As most of you know, House Bill 132, sponsored by Representative Mike Bell (R-23), would allow a person with a handgun carry permit to possess a firearm in all public hunting areas, refuges, wildlife management areas, and national forests managed by the state; House Bill 2184, sponsored by Representative Frank Nicely (R-17), would allow any resident, who has a valid handgun carry permit, to possess his or her handgun while within the boundaries of any state park.
While you may have read in the papers or on TV that Rob Briley has proposed an amendment allowing you to carry in government and public buildings civic centers and playgrounds, there is NO amendment for HB2184. It appears this is a ploy by Briley to fool you into thinking he is in favor of Niceley's bill so you won't bother to support the bill. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nicely also said the commissioner of parks is adamantly opposed to his bill.
Speaking of ploys TWRA (the guys who don't think your carry permit is worth a dime on their property) have prompted a "fiscal note" to Bell's bill that the state would lose $11,000 in fines were the bill to pass. This seems a bit odd that allowing carry permit holders to carry in public hunting areas would have any impact, since TWRA can't come up with a single case of a permit holder being arrested for poaching or violating game laws. TWRA say "they don't make a distinction between poachers and permit holders"--Maybe they should.
I spoke with both Bell and Nicely today and both their bills are being rolled a week forward because one member of the judiciary who favors both bills will not be there tomorrow. They both tell me that they have 6 of the 10 judiciary members in favor of the two bills.
Both suggested that it would help get these two bills passed if people would phone in and thank the two freshman Democrats are voting for the bills.
