Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

CO: Fremont County Commissioners pass resolution �Protecting citizens� right to self-defense� and opposing HB23-1165
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The Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday passed a resolution �Protecting Fremont County citizens� right to self-defense� and opposing HB23-1165: County Authority to Prohibit Firearms Discharge.

According to the bill summary, under existing law, a board of county commissioners may designate unincorporated areas of a county where it is unlawful to discharge firearms, except the board may not prohibit the discharge of firearms in shooting galleries, on private grounds, or in residences under circumstances that do not endanger persons or property.

TN: TN state rep. says bill would clarify when property owners could kill bears
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A bill that would expand the situations in which a Tennessean could kill a bear in self-defense has cleared hurdles on its way to becoming law.

House Bill 1453 was sponsored by Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) in January. Both the House bill and its companion bill in the Senate have passed multiple committees. The Senate version, Senate Bill 1309, was recommended for passage with amendment and referred to the Senate Calendar Committee on March 8.

MI: Robber shot in chest while holding CPL holder�s friend at gunpoint outside Detroit store Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
An armed robber was shot in the chest while holding a CPL holder�s friend at gunpoint so he could steal a wallet outside a Detroit store, officials said. The shooting happened at 9:53 p.m. Feb. 8, but the details of the incident were revealed March 10 in a criminal complaint.

Republican congressman wants gun lockers to be installed in Capitol for �protection�
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Republican Florida Representative Greg Steube has introduced a bill to allow for congressional staff to carry legally carried firearms as they travel to and from the US Capitol for self-defence reasons.

The bill, called the Safe Storage Lockers for House Office Buildings Act, would instruct the Capitol Police to install and take care of lockers at the entrances of the congressional office buildings where staff could keep their firearms.

In Washington DC, individuals are allowed to carry and use a number of weapons for self-defence, such as sprays, stun guns, and concealed guns, Fox News Digital noted.

NM: New Mexico enacts law to keep guns away from children
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill Friday that makes it a crime to store firearms in places that children could access.

The new law takes effect on June 16. Earlier this year, a 6-year-old student in Virginia shot his teacher, which added to debates across the country about gun control and school safety.

The New Mexico bill would make it a crime to store a firearm in a way that negligently disregards the ability of a child or teenager under age 18 to access it.

MO: Missouri�s Second Amendment Sanctuary Ruling Could Impact 1,000-plus Jurisdictions Nationally
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Judge Brian Wimes ruled that Missouri�s law violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution and held that the statute as a whole was unconstitutional. This could have serious implications for the hundreds of other jurisdictions with such laws. In addition, there are several other legal challenges ongoing across the country. This decision is certain to result in an extensive appellate process and even possibly a redrafting of the law in an attempt to comply with the new decision.

FL: Florida House Panel Backs Lowering Age to Buy Rifles, Other Long Guns
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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With backing from Speaker Paul Renner, a House panel on Monday approved a bill that would lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 to buy rifles and other long guns in Florida.

The bill (HB 1543) would reverse part of a 2018 law that set the minimum age at 21 after a gunman killed 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Nikolas Cruz, then 19, used a semi-automatic rifle to carry out the attack.

The Republican-controlled House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 12-5 along party lines Monday to approve the bill. Under the 2018 law, people under 21 can receive rifles and other long guns as gifts but cannot purchase them.

MI: Whitmer at Michigan Capitol rally promises to sign gun safety bills
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer headlined a gun control rally attended by hundreds of people Wednesday in front of the State Capitol.

Giffords heads an eponymous gun-safety advocacy organization. She was shot in the head while meeting with constituents in Tucson, Ariz., in 2011. Six people were killed and a dozen others injured in the mass shooting. She spoke about her efforts toward recovery.

PA: Philly teens lead a summit against gun violence: �The solutions lie with us�
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Last fall, after five teens were shot outside Roxborough High School, a handful of students at the storied Philadelphia High School for Girls gathered to talk about the city�s gun violence crisis � and how it was increasingly leaving young people wounded or killed.

Yasin Bah, now 18, who attended the meeting, said nearly everyone there had known friends or relatives victimized by gunfire, and students felt they needed to do more to make their voices heard � to speak up for those who wouldn�t or couldn�t, and to add their perspectives to the mix. Gun violence was claiming so many young people�s lives, Bah said, �it literally feels like we�re walking around, missing people.�

IL: Burglar Shot By Armed Resident, Claims �She Told Me� Door Would Be Open
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A suspected burglar was shot in the left forearm by a homeowner in Dunning, according to 16th District police.

The incident took place at around 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, March 5th, inside the owner�s home on North Newcastle Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, according to Nadig Newspapers.

The resident was reportedly awoken by his dog barking and, after receiving no response from calling out his son�s name, he retrieved his gun and searched his home.

He reportedly found a man in the basement holding a dark object, and after instructing the man not to move, he fired one shot when the suspect allegedly began moving towards him.

KY: �Second Amendment Sanctuary� bill heads to Gov. Beshear�s desk
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Police officers could face jail time if they enforce federal firearms bans, under a measure that cleared both chambers Wednesday.

Kentucky police officers would be punished for enforcing federal firearms restrictions under a bill heading to Gov. Andy Beshear�s desk.

At least that�s what supporters of the proposal hope House Bill 153 will do. A federal judge struck down a similar measure that passed out of Missouri�s legislature in 2021, saying it interfered with the federal government�s ability to enforce lawfully enacted regulations.

MI: Genesee GOP calls for county to become Second Amendment sanctuary
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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As stricter gun safety measures make their way through the state legislature, the Genesee County Republican Party is calling on local officials to establish the county as a Second Amendment Sanctuary.

Earlier this month, the Genesee County Republican Party Executive Committee approved a resolution urging Genesee County commissioners, the Genesee County Sheriff and the Genesee County Prosecuting Attorney to oppose legislation infringing on the rights of gun owners.

OH: Ohio's Second-Amendment 'Sanctuary' Bill Is a 'Stinker,' Opponents Say
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Opponents lined up Tuesday, March 14, against a measure to cut federal firearm provisions out of Ohio�s state law. The measure�s proponents argue it will keep federal agencies from commandeering local officers. Committee speakers forcefully rejected that argument.

More than 80 people submitted testimony in opposition to the proposal ahead of the committee hearing. More than a dozen of them showed up in person. Among the organizations pushing back on the effort are the Cuyahoga County prosecutor, the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney�s Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.

Kennedy, Marshall, Clyde introduce resolution to stop Biden admin from turning lawful gunowners into felons with pistol brace rule
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and more than 40 Republican senators today introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to prevent the Biden administration�s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from enforcing an anti-Second Amendment pistol brace rule.

The rule, titled Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached Stabilizing Braces, would reclassify pistols as short-barreled rifles if they have a stabilizing brace attachment, even though many disabled veterans and other Americans rely on these braces to use their firearms.

Graham, Cornyn to hold press conference on the Respect for the Second Amendment Act Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) will hold a press conference on March 16 at 10:45 a.m. on the introduction of the Respect for the Second Amendment Act. The bill would codify second amendment rights for law abiding citizens.

Biden�s Executive Order Targeting Gun Ownership
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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On Tuesday, Joe Biden issued an executive order on gun control that could accurately be described as a mile wide and an inch deep.

Media and gun control groups that beforehand had been salivating over the idea that the measure would impose �universal background checks� for firearm transfers had to content themselves with a vague directive for Attorney General Merrick Garland to develop a �plan� to move in that direction.

And while the order�s other provisions were similarly vague and insubstantial, there is no doubt what it all adds up to: antagonism toward gun ownership is now the official policy of the U.S. government�s Executive Branch.

MT: Republicans propose constitutional amendment on Montana�s right to bear arms
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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If Democrats regain political power in Montana in the future, it�d be good to have gun rights soundly secured in the Montana Constitution.

That�s the argument Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, made Wednesday with a supermajority of Republicans in control of the Montana Legislature.

In the House Judiciary Committee, Mitchell argued in favor of a bill that would ask voters to amend the state constitution to protect the rights of gun owners to carry a concealed weapon without a permit � as the legislature did last session in statute.

