Maryland Shall-Issue Legislative Update 2-17-06

[Norton]

Nothing but good news this week!

Senator Hooper (District 35) has introduced two bills: SB-910 (Castle Doctrine bill - no requirement to retreat), and SB-911 (remove 'good and substantial reason' to make current CCW law shall-issue). This means our best CCW bill is now cross-filed (with HB-1163) which means it can go through the process faster, and has a better chance of going through clean.

I was under the impression that Senator Brian Frosh could prevent the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee from even voting on our good bills, but I'm assured that is not true. If we get a majority in the committee then the bills can be 'forced' out onto the floor for a vote. We have 5 that we can count on in the committee, and 5 against ... with Senator John Giannetti as the swing vote again. Senator Giannetti is the key to blocking the AWB and the key to getting our good bills out for a recorded floor vote. We're pretty sure he's on our side. Please send him an email, including your name address and phone number, and tell him that you appreciate his help with both blocking the AWB and helping our good gun bills and that you'll help him get reelected. (He's facing strong opposition this year and will appreciate it.) An email will be most respectful of his time. [email protected]

Neil Quinter (District 13) introduced his Assault Weapon Ban again this year. The NRA recommends you call: "Delegate Quinter can be reached at (410) 841-3246. Be sure to tell him that you strongly oppose his repeated attacks on the Second Amendment." A phone call is better than an email.

The AWB has 37 cosponsors. (The same number of cosponsors as our best CCW bill - HB-1163 ... but the AWB is not cross-filed, and our CCW bill is. This is the first year we've had as many cosponsors for a pro bill as they have for an anti.) Also good news ... if the AWB makes it all the way to Ehrlich (very unlikely) and Ehrlich vetoes it then because of the election the veto cannot be overridden in next year's session ... they'd have to call a special session before the election to override his veto .... I don't think they'd do that .... and if they did I don't think they'd get sufficient votes just before the election to override his veto. That's good news, but it still doesn't mean it's dead. We'll have to make sure of that.

We have never been in this strong a position to get good bills through. We'd better take advantage of the opportunity! We don't know how the elections will turn out. We may not get as good a chance as this to pass good bills for a long time. Get involved, and don't let it slip by us. Contact your legislators.

Gun Bill Day in the House is set for Wednesday March 8 at 1 PM. We need to have a lot of people show up for the hearings, and would like to have a lot of folks testify. Phil Lee has some great info on testifying here:
http://www.mcrkba.org/TestifyingInfo.html

If you are willing to testify -- particularly on HB-1163 (dropping 'good and substantial' for CCW) and HB-1382 (Reciprocity) please let me know - [email protected] or [email protected].


Here are the good guys so far:

Delegates Dwyer, Aumann, Bartlett, Bates, Boschert, Boteler, Cluster, Costa, DeBoy, Eckardt, Edwards, Frank, Gilleland, Glassman, Hogan, Impallaria, Jennings, Kach, Kohl, Krebs, Leopold, McComas, McConkey, McDonough, McKee, Miller, Myers, O'Donnell, Parrott, Shank, Shewell, Smigiel, Sophocleus, Sossi, Stocksdale, Stull, Walkup, and Weldon

Senators Astle, Brinkley, Colburn, DeGrange, Dyson, Greenip, Hafer, Haines, Hooper, Jacobs, Jimeno, Kittleman, Klausmeier, Mooney, Pipkin and Stone.

If your elected legislators for your district are among the good guys above then please thank them! An email including your name and address is perfect. To email a legislator go here:
http://mlis.state.md.us/cgi-win/mail32.exe

If any of your Delegates for your District are on the Judiciary Committee and have not cosponsored please write, call or email them and ask them to support our pro-self-defense bills:

Delegate (District)

Zirkin (11)
Quinter (13)
Dumais (15)
Lee (16)
Simmons (17)
Gutierrez (18)
Petzold (19)
Menes (21)
Brown (25)
Kelley (26)
Vallario (27)
Mayer (28)
McMillan (30)
Carter (41)
Rosenberg (41)
Anderson (43)

An excellent place to track gun bills is Phil Lee's site. He tracks both the good and bad bills:
http://www.mcrkba.org/GunBills.html


? Find your District and Elected legislators here:
http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/

? Contact info is here by name:
for Delegates
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/hseal.html

for Senators
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/senal.html

? Ask your District Delegates to support House Bills 12, 14, 529, 589, 1162, 1163, 1382,
and to oppose HB1367 (the AWB bill).

? Ask your District Senator to support Senate Bills 688, 870, 910 and 911.

 

[Spot77]

Gun Bill Day in the House is set for Wednesday March 8 at 1 PM

This bears repeating as there are a LOT of bills that day, including Quinter's idiotic AWB.


MD THR members: SHOW UP AT THE HEARINGS.

