DC Voting Rights Bill Abandoned in the House

The Washington Examiner reported in this story that the House has abandoned legislation that would have given Washington D.C. a voting member in the House of Representatives, and the House leadership blamed the National Rifle Association, whose gun-rights amendment to the bill was unacceptable to anti-gun rights House members.

Leaving aside the questionable Constitutionality of this bill, the rationale of the anti-gun faction is typical of the traditional objections that they raise.  My own favorite anti-gun Senator, Diane Feinstein, had this to say:

 "I believe the District will become much less safe, and the opportunity for criminals, mentally unstable persons and juveniles to purchase weapons will increase dramatically,"

"increase dramatically" as opposed to the situation in Washington D.C. now where criminals have no real trouble finding access to guns, guns that are illegal for them to possess, and that are illegal for others to provide to the criminals?

The same old tired arguments and are increasingly being shown to be untrue by liberalized gun carry laws in other states.  With the passage of "constitutional carry", allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons without permits, in Arizona, there is an opportunity for an experiment.  Will gun violence increase, decrease, or stay the same in Phoenix, a large metropolitan area like Washington D.C.?  I offer this prediction:  gun violence will either decrease or stay at the same level.  Society does not have to fear the law-abiding because these people are not inclined to commit crimes, with or without guns.

Gun Control: An idea based on the assumption that people not inclined to follow laws prohibiting armed robbery, assault, murder, rape, kidnapping, and other violent crimes, will follow the laws regulating the possession and transfer of guns.

Jim Beall Replies - Letter from Cris Forsyth

Here is the reply I received from Cris Forsyth, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Jim Beall:

Hi Mr. Miller.

I am in conversation with the Assembly Member concerning this legislation.

He said he had concerns with bill, spoke with the NRA lobbyist, and requested more information on the legislation.

I'll let you know soon his disposition to the bill.

Sorry for the delayed response.

Cris
___________________________
CRIS FORSYTH
Chief of Staff

THE HONORABLE JIM BEALL JR.
California State Assembly
State Capitol, Room 5016
Sacramento, CA 95814

916.319.2490 Phone
916.319.2124 Fax
www.assembly.ca.gov/beall
"Progress does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but through constant struggle," Martin Luther King Jr.
"Hey, Hey, Hey, are you ready for the day.  Put on your shield and sword.  Are you ready for the games?" Pink

 I have not yet heard back from Mr. Forsyth concerning his disposition on this bill, but today, April 13th, the Public Safety Committee met and voted on this bill.  The members voted as follows:

- Chair Assemblyman Tom Ammiano - AYE
- Vice-Chair Assemblyman Curt Hagman - NO
- Assemblyman Jim Beall, Jr. - NOT VOTING
- Assemblyman Danny Gilmore - NO
- Assemblyman Jerry Hill - AYE
- Assemblyman Anthony Portantino - AYE
- Assemblymember Nancy Skinner - AYE

 So, the bill has passed, but Mr. Beall did not vote on it for some reason, perhaps he was absent.  In any case, this bill advances one more step in the process of becoming the latest useless crime prevention law.

Gun control Quote Archive - A New Tradition

At the top of my banner, I have had the follow quote attributed to Charlton Heston:

"... There's no such thing as a good gun. There's no such thing as a bad gun. A gun in the hands of a bad man is a very dangerous thing. A gun in the hands of a good person is no danger to anyone except the bad guys. ..." Charlton Heston

I have decided to replace it with a new quote, and save the old ones on this post.  Periodically I will place a new quote on my banner and save the old quote here.

Letter to Jim Beall - Oppose AB 1810

Here is the letter I just sent inquiring as to Mr. Bealls position on AB 1810, addressed to Cris Forsyth, Bealls Chief of Staff:

Mr. Forsyth,

I am writing to inquire on Mr. Bealls position on the up comming AB 1810, proposing that rifles and shotgun transfers go through the DROS  process, effectively introducing long gun registration in the state of California.  If Mr. Beall is consistent in his political philosophy on firearms law, most recently expressed in his support of the onerous AB 962, I would expect him to support AB 1810.

But in so doing, I would like Mr. Beall to explain to his constituents how gun registration  will make citizen safer or help to solve crimes.  Lovelle Mixon was able to obtain firearms in spite of existing laws requiring background checks, prohibiting criminals possessing firearms or ammunition, and punishing those who provide them to criminals.  So, would Mr. Beall support making illegal acts more illegaller?

I myself strongly oppose this legislation, and would oppose the continued tenure of any representative who supports increased firearms restrictions.  I will continue my opposition through all possible channels, including my blog, Left Coast Conservative.

I'll post any reply I might get.  Don't expect much, since Beall supported AB 962.

Constitutional Carry Goes to Governor in Arizona

As reported in this story, and by Of Arms and the Law,  the Arizona legislature has approved a law allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons without a permit.  The bill no goes to the Governor for signature or veto.  The Governor is expected to sign the bill.

I find this to be especially ironic because it is happening as the California legislature begins consideration of AB 1934, a bill that would effectively eliminate the open carry of any handgun in public places in the state.  Open carry of loaded handguns has been illegal for many years in California, while open carry of loaded handguns has been legal for many years.

Can two states that share border be further apart on an issue?  I can just imagine how California anti-gun residents would wail and quake with fear if the same legislation ever came before out Governor.  Arnold would probably veto it.

AB 1810 - Proposed Long gun Registration for California

And the hits just keep rolling in from the Legislature!

Assembly member Mike Feuer has amended AB 1810, formerly covering vandalism, to institute the requirement that all long gun transfers be treated the same as handgun transfers are treated now, effectively creating a long gun registration scheme in California.

Among the effects of this bill:

• Private parties would have to use an FFL to transfer long guns.
• New residents moving into the state would have to register their long guns within 60 days.
• Existing firearms owned by current residents would NOT have to be registered.

This bill is proposed at a time when Canada is debating the issue of ending their long gun registry as being too expensive and ineffectual at fighting violent crime.  I fail to see how long gun registration in California will be any more effective.

Prediction: this bill will probably pass.  As we have seen this year with AB 962, a good way for a legislator to make points with the anti-gun electorate in California is to heap on another gun control law.

AB 1934 - Legislature Reacts to Unloaded Open Carry Events

Who knew this wasn't going to happen?

Assembly member Lori Saldana amended the text of AB 1934 with the intent of outlawing the open carry of unloaded handguns on public places.  It does this by changing the trext of PC 12025 (f), which reads:

   (f) Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not concealed
within the meaning of this section.  

So, the way this works is that handguns carried in belt holsters are classified as concealed weapons, requiring a nearly impossible to obtain CCW permit from the state.   Since most of the UOC events that have caused so much anxiety among non-gun owners have taken place in incorporated areas of cities, this proposed change effectively ends that practice.

In addition, a new section, 12037, is added defining the punishments one is liable to for committing the newly defined crime of carrying an unloaded handgun, as well as a long list of exceptions that allow many ordinary handgun activities, such as range sessions and handling guns in gun shops.

Note that this bill should not effect the carrying of concealed or loaded guns while engaged in hunting  or fishing because that activity is an exception to the concealed weapon laws.

This bill is currently in the Assembly Committee on Public Safety, with no hearing date set.


Prediction: This bill will very likely pass, further narrowing the ability of law abiding citizens to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.  Thanks a lot Open Carry Movement