Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 22:20:45 EST From: freemanaz@aol.com Subject: [lpaz-discuss] AZ: Pro-gun Senate Fight and Preemption Update To: lpaz-discuss@yahoogroups.com Cc: wwalker@primenet.com, Essprsogal@aol.com Reply-To: lpaz-discuss@yahoogroups.com

Subj: AZ: Pro-gun Senate Fight and Preemption Update Date: 3/13/01 12:55:36 PM US Mountain Standard Time From: Gun_Owners_of_America@mailmanager.net To: Gun_Owners_of_America@mailmanager.net

Preemption Dies; Pro-gun Carry Bill Fight Moves to Senate

Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://www.gunowners.org

March 13, 2001

Dear Arizona gun rights supporter,

I have both bad news and good news to report.

Unfortunately, it appears as though efforts to enact a "clean" preemption bill will fall far short this year. Bills in both the House and Senate are by all accounts dead, without even a committee vote on their merits -- just two years ater the same language made it all the way to the governor's veto.

Senate Government Committee Chairman Harry Mitchell (D-27) has stubbornly refused to hold hearings on SB 1268. House Retirement and Government Operations Committee Chairman Debra Brimhall (R-04) hijacked HB 2347, using it for a "strike-everything" amendment vehicle having to do with health insurance (the amendment passed by one vote).

Gun owners in Arizona will undoubtedly remember these actions, as well as preemption votes in previous years, on a future Tuesday.

It is remotely possible that the preemption language could see new light as an amendment, but the Leadership of both parties in the Arizona legislature seems to want this issue to just "go away." It will not. Rome wasn't built in a day, it took Sarah Brady a decade to get the Brady Law passed, and the solution to the preemption problem will be before the legislature until such time as whatever politicians remain enact it into law.

Now for the good news.

Throughout the session, no-compromise GOA allies in your state -- notably F.A.C.T. and Brassroots -- have been hard at work guiding HB 2562 through the House of Representatives.

HB 2562 is the best kind of concealed carry reform, since it takes great strides towards the Vermont model of true concealed carry rights.

As you may know, Vermont's successful carry law simply states that law-abiding citizens may carry a firearm for any reason except the commission of a crime. In Vermont, there are no restrictions to carrying concealed: no state permission slip, no fee for the permit, no fingerprints and no government imposed waiting period.

With such a law, Vermont is consistently rated one of the safest states in the country.

HB 2562 does the next best thing. It decriminalizes the carrying of a concealed weapon to the status of a parking ticket. If a citation for the "crime" of protecting one's life or property were written under HB 2562, it would be for a petty offense resulting in nothing more than a fine not to exceed $50.

Of course, the anti-gun crowd is frightened t the prospect of decent people protecting themselves at all. That some citizens might choose to do so without begging for the privilege from Big Government is a thought that sends anti-gun zealots into fits of terror.

So you can bet that anti-gun forces and their willing accomplices in the media are already working to kill HB 2562. The bill has passed the House by the narrowest of margins, and will not pass the Senate without substantial pressure from gun owners.

That's why I must ask that you contact your state Senator right away.

HB 2562 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. That committee is slightly less hostile to gun rights than Sen. Mitchell's Government committee, so it is doubly important that you make the contact if your Senator sits on the Judiciary Committee.

Please act today to help get HB 2562 through the Arizona Senate. Pre-written messages and contact rosters follow for your convenience.

Sincerely,

Dennis Fusaro Director of State Legislation

----- Pre-written message for Judiciary Committee members -----

Dear Senator,

Please see to it that the Judiciary Committee sends HB 2562 to the floor, without any weakening amendments.

HB 2562 is a good first step towards a true right-to-carry law for Arizona's responsible, gun-owning citizenry.

Uninformed opponents of HB 2562, acting from pure emotion, fear that greater violence could result from efforts making it easier for citizens to carry concealed -- when in fact the opposite is true.

Vermont has no restrictions on carrying firearms for self-defense at all, and consistently is ranked as one of the safest states in the country as a result.

Again, please work to pass HB 2562 to the floor without amendments.

Sincerely,

---- Pre-written message for non-committee members ----

Please support HB 2562 at every opportunity, without any weakening amendments.

HB 2562 is a good first step towards a true right-to-carry law for Arizona's responsible, gun-owning citizenry.

Uninformed opponents of HB 2562, acting from pure emotion, fear that greater violence could result from efforts making it easier for citizens to carry concealed -- when in fact the opposite is true.

Vermont has no restrictions on carrying firearms for self-defense at all, and consistently is ranked as one of the safest states in the country as a result.

Again, I am asking that you vote in favor of HB 2562 when it comes out of committee, and that you oppose any anti-gun amendments.

Sincerely,

District maps (find your legislators) at: http//www.azleg.state.az.us/maps/state.htm

Senate fax number: 602-542-3429

Senate Judiciary Roster

Name Dis Pty E-mail Phone (602)

Aguirre 23 D laguirre@azleg.state.az.us 542-7830 Bee 09 R tbee@azleg.state.az.us 542-5683 Bundgaard 19 R sbundgaa@azleg.state.az.us 542-4136 Burns 17 R bburns@azleg.state.az.us 542-3160 Cummiskey 25 D ccummisk@azleg.state.az.us 542-4916 Richardson 11 D erichardazleg.state.az.us 542-5262 Rios 07 D prios@azleg.state.az.us 542-5685 Smith 26 R tsmith@azleg.state.az.us 542-5955

Arizona Senate Roster

Name Dis Pty E-mail Phone (602)

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