 

[Skeptic]

Will do my best to be there.

I have called Qinters office and voiced my disapproval of Qinters AWB and the lady who answered phone said that most people calling did not agree with it.

What a maroon...

 

[Cliff]

I plan to be there,and looking forward to testifying.

 

[Helmetcase]

Great update Norton, I'm going to post a link up on PGP. We're making more progress than I ever thought we would. Remind me why we should listen to the NRA and the Tripwire faction and just sit on our hands?

Great work everybody. Let's keep the heat on. The fact that Quinter's aide was griping that the AWB is overwhelmingly being shouted down by callers is great news.

 

[Skeptic]

Being a relative newcomer to MD, what is this tripwire faction you speak of?

 

[Norton]

Being a relative newcomer to MD, what is this tripwire faction you speak of?

Tripwire is a newsletter service run by Jim Purtilo, a University of MD computer science professor. He has a large mailing list and is the self-annointed voice of gun-owners in MD.

He is also very closely affiliated with the NRA leadership that has apparently abandoned MD's efforts at CCW reform.

To quote Forrest Gump....."That's all I have to say about that."

 

[Spot77]

I wonder if anybody will be in the offices on Monday since it's Presidents' Day?


Might be a great time to BOMBARD their fax machines with opposition to this bill. They'll come in Tuesday to a stack of faxes to read and file.

Hopefully the aides that handle this will voice their concern to the reps.

 

[Lindenberger]

Toss

I wonder if anybody will be in the offices on Monday since it's Presidents' Day?


Might be a great time to BOMBARD their fax machines with opposition to this bill. They'll come in Tuesday to a stack of faxes to read and file.

Hopefully the aides that handle this will voice their concern to the reps.

They'll toss'em. All of'em--good, bad, and ugly.

 

[Spot77]

They'll toss'em. All of'em--good, bad, and ugly.

Funny thing is, they don't.

I visit Annapolis often, and have seen the tally boards where some delegates track these things, and I've seen faxes from people at MSI on Delegates' desks.

But what do I know, right? Maybe we should sit back and wait for the NRA to rescue us.

 

[Skeptic]

If tripwire is in bed with the NRA (who is not helping us) then sounds to me like they are just about useless. Old guard fighting the anti gun putzs does not seem to be working very well.

I say that MSI / PGP / and others are doing much better. I am throwing my support behind them.... what they are doing seems to be working much better.

 

[Norton]

Skeptic,

I think most of us here have come to the conclusion that we are going to have to be responsible for our own destiny and not rely on the establishment to make things happen.

I'll let you be the judge of who you should throw your support behind.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I need to get to know you guys, just moved into Md from Wa State.

 

[Norton]

Welcome aboard! Where are you living in our fair state?

 

[1badf350]

Hey guy's. I'd like to post my e-mail text to Senator Giannetti here as well, hopefully to inspire others to do e-mail as well.
FYI, this was my first ever correspondence with an elected official. It was quick and painless and I urge as many members as possible to do it.

Dear Senator,
Please accept this e-mail as a sincere thanks on behalf of myself and all responsible firearms owners in the state of Maryland for you support in helping block the Assault Weapons Ban over the last few years. We respectfully ask for your support once again to block the proposed AWB in 2006.
In addition, we respectfully ask for your support on two Senate bills. With the hopeful passage of SB-910, the "Castle Doctrine Bill", we will no longer be "forced" to retreat from a threat within our own homes for fear of prosecution for defending ourselves and our families. Please support SB-910.
Lastly, we request your support on the passage of SB-911, which will remove the need for a "good and substantial reason" in obtaining a permit to carry a concealed firearm, and make Maryland a "Shall Issue" state. Please support SB-910.
Thank you, Mr. Senator, for taking the time to consider our position on these issues. Good luck and God Bless.
Sincerely, Christopher J.Reed, Edgewater, Md. District 21

 

[Norton]

Here's my lettter to McMillan. It's a bit long-winded, but he's my delegate and I wanted him to have as much of our side of the issue as possible. I'm going to trim it for the other delegates.

February 19, 2006


Hon. Herbert H. McMillan
House Office Building, Room 152
12 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991


Delegate McMillan:

I am writing to you as a resident of District 30 to ask for your action on several important bills pending before the House Judiciary Committee.

I am asking for your support and affirmative vote on the following:

HB-12, the repeal of the ballistic fingerprinting mandate, will legislatively end the deeply flawed and ineffective IBIS system that has, to date, not solved a single crime in Maryland and has cost the state millions in sorely needed public funds.

HB-14, the repeal of the integrated safety requirement, will end what has amounted to a de facto handgun ban for legal purchasers in the state. Most handgun manufacturers incorporate sufficient safety features into their products already but the specific parameters of the current law limit what firearms may be sold here.

