Two Pro-Gun Advancements Making Progress in Arizona!

Today, the Committee of the Whole passed Senate Bill 1243 with no amendments and Senate Bill 1113 with only the NRA-backed amendment. Two hostile amendments were defeated thanks to the help from our strong supporters in the Senate. Both bills now head to the Senate floor for a third reading on Monday, June 15. SB1243, sponsored by State Senator Russell Pearce (R-18), would clarify the statutory definition of defensive display of a firearm. This clarification of defensive display of a firearm is a valuable addition to your right to self-defense. SB1113, introduced by State Senator Jack Harper (R-4), would give concealed carry permit holders the right to take concealed handguns into restaurants that serve alcohol, provided they are not consuming. Please take the time to thank the Senators who supported these bills. Also, we would like to show our appreciation to our strong allies and strong NRA supporters, State Senators Jack W. Harper (R-4), Jonathan Paton (R-30), and Steve Pierce (R-1). Their effort to help our cause was essential and the passing of these bills could not have happened with out them. Contact information can be found below. State Senator Paula Aboud (D-28) (602)-926-5262 paboud@azleg.gov State Senator Amanda Aguirre (D-24) (602)-926-4139 aaguirre@azleg.gov State Senator Carolyn S. Allen (R-8) (602)-926-4480 callen@azleg.gov State Senator Sylvia Allen (R-5) (602)-926-5219 sallen@azleg.gov State Senator Manuel V. Manny Alvarez (D-25) (602)-926-5895 malvarez@azleg.gov State Senator Robert Bob Burns (D-9) President (602)-926-5993 rburns@azleg.gov State Senator Meg Burton Cahill (D-17) (602)-926-4124 mburtoncahill@azleg.gov State Senator Ken Cheuvront (D-15) (602)-926-5325 kcheuvront@azleg.gov State Senator Jorge Luis Garcia (D-27) Minority Leader (602)-926-4171 jgarcia@azleg.gov State Senator Pamela Gorman (R-6) Majority Whip (602)-926-5284 pgorman@azleg.gov State Senator Ron Gould (R-3) (602)-926-4138 rgould@azleg.gov State Senator Chuck Gray (R-19) Majority Leader (602)-926-5288 cgray@azleg.gov State Senator Linda Gray (R-10) (602)-926-3376 lgray@azleg.gov State Senator Albert Hale (D-2) (602)-926-4323 ahale@azleg.gov State Senator Jack W. Harper (R-4) (602)-926-4178 jharper@azleg.gov State Senator John Huppenthal (R-20) (602)-926-5261 jhuppenthal@azleg.gov State Senator Leah Landrum Taylor (D-16) (602)-926-3830 Llandrumtaylor@azleg.gov State Senator Barbara Leff (R-11) (602)-926-4486 bleff@azleg.gov State Senator Linda Lopez (D-29) Minority Whip (602)-926-4089 llopez@azleg.gov State Senator Debbie McCune Davis (D-14) (602)-926-4485 dmccunedavis@azleg.gov State Senator Al Melvin (R-26) (602)-926-4326 amelvin@azleg.gov State Senator Richard Miranda (D-13) (602)-926-5911 rmiranda@azleg.gov State Senator John Nelson (R-12) (602)-926-5872 jnelson@azleg.gov State Senator Jonathan Paton (R-30) (602)-926-3235 jpaton@azleg.gov State Senator Russell Pearce (R-18) (602)-926-5760 rpearce@azleg.gov State Senator Steve Pierce (R-1) (602)-926-5584 spierce@azleg.gov State Senator Rebecca Rios (D-23) Assistant Minority Leader (602)-926-5685 rrios@azleg.gov State Senator Jay Tibshraeny (R-21) (602)-926-4481 jtibshraeny@azleg.gov State Senator Thayer Verschoor (R-22) President Pro Tempore (602)-926-4136 tverschoor@azleg.gov State Senator Jim Waring (R-7) (602)-926-4916 jwaring@azleg.gov
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Tennessee Legislative Update

The Tennessee General Assembly is winding down session for the summer, but several bills still remain on the calendar and in front of Governor Phil Bredesen (D). These pro-gun bills need your support today.
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North Carolina: One Pro-Gun Bill Currently Stalled, While Another Receives a Hearing Date in the Senate