Senate hears about legal fallout from Supreme Court gun decision
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Last year�s Supreme Court case that expanded Second Amendment rights has wreaked havoc on the nation�s gun control laws, witnesses told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

The hearing also showed sharp partisan divides over further steps to address gun violence. Democrats at the hearing praised President Joe Biden�s latest order on background checks and called for further restrictions, while Republicans criticized �soft on crime� policies they said drive gun crimes.

LA: Mothers of Hurricane Chris, slain man react to rapper�s acquittal on murder charge Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
A case of self-defense. �I knew he was fearing for his life, so he would never pull a gun if he was not,� Stephanie George said of her 34-year-old son, Christopher Dooley. Almost three years after the deadly shooting, seven days of testimony drew to a close with a jury acquitting Christopher Dooley of two charges, including second-degree murder.

IL: Pritzker again denies appearance of conflict in state case challenging gun ban
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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With state and federal cases challenging Illinois� gun ban pending, Gov. J.B. Pritzker remains confident the law he signed will withstand constitutional scrutiny, though he says he�s not an expert.

The governor also continues to respond to perceived conflicts of interest around his $2 million in donations to Illinois Supreme Court justice candidates who now sit on the bench. The high court accepted to hear the gun ban challenge from Macon County where the governor is a lead defendant. He signed the law Jan. 10.

VT: Anti-Gun Bill Being Heard This Week Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
This week, the Vermont House Judiciary Committee is discussing H.230, An act relating to implementing mechanisms to reduce suicide. This bill includes extreme anti-gun measures such as red flag laws, arbitrary waiting periods, and so-called �safe-storage� laws. We are seeing a wave of anti-gun testimony from gun-control groups in Vermont and we need you to step up and make your voice heard.

NC: NC House sends pistol permit repeal bill to Gov. Cooper, after emotional debate on violence and gun rights
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A repeal of North Carolina�s pistol permit rules passed the state House Wednesday, heading to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper�s desk for his signature.

The bill's GOP backers say it�s an important move for people�s Second Amendment rights. Getting a pistol permit can sometimes take weeks, slowing down gun sales.

"This is a great bill," said Republican Rep. Jeffrey McNeely of Iredell County. "It covers all parts of the Second Amendment."

MO: Attorney General Bailey Files Amicus Briefs Against Unconstitutional New York Law
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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In an effort to defend the Second Amendment, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and 18 other state attorneys general filed amicus briefs in federal court supporting Americans� right to keep and bear arms and the right of places of worship to determine their own policies related to firearms. Both cases concern New York�s unconstitutional law making it a felony to possess a firearm in �sensitive places,� which it defines to include �any place of worship or religious observation.�

FL: Christopher Cox found not guilty of second-degree murder
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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At around 1 a.m. Thursday, a jury decided Christohper Cox�s fate.

The jury found Cox not guilty of second-degree murder, not guilty of attempted second-degree murder, and guilty of carrying a concealed firearm.

Cox�s sentencing for the guilty charge will be in April. He is being held without bond until then. Carrying a concealed firearm is considered a third-degree felony and punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

CA: Council Sets Fees for Conceal Carry Weapon Licenses Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Santa Monica residents will pay $617 for a concealed carry weapon (CCW) license after the LA County Sheriff's Department (LASD), which charged $150, stopped processing them for the city. The Council's decision Tuesday comes after the U.S. Supreme Court last June found that New York's law requiring a "proper cause" to carry a concealed weapon violates the 14th Amendment.

MT: Malta Republican brings 'constitutional carry' referendum
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

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Montana lawmakers are considering advancing a constitutional ballot referendum that, if approved by voters, would provide for �constitutional carry� of concealed firearms in the state.

House Bill 551 is carried by Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta. It proposes amending the state Constitution�s language on the �right to bear arms.� Currently, the document states that any person may bear arms in defense of home, person and property, �but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons.� HB 551 would strike that language and allow the carrying of a concealed weapon without a permit under the Constitution.

KY: Senate passes bill that would make Kentucky 'Second Amendment Sanctuary State' Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
A bill that would make Kentucky a Second Amendment Sanctuary State has passed the Senate. House Bill 153 would nullify the enforcement of any federal firearm ban in the state. This is the second attempt at passing such legislation for Kentucky lawmakers.