HB-529, the Constitutional Amendment to affirm a fundamental right of the citizens of Maryland to keep and bear arms, will align our state constitution with that of the United States and thus protect the rights of law-abiding citizens.

HB-589, the Florida style castle doctrine proposal will affirm the right of lawful citizens of Maryland to protect their selves and their families within their homes.

HB-1163, the bill to remove the “good and substantial” clause from the carry concealed handgun permit process. This will remedy the current discriminatory issue process that favors the wealthy and politically connected without regards to the right of self-defense of the general law-abiding populace. This will make Maryland a “shall-issue” state and bring our process into alignment with that of 38 states. In states where shall-issue legislation has been passed, it is well-documented that the crime rate has universally declined. With Maryland’s violent crime rate at the top of the charts in nearly every category, this legislation is one that is long past due.

HB-1382, will recognize the carry concealed permits of the twelve states that currently recognize Maryland’s. This issue is of national significance as there are bills pending before Congress that will enact national reciprocity for those holding carry concealed permits. It is time for Maryland to take the lead in this important movement that will discourage criminal behavior.

I am also asking you to oppose and vote against this year’s incarnation of Delegate Neil Quinter’s Assault Weapons Ban. Why Delegate Quinter is wasting the committee’s time with this flawed and politically motivated bill is unfathomable. Last year’s hearings on a similar bill produced written and oral testimony from the Maryland State Police and other law enforcement officers that these firearms are used in less than 1% of all crimes in Maryland. This is legislation based on emotion and not in the best interest of law-abiding citizens in Maryland.

Delegate McMillan, your vote on these matters is critical during the current General Assembly. Your careful attention and consideration are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

 

[Norton]

Email to Giannetti:

Senator Giannetti,

I am writing to thank you for your steadfast opposition to the Assault Weapons Ban over the last couple General Assemblies. It is good to know that a man of common sense and ethics serves the citizens of his district. Your continued opposition to all such future bills is respectfully requested.

I am also writing to ask you for your support on SB 910 which will affirm the right of a citizen to defend their self and their family within their home.

Your support for SB 911 will allow the removal of the discriminatory good and substantial reason clause from the current process for issuance of carry-concealed handgun permits. This will bring Maryland into alignment with more than 35 other states which recognize law-abiding citizens' rights to self-defense.

As always, your action and attention to these matters is greatly appreciated.

Respectfully,

 

[Norton]

My letter to the devil.....I mean Neil Quinter:

Delegate Quinter:

I am writing to you to express my opposition to your Assault Weapons Ban 0f 2006.

It is has been stated over and over again, most recently by the head of the Maryland State Police, that these firearms are rarely if ever used in crimes in Maryland.

Your insistence at once again putting up this legislation flies in the face of common sense when, during last year's hearings, more than 200 citizens testified in opposition to a similar bill. Those coming in support of the bill could be counted on one hand and most of them were paid employees of anti-gun groups.

Delegate Quinter, as a registered Democrat, it is a source of endless embarrassment for me that our elected representatives are wasting their time with flawed legislation such as this rather than focusing on the larger issues which face the citizens of Maryland.

I would strongly encourage you to abandon this effort that only serves to punish the law-abiding citizens of Maryland while doing nothing to solve the complex issue of crime in this state.

Respectfully,

 

[Norton]

Just got back an error message on Quinter's email. His mailbox "exceeds that allowable limit". I wonder who is sending him all of those emails

 

[MikeK]

Tripwire is a newsletter service run by Jim Purtilo, a University of MD computer science professor. He has a large mailing list and is the self-annointed voice of gun-owners in MD.

He is also very closely affiliated with the NRA leadership that has apparently abandoned MD's efforts at CCW reform.

To quote Forrest Gump....."That's all I have to say about that."
__________________

You're much too kind Norton.

Hopefully I'll be able to make it down there on the 8th.

 

[Capital Punishment]

I will be there March 8.

Im sick of my rights being violated in my own hometown and it needs to stop.

 

[Capital Punishment]

Just got back an error message on Quinter's email. His mailbox "exceeds that allowable limit". I wonder who is sending him all of those emails

Thats funny, I got the same error message back from him

 

[Norton]

You're much too kind Norton.

It's not really in my nature, either

 

[Skeptic]

Skeptic,

I think most of us here have come to the conclusion that we are going to have to be responsible for our own destiny and not rely on the establishment to make things happen.

I'll let you be the judge of who you should throw your support behind.

Gonna have to stick with what is working. The "establishment" is not cutting it.

As for the emails that you have written, any problem with others such as myself modifying them to be sent to our respective delagates? It is well crafted and says what needs to be said.

 

[Norton]

As for the emails that you have written, any problem with others such as myself modifying them to be sent to our respective delagates? It is well crafted and says what needs to be said.

Feel free to take from them what you can.