There still has not been any action taken on Senate Bill 928, the Castle Doctrine Bill, in the House of Representatives. This bill was referred to three separate committees, the first being the House Judiciary I Committee. That committee is Chaired by anti-gun State Representative Deborah Ross (D-38), and she appears to be unwilling to set a date for a hearing. Please continue to contact Representative Ross and urge her to allow this critical legislationwhich received overwhelming, bi-partisan support in the Senateto be heard. Please call Representative Ross at 919-733-5773 or e-mail her at Deborah.Ross@ncleg.net. Also, please call or email your State Representative and ask them to urge House leadership to bring SB 928 up for consideration. You can call your Representative at 919-733-7928. To find your Representative, please click here. House Bill 1132, is on the Senate Calendar for Tuesday, June 16. This bill states that if a Right-to-Carry permit holder applies for a renewal of his or her permit within 30 days of the expiration of the permit, the permit will be valid until the renewal is officially approved or denied. Please contact your State Senator and urge him or her to support House Bill 1132. To contact your State Senator, please click here.
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If Knives Are OutlawedCustoms And Border Protection Proposal Could Ban Many Pocketknives

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a proposed rule change that directly targets the importation of "assisted opening" folding knives.
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23 State Attorneys General To Attorney General Holder: "No Semi-Auto Ban"

On June 11, the top law enforcement officials of nearly half the states signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, expressing their opposition to reinstatement of the federal ban on semi-automatic firearms.
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Update on TSA Reauthorization Bill

The House Homeland Security Committee marked up the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Reauthorization bill (H.R. 2200) on May 14.
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Delaware: Gun Records Protection Bill Moves Successfully Out of Senate

On Thursday, June 11 the Delaware State Senate voted to unanimously pass Senate Bill 139, which would provide legal purchasers of firearms a source of redress in the Delaware court system if their firearms purchase records are improperly handled or stored by the Delaware State Police. SB 139 would also allow the successful party seeking an injunction to recover his or her attorneys fees and court costs. The bill now moves over to the House and will be assigned to either the Judiciary or Public Safety Committee for consideration.
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California Anti-Gun Bills Advancing in Sacramento

On June 3, the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 962 by a 42-31 vote. AB962 now heads to the Senate where it has been assigned to the Senate Public Safety Committee.
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Wisconsin's Youth Hunting Bill Passes Senate, Moves to Assembly

Earlier this week, Senate Bill 167, legislation that would establish a mentored hunting program in the Badger State, passed the State Senate by a vote of 27 to 6.
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New York: Chaos Leaves Status of Anti-Gun Bill Uncertain

The chaos continued in Albany on Wednesday, June 10, as ousted State Senate Democrats took their arguments for keeping control of the chamber before a judge and the new "Coalition Majority" gaveled in to convene its first legislative session since Monday's changes.
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Sotomayor's stance on gun rights prompts questions
- The Associated Press
Conservative Sen. Jim DeMint, R S.C., said that earlier in the week, Sotomayor told him in a closed door session that she stood by an appellate court decision she signed this year that said the Second Amendment protection from curbs on the right to bear arms applied only to federal laws not state or local ones. That ruling, Maloney v. Cuomo, left it up to the Supreme Court to decide whether the rights recognized in the Heller case applied throughout the country.
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The Second Amendment and the States
- Reason
Last year's landmark Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia v. Heller definitively settled the fact that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right -- as opposed to a collective one -- to keep and bear arms. Yet that ruling applied only to the federal government (which oversees Washington, D.C.). Does the Second Amendment apply against state and local governments as well?
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21 State Attorneys General send letter to U.S. Attorney General Holder stating their opposition to a semi-auto ban
- Arkansas Attorney General Press Release
21 State Attorneys General, sent a letter to United States Attorney General Eric Holder expressing their opposition to the reinstatement of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994's semi-automatic firearms prohibition, which is commonly referred to as the "Assault Weapons Ban."
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Tennessee: Nashville Council members look for loopholes in right-to-carry law
- News Channel 5 (Nashville, Tenn.)
It looked like there might have been a legal loophole to override a new state gun law in Nashville, but a group of Metro Council members quickly learned otherwise. The new state law allows guns in bars and restaurants unless it's posted.
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