Last week, the deadline for filing bills passed in state the House of Representatives. The state Senate deadline will pass next week, but there is one bill we want to report on in advance of that bill filing deadline.
Senate Bill 594, introduced by state Senators Doug Berger (D-7) and Andrew Brock (R-34), would ensure that our Right to Keep and Bear Arms would not be infringed upon during a declared state of emergency. This legislation would help to avoid serious assaults on personal freedom and fundamental right of self-defense such as what took place in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when law enforcement seized the lawfully-owned firearms of peaceful law-abiding citizens. Please contact your state Senator and urge her or him to support this critical legislation. Hurricane season is looming in the near future, which means the possibility of a declared state of emergency is also looming. This will also prevent incidents such as what happened in King, NC early last year, when a state of emergency was declared, and city officials announced that this required prohibitions on transporting firearms.
In addition, House Bill 650, the omnibus gun Bill introduced by state Representatives Mark Hilton (R-96), Stephen LaRoque (R-10), George Cleveland (R-14), and Kelly Hastings (R-110), was not heard in committee this past Wednesday. It is, however, on the calendar for the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee A for next Wednesday, April 20.
Please take a moment to contact members of that House committee and urge them to support H 650.