Posted: 2/5/2009 8:54:35 PM EDT
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Houston, we have a problem.
HB1215 filed by Rep. Hyde of North Little Rock snuck HB1215 past us. This bill has already passed the House and is sitting to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill says the following: "(c) For a violation of an ordinance regulating or forbidding the unsafe discharge of a firearm, a municipal corporation may impose penalties consistent with an unclassified misdemeanor under Sec. 5-1-107, including incarceration not exceeding ninety (90) days or a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both." That's right, your city code enforcement officers can put you in jail for 90 days or fine you $10,000 for having an accidental discharge in city limits, or worse, using your gun in self-defense but not committing any crime. This is not criminal, it is code enforcement. The city can hammer you for firing a gun in city limits without committing a crime. This wasn't billed as a "gun" bill but as a "way to stop reckless firing of guns into the air in North Little Rock". Looks like it can cast a wide net, though, by code enforcement. If you have ever dealt with code enforcement, you know what I mean. Because this was slid through, it has already passed the House because of the lack of controversy. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding it up to allow ARCCA/ARPA/NRA to prepare testimony. Please contact your Senators and ask them to vote "NO" on HB1215. Thanks guys. Jason Wilkinson Executive Vice President, ARCCA Legislative Committee, ARPA |
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