National Reciprocity Bill Introduced: U.S. Representatives Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.), recently introduced H.R. 197-- the "National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009" - a bill that would provide national recognition for valid state Right-to-Carry licensees. The bill would allow any person with a valid carry permit or license issued by a state, to carry a concealed firearm in any other state if the permit holder meets certain criteria. In states that issue permits, a state's laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within its borders. In states that do not issue carry permits, a federal standard would apply. The bill would not create a federal licensing system; it would simply require the states to recognize each other's carry permits, just as they recognize drivers' licenses... (I remain squeamish about this concept. "If the permit holder meets certain criteria" can all to easily result in federal criteria for issuance being dictated to the states.) http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=4330 --- The Beat Goes On: Moscow's (ID) Big Five isn't the first place most people look for firearms - but business is booming. Employee Jon Stein said sales have increased by 50 percent or more. He attributes most of the boost to the fear locals have of a gun ban being implemented in relation to the election of President Barack Obama. Sales reports from across the country have shown similar signs. According to a CNN report on FBI statistics, there were 374,000 background check requests from Nov. 3 to 9, the week Obama was elected - a 49 percent increase from last year... http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/7275/48:testset/ The new Obama administration is creating lots of uncertainty over the future of gun control. Gun rights advocates are concerned the Democratic majority will look for ways to infringe on their rights, and in an effort to raise awareness of responsible gun ownership, one Stanly County business is selling guns tax free Friday and Saturday. "I don't think Obama or anybody in his Cabinet necessarily wants to see all of us good southern sportsmen, us hunters, lose our firearms, that's not the motivation," said Nathan Davis, owner of God's Country Outfitters. Their intention is to curtail the violence in inner city communities, and that's understandable... http://www.news14.com/content/local_news/charlotte/603943/guns-sold-tax-free-for--inauguration-sale-/Default.aspx --- McCarthy, Bloomberg Knock Senate Pick: ...Even before the governor took the podium Friday to introduce little-known upstate Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand as his pick, a Long Island congresswoman elected on a pledge to stem gun violence was telling reporters she would either challenge Gillibrand in the Democratic primary next year or find someone who would... After the announcement, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in a lukewarm endorsement of Gillibrand, noted his "strong disagreement with one area of her record as a member of Congress: illegal guns." ...Bloomberg and McCarthy both said Gillibrand co-sponsored legislation to deny information cities and police need to track illegal gun criminals. The legislation passed in the House but was never considered by the Senate, McCarthy said... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/24/AR2009012400430.html Brady Bunch Is Disappointed: ..."We have been disappointed by Representative Kirsten Gillibrand's record on preventing gun violence during her one term in Congress. For example, she supported legislation that would have weakened efforts to fight illegal gun trafficking. We are hopeful, however, that as a United States Senator representing the entire state of New York she will follow the example of Senator Charles Schumer and former Senator Clinton and work with us to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons in this country." ... http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-23-2009/0004959500&EDATE= Tangentially Related Commentary: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/nyregion/24assess.html?_r=1&hp http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/nyregion/24gillibrand.html?ref=us&pagewanted=all --- Wisconsin AG Won't Give Opinion on Open Carry: As conflicts over of the open carry of firearms mushroom in the state, Wisconsin attorney general J.B. Van Hollen is declining to issue a legal opinion about whether the practice is legal. In a Nov. 6, 2008, letter to then state Rep. Terry Musser (R-Black River Falls), deputy attorney general Raymond Taffora acknowledged a number of requests for just such an opinion, as well as a growing number of arrests for carrying firearms in plain view, mostly on the charge of disorderly conduct. On behalf of an unnamed constituent, Musser had specifically asked for an opinion about the open carrying of firearms for personal defense, but Taffora told him there were prudent legal reasons for the attorney general not to get involved... Some open-carry advocates, among them Gene German, see the attorney general's refusal to get involved as so much political jockeying... (People like Gene German are advocating open carry because Wisconsin remains one of two states with no statutory provision for lawful concealed