Posted: 2/3/2007 4:28:37 PM EDT
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FROM AZCDL On Monday February 5, 2007, the House Homeland Security and Property Rights (HSPR) committee will be voting on 2 Good Bills (HB 2458 & HCR 2024) and one Very Bad Bill (HB 2286). It is important that the committee members hear from you on all these bills. HB 2286 was put on the agenda specifically to allow the Public (YOU!) to express their opinion for the record. You can find out more about these bills, plus links to them, at the AzCDL website: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html HB 2458 & HCR 2024 are virtually identical except that HCR 2024 is a legislative referendum that would submit a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters for approval. Both bills prohibit the Governor or Adjutant General from confiscating lawfully held firearms or ammunition during a state of emergency. HB 2286 is Representative Kyrsten Sinema's bill that classifies gun owners as terrorists. Here is the specific language: "An individual or group of individuals commits domestic terrorism if the individual or group of individuals are not affiliated with a local, state or federal law enforcement entity and associate with another individual or group of individuals as an organization, group, corporation or company for the purpose of patrolling to detect alleged illegal activity or to individually patrol for the purpose of detecting alleged illegal activity and if the individual or group of individuals is armed with a firearm or other weapon." Per HB 2286: · YOU are a terrorist if you are armed and come to the aid of someone being attacked. · YOU are a terrorist if you are armed and patrolling with your Neighborhood Watch group. · YOU are a terrorist if you are armed, observe criminal activity and report it to law enforcement. The committee members want to hear from you. Tell them to support HB 2458 & HCR 2024 but defeat HB 2286. The following are TWO suggested cut-and-paste letters to send. One for the good bills and one for the evil bill. Following these letters are email lists for the committee members in both semi-colon and comma separated formats. Pick the one compatible with your email software. Subject: Support HB 2458 & HCR 2024 Dear Representative: The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that HB 2458 and HCR 2024 are being considered in the House Homeland Security and Property Rights committee on February 5, 2007. I urge you to vote both these bills out of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full House. I was horrified by the events that followed Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. As violent criminals attacked citizens with impunity, law enforcement abused a statutory provision that allowed the government to "regulate" firearms during a state of emergency in order to confiscate privately owned firearms. They deprived law-abiding citizens of their only means of defense against otherwise unrestrained violence. It is imperative that law-abiding citizens in Arizona do not face similar abuse. HB 2458 and HCR 2024 protect the rights of law-abiding citizens by preventing the confiscation of lawfully owned firearms by State officials during an emergency. Again, I urge to vote these bills out of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full House. Sincerely, Your Name Street Address City, AZ zip-code (telephone number) Subject: Defeat HB 2286 Dear Representative: The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that HB 2286 is being considered by the Homeland Security and Property Rights committee on February 5, 2007. I strongly urge you to vote against HB 2286. HB 2286 seeks to classify gun owners as terrorists. Under the provisions of HB 2286, I would be considered a terrorist if I was carrying a firearm and: · Came to the aid of a fellow citizen being attacked. · Patrolled with my Neighborhood Watch. · Reported any criminal activity that I observed. Under the guise of Homeland Security, HB 2286 tramples the Constitutional guarantees of free association, assembly, self-protection and the right to keep and bear arms. It would be a travesty if HB 2286 was given any serious consideration, and it would be shameful if you did not support its defeat in your committee. Stand up for the guarantees in the United States and Arizona Constitutions, and the rights of the citizens of Arizona. Vote to defeat HB 2286. Sincerely, Your Name Street Address City, State & zip-code Telephone Number The Homeland Security and Property Rights committee members: (semi-colon separation) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] (comma separation) [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] As relevant legislation is introduced, we will keep you up to date via these Alerts: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AZCDL_Alerts/ 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 © 2007 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. |
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I added this tid bit my my message: As a service member currently fighting the War on terror in Iraq, I can tell you I know what a real terrorist is like; and it is not my fellow law abiding citizens of this great state. It would a travesty for me to go home and find that I am now branded as a terrorist, after just having fought against real terrorism overseas. |
You are so correct. Godspeed to you !!! Wally |
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More Alerts guys! Keep the e-mails going! On Monday, February 5, 2007, the Senate Judiciary committee will vote on 3 important bills, SB 1250, SB 1301 and SB 1302. Information on these bills can be found at the AzCDL website: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html SB 1250 – Deletes the fingerprint requirement on CCW permit renewals. SB 1301 – Rewrites 13-3102.F to clarify that if any portion of a weapon or holster is visible, the weapon is openly carried. SB 1302 – Makes clear that the legislature intended to apply last session's "Castle Doctrine/Burden of Proof" legislation to all cases pending at the time it was signed. AzCDL strongly supports these three bills. Please take the time to drop a note to the committee members indicating that you support these bills and asking them to vote them out of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full Senate. The following are email lists of the Senate Judiciary committee members. One list uses semi-colon separation and one uses comma separation. Use the format that meets the requirements of your email software. (semi-colon separation) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] (comma separation) [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] We will keep you up to date on the progress of these bills and other important legislation via these Alerts: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AZCDL_Alerts/ 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 |
