From: Stephen P. Wenger http://www.spw-duf.info
comments in () by Stephen Wenger
============
comments in () by Stephen Wenger
============
From GOA: In March, both the U.S. House and Senate finished up work on a massive, anti-gun $10 billion omnibus federal land bill. The bill had been held up for over a year in large part due to GOA members fighting for Second Amendment rights on federal land - YOUR land. The Second Amendment has been null and void for many years on all land controlled by the National Park Service (NPS). While regulations promulgated in the waning days of the Bush administration partially reversed that gun ban, a federal judge recently blocked those rules from taking effect. GOA worked closely with pro-gun members of the House and Senate to add a complete repeal of the NPS gun prohibition to the larger land bill. While these efforts delayed passage of the bill, in the end the anti-gun congressional leadership teamed up with "pro-gun" compromisers and passed the measure without protecting the Second Amendment…
http://gunowners.org/a040109htm.htm
---
Sauce for the Goose, Sauce for the Gander: To hear proponents of the congressional effort to rewrite the D.C. gun laws tell it, their only interest is in upholding the Second Amendment. They say that the best way to undo what they see as unlawful restrictions on firearms in the city is by amending the D.C. voting rights bill. What they can't explain is why they didn't simply use the powers of congressional review to short-circuit any gun restrictions they found objectionable. Their failure to do so suggests that what they really care about is not the right of D.C. residents to bear arms but denying those same citizens any hope of getting a rightful say in their government… It's one thing to go after the voting rights bill on the grounds that it may be unconstitutional (the view, as The Post reports today, of key lawyers at the Justice Department). We think it's a close enough question, and the current situation such a large injustice, that the courts ought to have a chance to decide. But let's separate that from the question of what gun laws make sense for the nation's capital. A good place to start, as we've noted before, is with an examination of the Ensign amendment. D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) is trying to alert her colleagues to its dangers (go to http://www.norton.house.gov for a thumbnail sketch)… (There is a long history of using amendments to infringe the RKBA and I don't recall The Post objecting when it works in that direction.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/31/AR2009033103680.html
---
Mexico to Step up Border Inspections: Try to bring a refrigerator into Mexico in the back of your pickup, and you are almost certain to get stopped by Mexican customs officials. Stick a couple of AK-47 rifles in your trunk, and chances are you'll whiz right through. Now Mexico is owning up to its leaky border as it launches a new program to monitor vehicles entering the country. The goal is to weigh and photograph southbound cars and trucks, in hopes of snaring more gun smugglers. As the Obama administration promises a crackdown on the illegal U.S. weapons trade that supplies the drug cartels, Mexico is acknowledging shortcomings on its side of the 2,000-mile border… (This won't do much to halt the misappropriation of weaponry from its own police and military armories.)
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/113401.php
---
Mexico Dismisses Charges against US Officers: Charges against two Monterey County policemen arrested last summer in Mexico for alleged gun and ammunition smuggling have been dropped by a Mexican court. Soledad police officer Hermogenes Llanes and Presidio of Monterey police Sgt. Jorge Matos were arrested Aug. 1 by Mexican authorities who found guns and ammunition in their car during a routine vehicle inspection. Seized were a 9mm and a .45 caliber pistol, 5,426 rounds of ammunition, two military helmets, a knife and four bulletproof vests, according to authorities. Bringing the guns and ammo across the border is a violation of Mexican law… The Mexican court didn't explain why the charges were dropped, said presidio spokesman Eric Hamilton…
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_12018282?nclick_check=1&forced=true
---
The Numbers Game: …How many American guns are in fact headed south to the Mexican cartels? If prominent Democrats are to be believed, nearly all of them. Thus, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, "70% of the weapons in the hands of the drug cartels are coming from the U.S." Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who contends that restricting gun availability in the U.S. would help prevent violence in Mexico, cites an even higher figure of 90%. (Notably, Feinstein got a concealed carry permit for herself and once vowed to defend herself from a terror group called the New World Liberation Front by stating that if its members tried to harm her, she "was going to take them with me.") Not to be outdone, Nita Lowey, the far-Left congresswoman from New York, states that fully 97% of all weapons find their way to Mexico via the U.S. Those are indeed staggering numbers. But there is reason to doubt their accuracy…
http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=39F94B81-D7ED-45AB-8FC2-55D3317CF397
---
The Other 75%: … Not "90% of the total number of guns recovered from the cartels," but 90% of those that the Mexican government reports to the BATFE. So how many is that? According to Senator Kerry, not very many. "Only about one out of every four weapons seized by Mexican authorities last year was submitted to the ATF so they could be traced back to purchasers and sellers in the United States." So in regard the other 75% of the weapons, the Mexican government - for whatever reason - is keeping the BATFE in the dark. Could it be that the other 75% (or a large majority thereof) have not been sold in the U.S. civilian market, and that for that information to become known would undermine arguments to restrict U.S. gun rights - something Mexico has advocated for years? …
http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Mexican-drug-cartels-do-not-need-US-gun-shops-to-arm-themselves?cid=exrss-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Were-being-lied-to-about-US-guns-and-Mexican-cartels-Why
---
They're Back: As the little girl in the 1980s flick, "Poltergeist," said, "They're back." Now, after consciously maintaining a low profile the last two years, even though the Democratic Party maintained a majority in both houses of the Congress, the gun-control crowd is stirring. Yes, they're back. And they're feeling their oats. Smartly, congressional benefactors for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's most notorious gun control organization, had lain low; and gun control was but a minor issue in then-Sen. Obama's campaign for the White House… Now, after enhancing their majorities in the House and Senate, and fresh from grabbing the brass ring at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Democratic leaders in Washington and their anti-gun counterparts in the Brady Campaign and elsewhere are energized and actively starting to push their anti-gun agenda… For example, playing off the fear understandably engendered by the pervasive and gory drug violence playing itself out in Mexico, the gun-control crowd is using that phenomenon to move for more gun control on our side of the border…
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/04/01/barred0401.html
---
National CCW Reciprocity: A couple of days ago, I suggested in an article that a national reciprocity bill would be a good thing. Whenever this issue is brought up, there is opposition from both sides of the fence. Of course, gun control advocates don't want any bill passed that expands gun rights. But there is opposition from the pro-gun side as well. Two of the biggest fears from "our" side are that the government will take away states' rights by forcing them to accept licenses and issuing standards from other states, as well as the concern that this could turn into a national concealed carry license which could then be easily overturned. The latest proposal, H.R. 197, does neither of those. It simply states that if you have a concealed handgun license, it is valid in any state. You would still have to follow that state's laws regarding concealed carry, and each state would still dictate the terms of issuance to their residents… (Once passed, however, such laws are easier to amend than to pass brand-new legislation for the same purpose.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Cleveland-Gun-Roadtrip-Examiner--national-reciprocity
---
The Beat Goes On: Business is booming for Edward Wilks, owner of The Tradesman in Rifle, Colorado. Wilks said that most mornings, when he shows up to work, a line of customers is waiting at his door to get the firearms and ammunition they've ordered. "We can't keep up with demand," Wilks said. "I've got no time because of gun sales." An increase in gun sales across the nation since Obama was elected and taken office, has not lessened in the two months since he took the oath. And the increase in sales also means an increase in background checks, which must be run through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The checks are taking upwards of three hours to complete, sometimes longer, while they used to take much less time. According to spokesman Lance Clem, the agency is running about 1,000 requests for gun purchases per day. That is up from a typical day just one year ago where they were running about 300 checks per day…
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20090401/NEWS/904019993/-1/rss06
---
Colorado Debates Background Checks: A bill that would get rid of background checks for concealed-carry permit holders who are interested in purchasing a firearm has fired up both sides of the gun-rights issue. Proponents of House Bill 1180 say the background checks are redundant because the gun owners were checked when they originally got their concealed-carry permits - which last five years - while opponents claim the bill would end up with more weapons in the wrong hands. Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, one of the bill's sponsors, said the legislature should focus on getting rid of the hurdles that stand in the way of the "law-abiding residents of Colorado." …However, opponents of the bill said the lack of a reliable central database of concealed-carry permit holders, and the permits lasting for five years, makes it impossible for firearms dealers to tell if the buyers are, in fact, "honest, hardworking citizens." (BATFE accepts five-year permits as exemptions from the NICS check, if other conditions are also met.)