carry.) http://www.lakelandtimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=9&ArticleID=8985 --- Montana RKBA Bill Debated: At a marathon hearing Thursday, backers and opponents of a bill to expand gun rights in Montana painted distinctly different pictures of the state and its gun laws. Proponents of House Bill 228 said gun owners in Montana are now held captive by gray areas in Montana statute that could lead to them being prosecuted for defending themselves with their firearm, or even displaying a pistol to deter would-be attackers. But opponents said the laws already on the books work, and that the expanded gun-rights bill would hamper law enforcement's ability to prosecute people whom they believe had wrongly used a gun... http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/01/23/news/20hb228.txt --- Florida City Could Ban Real Guns as Props: Earlier this week, local actor Fred Kellerman and his cast-mates were rehearsing at the Manatee Players Theater when something went wrong. The play called for the other actor to shoot Fred with what was supposed to be a fake gun. However, it turned out to be a real loaded fire-arm brought in for a prop. A single gunshot rang out. The place went silent and Fred fell to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital, but despite the bullet grazing his skull, his injuries were minor. The fact that Fred has made news around the country and the world. However, police in Bradenton are taking a closer look at the shooting. Deputy Chief Jeffrey Lewis says they can't risk something like this ever happening again. That's why they're talking about pushing city council to pass a law banning real hand guns in city theaters... http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=8296556&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1 --- Oops, Wrong Liquor Store: After a suspected robber shot his co-worker on Wednesday, a Belmont Beverage liquor store clerk didn't wait to see if he'd be next. The clerk fatally shot the suspected robber - whom Fort Wayne Police have identified as Donald N. Jones - in self-defense, according to Gary Gardner, Belmont operations manager. Gardner said Thursday that store surveillance video shows Jones enter the store, walk around the counter and shoot a clerk in the leg before robbing two cash registers... Gardner said the clerk opened fire with the pistol he has a permit to carry because he believed he was about to be shot, given the robber's actions and demeanor... http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/SE/20090123/NEWS/901230346 --- Rule Two, Rule Three Reminder: An unnamed female deputy from the Summit County Sheriff's Office accidentally shot herself in the her leg Wednesday evening, during a routine pistol training class. An ambulance responded to the report of a gunshot wound at the Summit County Public Firing Range on Land Fill Road at approximately 5:20 p.m., according to a press release issued by the department. The deputy was then transported to St. Anthony's Summit Medical Center where she was treated for minor injuries before being released... (Rule Two: Don't let the muzzle cross anything you're not prepared to shoot. Rule Three: Keep your finger out of the trigger guard, up on the frame, until your sights are on the target and you're prepared to fife.) http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20090122/NEWS/901229970/1062&title=Summit%20sheriff%27s%20deputy%20OK%20after%20accidentally%20shooting%20self --- Rule Five Reminder: A 12-year-old Douglas boy faces sentencing as a juvenile Friday after being convicted of premeditated murder in his mother's shooting death. The boy was found guilty on Jan. 2 after a hearing before Judge James Conlogue in Cochise County Superior Court. Conlogue ruled that prosecutors had proven the boy acted intentionally and with premeditation in the Aug. 1 shooting. Sara Madrid, 34, was shot eight times. According to court testimony, the woman left the home briefly, and the boy took a .22-caliber pistol from her closet and waited for her to return, then shot her after they had argued over his chores... (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm. Age 12 is an age where many youngsters could be trusted to have access to firearms in the home but it's always a case of individual assessment. In either case, if the pistol was accessible to the son, in the closet, it would also have been accessible to a burglar.) http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/277178.php --- Russian Journalists Seek Right to Carry: Because law enforcement agencies in Russia increasingly have not been able to guarantee the security of journalists there, Aleksandr Lebedev, the co-owner of "Novaya gazeta" has asked the FSB to allow his journalists to carry weapons to protect themselves as they go about their entirely legitimate business. Lebedev's request came only two days after someone shot down in cold blood on the streets of Moscow "Novaya gazeta" journalist Anatasiya Baburova together with attorney Stanislav Markelov and in the same week that Lebedev attracted attention for his purchase of the London "Evening Standard" (www.sobkorr.ru/news/4978489B81DAC.html)... http://georgiandaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9497&Itemid=65 --- NRA-ILA Alerts: Alerts for the week are posted on the NRA-ILA website. http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .