Yesterday, in a turn of events, the state House Public Policy Committee amended and passed Senate Bill 229 by an 8 to 2 vote. SB 229 was introduced by state Senator Jim Tomes (R-49) and is being handled in the state House by Representative Sean Eberhart (R-57).
Earlier this session, we reported on House Bill 1048, sponsored by state Representative Jim Lucas (R-69), and while this bill appeared to have died in the House Public Policy Committee through inaction, HB 1048 was given new life yesterday as the chairman of that House committee, state Representative Tom Dermody (R-20), allowed it to be added to SB 229 as an amendment. SB 229 will now go to the House floor for a vote that is expected to happen on Monday, March 3, at the latest.
As amended and passed in the House Public Policy Committee, SB 229 would now do the following:
- Prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to fund a gun “buyback” program
- Allow firearms to be locked out of plain sight in a vehicle while parked on school property
- Remove the “roaming school zone” provision from current law – currently, property can be defined as a place where a school function is taking place (i.e. a person would be in violation of state law if they were legally carrying a firearm at a zoo and a school field trip was being held there as well)
- Redefine “school property” to only include property of the school and not other buildings that might be connected to the school by a parking lot
Please contact your state Representative today and respectfully urge him or her to SUPPORT SB 229. Contact information for your state Representative can be found here.
Also, Senate Joint Resolution 9, Right to Hunt and Fish constitutional amendment, will receive its second reading on the House floor today and will likely receive its third reading tomorrow. Please urge your state Representative to vote for SJR 9.
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