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=3789
---
Texas County Opposes HR 45: It doesn't happen very often, but sometimes a federal law - in this case a proposed federal law - is upsetting enough at the local level that a local government takes notice of it and dashes off a resolution in opposition. And that's what happened in Commissioner's Court on Tuesday, with the county's government voting unanimously in favor of a resolution opposing a proposed new federal firearms law that would require licenses for anyone wishing to buy a semi-automatic rifle or a handgun loaded by a clip and prohibit sale of such weapons - including many used for hunting or home protection - to anyone but a licensed gun dealer or collector. The bill, House Resolution 45 sponsored by Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois, is called Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, and is named for a 16-year-old youth gunned down on a Chicago bus as he attempted to block a shooter from hitting another student…
http://www.seguingazette.com/story.lasso?ewcd=ec0640450fd1903a
---
A Plea for Campus Carry in Texas: Over the past couple of months, the issue of concealed carry on campus has come to the forefront of debate in both our Student Government and this newspaper. While I expected this issue to die in January after being overwhelmingly shot down in SG, it surfaced again this week as the House Public Safety Committee debated a bill Monday that would permit college students to carry firearms on campus. In this debate, more than 100 people, including UT faculty and students, voiced their opinions with relatively equal representation on each side of the issue. At times, I have been shocked to see what opponents of concealed carry have resorted to in defense of their opinion. In general, it seems like they think that allowing licensed carriers to utilize their constitutional right would force our now-peaceful campus into something that resembles the Wild West. But if you look at the issue through the unbiased eye of statistics, it is logical to conclude that concealed carry would only help, not harm, the atmosphere of our campus…
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/a-safer-campus-with-concealed-carry-1.1637497
---
Tennessee Senate to Vote on CCW Confidentiality: A proposal to close public access to the database of state-issued permits to carry loaded handguns is headed for vote in the Tennessee Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced the measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, a 6-2 vote. The panel added a provision to retain access to the records by the state comptroller to ensure the Safety Department is following permitting procedures. The committee also unanimously voted to send a separate proposal to end a thumbprint requirement for gun purchases to the Senate floor. The companion bill has already passed in the House.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/01/tenn-senate-vote-closing-handgun-database/
---
Third Try for CCW Confidentiality on Arkansas: HB1623 The Concealed Carry Privacy bill is going before the committee again tomorrow. An amendment was forced on us by the APA and then again by the committee, so we had to come up with a solution that the committee would pass… An amendment was crafted and should address the APA's bizzare desire to have a list of names. I think we've been able to limit the damage to permit holders to just a list of names, while making publishing the list of names illegal under FOIA. This will keep the press from fishing expeditions, and keep insufferable hacks like Max Brantley from publishing it. Maybe the Governor will be pleased too, even though he suddenly realizes the need to keep some information private. Unfortunately it's information on state executions not permit holders that he values…
http://www.arkansascca.org/blog/index.php?content=detail&id=358
---
Oops, Wrong House: South Carolina authorities say two would-be robbers have been killed by a man at a home in Denmark. Bamberg County Sheriff Ed Darnell told The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg that the gunmen entered the home late Monday night and ordered the people inside to the floor. Darnell says a man in the house had a gun and shot the robbers because he feared for his life. The sheriff refused to identify the man who fired the fatal shots. He says the shooting is still under investigation. Coroner Billy Duncan identified the dead men as 25-year-old Michael Saxton and 26-year-old Nicholas Sapp, both of Denmark. He says they were shot several times.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10108492
---
Rule Five Reminder: Police are investigating the discovery of a sawed-off shotgun in a bin of clothes at an Iowa City Goodwill facility. Police were called to the packing facility on Tuesday after an employee found the gun wrapped in a shirt while sorting through donated clothes. The clothes came from a Bettendorf store. Police say they confiscated the gun and are tracing its history. (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm.)