Sounds like the "fannypack-holster" argument that was shot down in the courts a while back. |
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Thanks to YOUR activism, three AzCDL supported pro-rights bills sailed through the Senate Judiciary committee on February 5, 2007. SB 1250 – http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html#sb1250 Eliminates the fingerprint requirement for renewing concealed carry permits. Passed by a 6-0 vote with one member not voting. SB 1301 – http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html#sb1301 Redefines "open carry." Passed 4-1 (Senator Cheuvront) with 2 members not voting. No one spoke out against SB 1301. The Arizona Chiefs of Police (AzCOP) have stated a neutral position on SB 1301. Charles Heller, AzCDL co-founder, Board Director and radio talk show host, graphically demonstrated to the committee, with a plastic "red" gun, how open carry can be deemed concealed carry. The current law has two problems. First, open carry is limited in statute to a belt holster, and the holster, NOT the weapon, must be "wholly or partially visible." SB 1301 specifies that either the weapon or the holster can be visible, and removes the "belt holster" restriction. The second problem is the interpretation of the "wholly or partially visible" language in ARS 13-3102.F by a 1994 Appellate court decision that held it has to be obvious to ordinary observation that you're carrying a weapon. SB 1301 replaces the "wholly or partially visible" language and refers to "any portion" of a weapon or holster being visible. SB 1302 – http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html#sb1302 Clarifies that the intent of the Castle Doctrine bill that restored "innocent until proven guilty" applied to all court cases pending on April 24, 2006 when the bill was signed. It passed unanimously by 7-0. The next major stop for these bills is the Senate floor. We'll keep you up to date on their progress, and alert you when to contact your Senator to vote for these bills. 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 © 2007 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. |
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On Monday February 5, 2007, the House Homeland Security and Property Rights committee spent many hours debating HB 2286, the bill that would reclassify gun owners as domestic terrorists. In the end, the bill failed by a 3-7 vote. More importantly, it "Failed on Reconsideration", which means a second committee vote was held that sealed the fate of HB 2286. Unless the language gets added as an amendment to another bill, HB 2286 is no longer an issue during this legislative session. Unfortunately, because of all the debate on HB 2286, two pro-rights bills, HB 2458 & HCR 2024, which were on the agenda, were not heard. Information on all these bills can be found at: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html HB 2458 & HCR 2024 are virtually identical except that HCR 2024 is a legislative referendum that would submit a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters for approval. Both bills prohibit the Governor or Adjutant General from confiscating lawfully held firearms or ammunition during a state of emergency. We are informed that should be on next Monday's (2/12) Homeland Security and Property Rights committee agenda. We will keep you up to date on HB 2458, HCR 2024, and other important legislation via these Alerts and our website: http://www.azcdl.org/html/news.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 © 2007 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. |
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On February 12, 2007 the Senate Judiciary committee will hear SB 1251 & SB 1629. The committee members need to hear from you now! Information on these and other bills can be found at AzCDL's website: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html SB 1251 Strengthens the "public establishment or event" storage requirements: · Defines "secure storage" and "readily accessible." · Prohibits recording information about the weapon or individual. · If "operator" doesn't comply, they can't prohibit weapons. · Exempts CCW permit holders from carry prohibitions except in court houses, etc. Since the new law became effective on 9/21/06, many of you have shared anecdotal stories about storage lockers not being available; data being recorded about you and your weapon; guns being tossed into boxes or bags; and downright refusal to store your weapon. It's time to go on record to emphasize the need for SB 1251. Due to objections from law enforcement, NRA, and others, we are expecting an amendment to be offered in committee to remove the permit holder exemption, and make a few other changes. We will monitor these changes, and inform you if they turn the bill into something bad for gun owners. SB 1629 If you are not committing, or attempting to commit, a serious or violent crime, SB 1629 reclassifies carrying a concealed weapon without a permit as a petty offense. Here is the exact wording of the proposed new language for ARS 13-3102.K: "Misconduct involving weapons under subsection A, paragraph 1 or 2 of this section is a petty offense unless the violation occurs in the commission or attempted commission of a serious offense as defined in section 13-604 or a violent crime as defined in section 13-604.04, in which case the offense is a class 1 misdemeanor." Under current law, if you have not been issued a concealed weapons (CCW) permit, it is a class 1 misdemeanor to carry a concealed weapon. Everyone is treated like a hardened criminal. Sadly, because of a couple of 1994 Appellate Court decisions: · If a casual observer cannot easily see your firearm, you are carrying concealed and could be arrested. · Wearing a gun in a vehicle = concealed carry. Without a permit you are subject to arrest. · Having a CCW permit and wearing a gun in a vehicle puts your non-CCW permit passengers at risk for being arrested for carrying concealed without a permit. · There is no clear objective standard in statute that you can rely on to avoid violating the law. SB 1629 separates the innocent mistake by otherwise law-abiding citizens from the cold-blooded actions of hardcore criminals. SB 1629 even adds the "attempted commission of a serious offense" language to the law, to assist law enforcement in determining who the bad guys are. The passage of SB 1251 and SB 1629 will not be accomplished without serious support and activism from YOU! It is essential to contact the Senate Judiciary committee members, strongly urging them to vote for SB 1251 and SB 1629. Both these bills are contentious issues and need all the support you can muster. Comments on each bill should be sent separately. The following are two cut-and-paste letters that you can use. One is for SB 1251 and the other is for SB 1629. After the letters are email lists of the committee members. |