From: freemanaz@aol.com (unknown) To: lpaz-discuss@yahoogroups.com Cc: Essprsogal@aol.com, wwalker@primenet.com Subject: [lpaz-discuss] AZ: Tuesday's House Action Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 23:50:05 EST

Subj: AZ: Tuesday's House Action Date: 3/21/01 11:06:15 AM US Mountain Standard Time From: Gun_Owners_of_America@mailmanager.net To: Gun_Owners_of_America@mailmanager.net

Preemption Dies Again; Pro-gun Carry Bill Needs More Support

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 21, 2001

Dear Arizona gun rights supporter,

There is a saying that no bill is truly dead while the legislature is in session.

Your activism revived a great pro-gun bill, showing the above statement to be true-- but the bill was then shot down on the House floor and appears once again to be dead for the year.

House Retirement and Government Operations Committee Chair Debra Brimhall (R-04), spurred by contacts from the grassroots, stood up late Tuesday and made a motion to remove her own "strike verything" amendment from HB 2347.

It was not even clear that she would be allowed to do so, because House Speaker Jim Weiers has a great deal of control over what happens on the floor. But Weiers was also contacted by many Arizona gun owners, and the motion was made.

It failed by about a 2-1 margin, and the strike-everything language was then considered. That language (having to do with medical examinations insurance and of no concern to GOA) failed to pass as well.

Therefore, HB 2347 is no longer a "gun vehicle" for this legislative session.

Whether or not clean preemption gets another vote via another vehicle this year-- no bill is ever truly dead, remember-- the issue will come before the legislature in the future.

However, we are once again back to where we were when the March 13 GOA alert was issued.

Another pro-gun bill, having passed the House, is sitting in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

HB 2562 is the best kind of conceale 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 at 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 working hard to kill HB 2562. The bill passed the House by the narrowest of margins, and will not pass the Senate without substantial pressure from gun owners.

Please contact your state Senator right away, especially if he or she is on the Judiciary Committee.

Pre-written messages and contact rosters follow for your convenience.

To find out who your state Senator is, please go to http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm and under Guide to States click on Arizona.

----- 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,

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 erichard@azleg.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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