NRA Legal and Legislative Efforts
NRA TO ARGUE SECOND AMENDMENT CASE The U.S. Supreme Court today granted the National Rifle Association’s motion to participate in oral argument in McDonald v. City of Chicago, scheduled for March 2. Former U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clement will argue on behalf of the NRA and divide time with counsel representing McDonald, Alan Gura. The NRA’s brief stresses a more conventional constitutional grounds for applying the Second Amendment to the states (called the “Selective Incorporation Doctrine”) than the McDonald brief, which asks the court to overrule a Supreme Court case dating back to the 1800s.
WASHINGTON ‘ASSAULT WEAPONS’ BAN LIKELY TO FAIL A bill introduced in Washington State to ban so-called “assault weapons” is likely to fail, the Associated Press reports. The bill is unlikely to make it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has three Republicans and five Democrats. One Democrat, Sen. Jim Hargrove, says he will vote no. A hearing on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday. Contact members of the committee and urge them to oppose Senate Bill 6396.
MONTANA SAYS TRADITIONAL AMMO NOT AT RISK. SO, WHY THE BAN? The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has admitted that its proposed ban on traditional shot in the state’s 72 state-owned wildlife management areas is nothing more than a “trial balloon” to see how sportsmen in the state will react. The FWP proposal has drawn the ire of many groups, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). Read NSSF’s press release.
‘GUN DAY’ SLATED FOR WEDNESDAY IN MASSACHUSETTS COMMITTEE Numerous anti-gun bills will be heard on Wednesday, Jan. 27, in the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. NSSF and the Gun Owner’s Action League are encouraging all sportsmen, gun owners and firearms enthusiasts to contact members of the committee immediately, urging them to oppose these anti-gun bills. The roster of bills is highlighted by H.2247 an act to improve the ballistic database through microstamping ammunition. Along with the anti-gun bills, the committee will also hear testimony on GOAL’s Civil Rights and Public Safety Bill H.2259, which seeks to reform many of the unconstitutional gun laws in the state.
WISCONSIN’S MENTORED HUNTING LAW HITS THE TARGET After the first season of mentored hunting in Wisconsin, officials are calling the program an unqualified success, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We had good participation and, most importantly, an excellent safety record, said Randy Stark, chief conservation warden with the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Some 10,564 young people aged 10 and 11 were introduced to hunting last fall in Wisconsin because of a new law that became effective Sept. 1, 2009, and 13,271 mentored hunting licenses were sold. Wisconsin is one of 28 states to adopt Families Afield legislation, an initiative of NSSF, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, to break down barriers preventing young people from hunting with their families and other supervisory adults.
POLL SHOWS ARKANSANS SUPPORT AMENDMENT ASSURING RIGHT TO HUNT AND FISH The Arkansas News Bureau reports that a poll commissioned by that bureau and Stephens Media indicated that 54 percent of Arkansans want constitutional protection for their right to hunt and fish. Such a proposed amendment to the state constitution will be put before Arkansas voters. Of the sampling of registered voters who participated in the poll, 20 percent said they opposed the measure and 26 percent said they were undecided.