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090401/NEWS/90401003
---
Iowa Gun Show Emphasizes History: Guns carry more than bullets. They carry plenty of history, too. That's the idea behind the Le Mars Sportsman Club's annual Gun Show, Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5. The two-day show at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds will feature buffalo rifles and hand guns from the Old West,1800s ladies watches and accessories, guns and artifacts from the Civil War, and antique military guns from World War I and World War II. "Sometimes you just wonder where these things have been," said Howard Crouse, the Sportsman's Club member who is in charge of organizing the show…
http://www.lemarssentinel.com/story/1526733.html
---
Canada Could End Long-Gun Registry: The Conservative government, in an abrupt shift of parliamentary strategy, has introduced a bill in the Senate aimed at abolishing the federal long-gun registry. The move will likely allow Prime Minister Stephen Harper to put some distance between himself and Tory backbencher Garry Breitkreuz, who until now had been allowed to carry the ball on gun control through a private member's bill in the House of Commons. That bill came under fire from critics who noted it would go far beyond the long-standing Tory promise to eliminate the requirement to register all hunting rifles and shotguns. The Breitkreuz bill proposed additional changes to the registration and licensing system that would have affected the rules for handguns and other semi-automatic weapons…
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/1114501.html
http://gunowners.org/a040109htm.htm
---
Sauce for the Goose, Sauce for the Gander: To hear proponents of the congressional effort to rewrite the D.C. gun laws tell it, their only interest is in upholding the Second Amendment. They say that the best way to undo what they see as unlawful restrictions on firearms in the city is by amending the D.C. voting rights bill. What they can't explain is why they didn't simply use the powers of congressional review to short-circuit any gun restrictions they found objectionable. Their failure to do so suggests that what they really care about is not the right of D.C. residents to bear arms but denying those same citizens any hope of getting a rightful say in their government… It's one thing to go after the voting rights bill on the grounds that it may be unconstitutional (the view, as The Post reports today, of key lawyers at the Justice Department). We think it's a close enough question, and the current situation such a large injustice, that the courts ought to have a chance to decide. But let's separate that from the question of what gun laws make sense for the nation's capital. A good place to start, as we've noted before, is with an examination of the Ensign amendment. D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) is trying to alert her colleagues to its dangers (go to http://www.norton.house.gov for a thumbnail sketch)… (There is a long history of using amendments to infringe the RKBA and I don't recall The Post objecting when it works in that direction.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/31/AR2009033103680.html
---
Mexico to Step up Border Inspections: Try to bring a refrigerator into Mexico in the back of your pickup, and you are almost certain to get stopped by Mexican customs officials. Stick a couple of AK-47 rifles in your trunk, and chances are you'll whiz right through. Now Mexico is owning up to its leaky border as it launches a new program to monitor vehicles entering the country. The goal is to weigh and photograph southbound cars and trucks, in hopes of snaring more gun smugglers. As the Obama administration promises a crackdown on the illegal U.S. weapons trade that supplies the drug cartels, Mexico is acknowledging shortcomings on its side of the 2,000-mile border… (This won't do much to halt the misappropriation of weaponry from its own police and military armories.)
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/113401.php
---
Mexico Dismisses Charges against US Officers: Charges against two Monterey County policemen arrested last summer in Mexico for alleged gun and ammunition smuggling have been dropped by a Mexican court. Soledad police officer Hermogenes Llanes and Presidio of Monterey police Sgt. Jorge Matos were arrested Aug. 1 by Mexican authorities who found guns and ammunition in their car during a routine vehicle inspection. Seized were a 9mm and a .45 caliber pistol, 5,426 rounds of ammunition, two military helmets, a knife and four bulletproof vests, according to authorities. Bringing the guns and ammo across the border is a violation of Mexican law… The Mexican court didn't explain why the charges were dropped, said presidio spokesman Eric Hamilton…
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_12018282?nclick_check=1&forced=true
---
The Numbers Game: …How many American guns are in fact headed south to the Mexican cartels? If prominent Democrats are to be believed, nearly all of them. Thus, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, "70% of the weapons in the hands of the drug cartels are coming from the U.S." Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who contends that restricting gun availability in the U.S. would help prevent violence in Mexico, cites an even higher figure of 90%. (Notably, Feinstein got a concealed carry permit for herself and once vowed to defend herself from a terror group called the New World Liberation Front by stating that if its members tried to harm her, she "was going to take them with me.") Not to be outdone, Nita Lowey, the far-Left congresswoman from New York, states that fully 97% of all weapons find their way to Mexico via the U.S. Those are indeed staggering numbers. But there is reason to doubt their accuracy…
http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=39F94B81-D7ED-45AB-8FC2-55D3317CF397
---
The Other 75%: … Not "90% of the total number of guns recovered from the cartels," but 90% of those that the Mexican government reports to the BATFE. So how many is that? According to Senator Kerry, not very many. "Only about one out of every four weapons seized by Mexican authorities last year was submitted to the ATF so they could be traced back to purchasers and sellers in the United States." So in regard the other 75% of the weapons, the Mexican government - for whatever reason - is keeping the BATFE in the dark. Could it be that the other 75% (or a large majority thereof) have not been sold in the U.S. civilian market, and that for that information to become known would undermine arguments to restrict U.S. gun rights - something Mexico has advocated for years? …
http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Mexican-drug-cartels-do-not-need-US-gun-shops-to-arm-themselves?cid=exrss-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Were-being-lied-to-about-US-guns-and-Mexican-cartels-Why
---
They're Back: As the little girl in the 1980s flick, "Poltergeist," said, "They're back." Now, after consciously maintaining a low profile the last two years, even though the Democratic Party maintained a majority in both houses of the Congress, the gun-control crowd is stirring. Yes, they're back. And they're feeling their oats. Smartly, congressional benefactors for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's most notorious gun control organization, had lain low; and gun control was but a minor issue in then-Sen. Obama's campaign for the White House… Now, after enhancing their majorities in the House and Senate, and fresh from grabbing the brass ring at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Democratic leaders in Washington and their anti-gun counterparts in the Brady Campaign and elsewhere are energized and actively starting to push their anti-gun agenda… For example, playing off the fear understandably engendered by the pervasive and gory drug violence playing itself out in Mexico, the gun-control crowd is using that phenomenon to move for more gun control on our side of the border…
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/04/01/barred0401.html
---
National CCW Reciprocity: A couple of days ago, I suggested in an article that a national reciprocity bill would be a good thing. Whenever this issue is brought up, there is opposition from both sides of the fence. Of course, gun control advocates don't want any bill passed that expands gun rights. But there is opposition from the pro-gun side as well. Two of the biggest fears from "our" side are that the government will take away states' rights by forcing them to accept licenses and issuing standards from other states, as well as the concern that this could turn into a national concealed carry license which could then be easily overturned. The latest proposal, H.R. 197, does neither of those. It simply states that if you have a concealed handgun license, it is valid in any state. You would still have to follow that state's laws regarding concealed carry, and each state would still dictate the terms of issuance to their residents… (Once passed, however, such laws are easier to amend than to pass brand-new legislation for the same purpose.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d1-Cleveland-Gun-Roadtrip-Examiner--national-reciprocity
---
The Beat Goes On: Business is booming for Edward Wilks, owner of The Tradesman in Rifle, Colorado. Wilks said that most mornings, when he shows up to work, a line of customers is waiting at his door to get the firearms and ammunition they've ordered. "We can't keep up with demand," Wilks said. "I've got no time because of gun sales." An increase in gun sales across the nation since Obama was elected and taken office, has not lessened in the two months since he took the oath. And the increase in sales also means an increase in background checks, which must be run through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The checks are taking upwards of three hours to complete, sometimes longer, while they used to take much less time. According to spokesman Lance Clem, the agency is running about 1,000 requests for gun purchases per day. That is up from a typical day just one year ago where they were running about 300 checks per day…
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20090401/NEWS/904019993/-1/rss06
---
Colorado Debates Background Checks: A bill that would get rid of background checks for concealed-carry permit holders who are interested in purchasing a firearm has fired up both sides of the gun-rights issue. Proponents of House Bill 1180 say the background checks are redundant because the gun owners were checked when they originally got their concealed-carry permits - which last five years - while opponents claim the bill would end up with more weapons in the wrong hands. Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, one of the bill's sponsors, said the legislature should focus on getting rid of the hurdles that stand in the way of the "law-abiding residents of Colorado." …However, opponents of the bill said the lack of a reliable central database of concealed-carry permit holders, and the permits lasting for five years, makes it impossible for firearms dealers to tell if the buyers are, in fact, "honest, hardworking citizens." (BATFE accepts five-year permits as exemptions from the NICS check, if other conditions are also met.)
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=3789
---
Texas County Opposes HR 45: It doesn't happen very often, but sometimes a federal law - in this case a proposed federal law - is upsetting enough at the local level that a local government takes notice of it and dashes off a resolution in opposition. And that's what happened in Commissioner's Court on Tuesday, with the county's government voting unanimously in favor of a resolution opposing a proposed new federal firearms law that would require licenses for anyone wishing to buy a semi-automatic rifle or a handgun loaded by a clip and prohibit sale of such weapons - including many used for hunting or home protection - to anyone but a licensed gun dealer or collector. The bill, House Resolution 45 sponsored by Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois, is called Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, and is named for a 16-year-old youth gunned down on a Chicago bus as he attempted to block a shooter from hitting another student…
http://www.seguingazette.com/story.lasso?ewcd=ec0640450fd1903a
---
A Plea for Campus Carry in Texas: Over the past couple of months, the issue of concealed carry on campus has come to the forefront of debate in both our Student Government and this newspaper. While I expected this issue to die in January after being overwhelmingly shot down in SG, it surfaced again this week as the House Public Safety Committee debated a bill Monday that would permit college students to carry firearms on campus. In this debate, more than 100 people, including UT faculty and students, voiced their opinions with relatively equal representation on each side of the issue. At times, I have been shocked to see what opponents of concealed carry have resorted to in defense of their opinion. In general, it seems like they think that allowing licensed carriers to utilize their constitutional right would force our now-peaceful campus into something that resembles the Wild West. But if you look at the issue through the unbiased eye of statistics, it is logical to conclude that concealed carry would only help, not harm, the atmosphere of our campus…
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/a-safer-campus-with-concealed-carry-1.1637497
---
Tennessee Senate to Vote on CCW Confidentiality: A proposal to close public access to the database of state-issued permits to carry loaded handguns is headed for vote in the Tennessee Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced the measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, a 6-2 vote. The panel added a provision to retain access to the records by the state comptroller to ensure the Safety Department is following permitting procedures. The committee also unanimously voted to send a separate proposal to end a thumbprint requirement for gun purchases to the Senate floor. The companion bill has already passed in the House.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/01/tenn-senate-vote-closing-handgun-database/
---
Third Try for CCW Confidentiality on Arkansas: HB1623 The Concealed Carry Privacy bill is going before the committee again tomorrow. An amendment was forced on us by the APA and then again by the committee, so we had to come up with a solution that the committee would pass… An amendment was crafted and should address the APA's bizzare desire to have a list of names. I think we've been able to limit the damage to permit holders to just a list of names, while making publishing the list of names illegal under FOIA. This will keep the press from fishing expeditions, and keep insufferable hacks like Max Brantley from publishing it. Maybe the Governor will be pleased too, even though he suddenly realizes the need to keep some information private. Unfortunately it's information on state executions not permit holders that he values…
http://www.arkansascca.org/blog/index.php?content=detail&id=358
---
Oops, Wrong House: South Carolina authorities say two would-be robbers have been killed by a man at a home in Denmark. Bamberg County Sheriff Ed Darnell told The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg that the gunmen entered the home late Monday night and ordered the people inside to the floor. Darnell says a man in the house had a gun and shot the robbers because he feared for his life. The sheriff refused to identify the man who fired the fatal shots. He says the shooting is still under investigation. Coroner Billy Duncan identified the dead men as 25-year-old Michael Saxton and 26-year-old Nicholas Sapp, both of Denmark. He says they were shot several times.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10108492
---
Rule Five Reminder: Police are investigating the discovery of a sawed-off shotgun in a bin of clothes at an Iowa City Goodwill facility. Police were called to the packing facility on Tuesday after an employee found the gun wrapped in a shirt while sorting through donated clothes. The clothes came from a Bettendorf store. Police say they confiscated the gun and are tracing its history. (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm.)
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090401/NEWS/90401003
---
Iowa Gun Show Emphasizes History: Guns carry more than bullets. They carry plenty of history, too. That's the idea behind the Le Mars Sportsman Club's annual Gun Show, Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5. The two-day show at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds will feature buffalo rifles and hand guns from the Old West,1800s ladies watches and accessories, guns and artifacts from the Civil War, and antique military guns from World War I and World War II. "Sometimes you just wonder where these things have been," said Howard Crouse, the Sportsman's Club member who is in charge of organizing the show…
http://www.lemarssentinel.com/story/1526733.html
---
Canada Could End Long-Gun Registry: The Conservative government, in an abrupt shift of parliamentary strategy, has introduced a bill in the Senate aimed at abolishing the federal long-gun registry. The move will likely allow Prime Minister Stephen Harper to put some distance between himself and Tory backbencher Garry Breitkreuz, who until now had been allowed to carry the ball on gun control through a private member's bill in the House of Commons. That bill came under fire from critics who noted it would go far beyond the long-standing Tory promise to eliminate the requirement to register all hunting rifles and shotguns. The Breitkreuz bill proposed additional changes to the registration and licensing system that would have affected the rules for handguns and other semi-automatic weapons…
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/1114501.html
--
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