks and Wildlife Refuges, and as a regular commuter through National Battlefield Parks and Parkways, I strongly support the proposed changes to regulations regarding firearms on lands administered by the NPS and FWS. The current regulations are not only bad policy - placing law-abiding people at risk of arrest and prosecution for having available the means to protect themselves - they are also patently unconstitutional. While not perfect, the proposed amendment is a step in the right direction. It could be easily improved by simply striking the word "concealed" from its text. Many gunowners do not have concealed carry permits - whether as a matter of conscience, government limitations, or a financial issue - and many do not own a firearm suitable for concealed carry. It is wrong to deny these people their rights. I am also concerned about the qualifying language concerning adoption of the laws of host states regarding firearms regulations. The language referencing comparable state lands should be stricken completely. This amendment should, at a minimum, simply adopt the firearms laws of host states in the same manner that National Forest and BLM lands do. Ideally - and constitutionally - there should be no firearms possession restrictions on any federal lands. As a bare minimum I ask that you adopt the proposed amendment as written. If possible I would prefer to see the word "concealed' struck from the amendment along with the language about comparable state lands. Ideally, I would like to see the entire section of the regulation dealing with possession of weapons, traps and nets, deleted and replaced with language which addresses criminal behavior rather than simple possession of tools. Respectfully submitted, Jeff Knox Please don't delay. Submit your comments NOW while you're thinking about it. Also please forward this alert to everyone on your e-mail list to encourage them to submit comments as well. The Park Service needs to be totally overwhelmed with support for the right to keep and bear arms on federal lands. If they are not overwhelmed by support for the current proposal, they are likely to try to drag this process out in hopes of a new administration taking the regulations in the opposite direction. Yours for the Second Amendment, Jeff Knox Director, The Firearms Coalition www.FirearmsCoalition.org -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .