All Montana pro-gun bills passed 1st chamber

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Libertyteeth

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Location
Manhattan, Montana
Half way there

From:
Gary Marbut-MSSA <[email protected]>

To:
[email protected]

Date:
Today 3:31:56 pm

Dear MSSA Friends,

HB 340 passed the House on Third Reading today by a vote of 57-42 and has been transmitted to the Senate. *It will be heard in the Senate sometime after the Transmittal Break for the Legislature. *"Transmittal" is the mid-session divide (February 28) by which all House Bills must be passed to the Senate, and all Senate Bills to the House (except appropriation bills). *HB 340 got out of the House about 70% intact. (http://laws.leg.mt.gov/pls/laws07/LAW0203W$BSRV.ActionQuery?P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=HB&P_BILL_NO=340&P_BILL_DFT_NO=&P_CHPT_NO=&Z_ACTION=Find&P_SBJ_DESCR=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=&P_LST_NM1=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=

The heavy sledding for HB 340 will be in the Senate. *It is now time to begin focusing on senators for support for HB 340. *We must have some support from Democrats in the Senate for HB 340 to pass (Democrats have a majority in the Senate). *A key player will be Senator Jesse Laslovich (D-Anaconda). *He is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. *That committee will be the first big hurdle for
HB 340 in the Senate. *Senator Larry Jent (D-Bozeman) is also on the Judiciary committee and has promised MSSA on his Candidate Questionnaire that he will support the bill. *Two other likely Democrat supporters in the Senate are Sam Kitzenberg (D-Glasgow) and Jim Elliott (D-Trout Creek). *There may be more. *We need to begin finding them. *We hope to hold all Republicans in the Senate, but
that is not a given. *Again, Senator Jesse Laslovich will be key. *He is young, an attorney, a Democrat, a pretty nice and bright guy, and comes from Anaconda (pro-gun, redneck country).

SB 309, to forbid confiscation of firearms in a declared emergency has passed the Senate on Third Reading today with a vote of 48-2. *SB 309 was heavily amended in Senate Judiciary (Laslovich) but still contains the confiscation prohibition. *It has gone to the House, to be herd after Transmittal. (http://laws.leg.mt.gov/pls/laws07/LAW0203W$BSRV.ActionQuery?P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=SB&P_BILL_NO=309&P_BILL_DFT_NO=&P_CHPT_NO=&Z_ACTION=Find&P_SBJ_DESCR=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=&P_LST_NM1=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ=)

SJ 16 has passed the Senate on third Reading by a vote of 47-3. *"SJ" means a Senate Joint (with the House) Resolution. *SJ 16 encourages all Montana schools to use MSSA's Be Safe program to deliver firearm safety training to kids in grades 1-3.

HB 420 passed the House on Third Reading some time ago with a vote of 83-17. *HB 420 is our "Montana-made firearms" bill, which declares that any firearms made and retained in Montana are not subject to any federal regulation under the power of Congress to regulate interstate
commerce. *This will also go to Senate Judiciary.
(http://laws.leg.mt.gov/pls/laws07/LAW0203W$BSRV.ActionQuery?P_BLTP_BILL_TYP_CD=HB&P_BILL_NO=420&P_BILL_DFT_NO=&P_CHPT_NO=&Z_ACTION=Find&P_SBJ_DESCR=&P_SBJT_SBJ_CD=&P_LST_NM1=&P_ENTY_ID_SEQ= )

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
 
Sir,

Is there anything a non-Montana resident can do to help these bills pass?
 
Thanks, I'm not sure how much good it does for out of state people to contact them, maybe if you said you're thinking of moving here if you are, or maybe just to say the freedom loving people of this country are looking to Montana for a good example of how liberty can be secured.

Also, if you know people in Montana, light a fire under 'em.

Here's where you contact legislators.
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/legwebmessage.asp

Rather than clicking on "Send a new
message", just hit your back key once you have sent the message to one
legislator, make the changes (Dear Rep. xyz: is changed to Dear Rep. abc: ) and repeat the process. *

I made a list of all the Representatives of the committee I'm dealing with,
then check off those to whom a message has been sent. *Also the House as a whole, the Senate as a whole, etc. *Here's the Roster page. *
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/roster.asp?HouseID=0&SessionID=91

Here's how you find out who's on a committee. *
http://leg.mt.gov/css/committees/standing/default.asp

Here's the listing of the Daily Agendas. *
http://laws.leg.state.mt.us/pls/laws07/laws_agendas.agendarpt?chamber=H

Here's where you track the progress of bills. *
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/pls/laws07/law0203w$.startup
 
TallPine
Does it even do any good to contact legislators not from your district...?
Click to expand...

I think it does help with some legislators. I've received several polite responses, including hand-written notes and emails from legislators outside of my district, both Republicans and Democrats.
 
More on HB 340.

I was about to make my own post on HB 340 and you beat me to it, so I'll just add my bits as a comment here instead. :)

HB 340 has passed in the State of Montana House of Representatives. If it makes it through the senate, it would provide for both a "no retreat" law for Montanans as well as making it legal to "brandish" in self-defense. For example, if you get approached by a would-be mugger and pull your gun, and he runs off and calls the cops to report you(believe it or not this happens), you can't get a ticket for brandishing.

This local news article about it talks about how it lacked police backing (rather, my understanding is the no retreat portion was fine, but LEOs didn't like the brandishing thing) but the funniest dumb bit is this:

House Democratic Leader John Parker, a prosecutor in Great Falls, said two men engaged in a bar fight could both assert self-defense in an escalating melee that leaves one of them seriously injured, or dead.
Click to expand...

Dude, there's already a state law against fighting (two, actually - assault and disorderly conduct) and you think guys who ignore THOSE are going to pay attention to a law saying they can't brandish firearms? Wake. Up. As the bill's sponsor says, "A criminal is a criminal by definition, and he won't obey any of the laws we write here." Thank you, Mr. Jack Wells of Bozeman.

On the other hand, apparently our shooting sports lobby is proposing a law that will allow Vermont-style concealed carry in Montana, i.e., you don't need a permit to carry concealed and that state law enforcement isn't exactly happy about that one. Personally, I don't see the big deal. If a person can carry a gun legally, what difference does it make whether it's concealed or not? You don't need a permit outside of the city limits in Montana already, for pete's sake. And who honestly thinks criminals are going to obey the law? I just don't understand people sometimes.
 
kit, the state LEO are probably thinking about all those immigrants from cali
 
:)
Great news!
Me and my kind will do even more stuff than we have already to assist you folks in Montana.

You folks do carry 28 gauge stuff in Montana - right? :p
Darn tootin' I am lookin' your way.

Steve
 
Happy to say that my wife and I are moving up that direction when our business is able to support us! Ever since I moved back to California from Wyoming I've hated it here. I lived about 10 miles from the Montana border (Clark) and really enjoyed the land and the people. I think next time will be Montana as I really enjoyed the time I've spent running around there.
Unfortunately I had to come back to KA here a few years back . . . . :banghead: :cuss: :fire: :mad: :uhoh: :confused: :eek: :scrutiny:

Once we get our affairs in order, however, we will hopefully be earning a good living through our websites and we can head back up to that area, bringing some contribution to the local economy with us. By then we should have a warehouse that requires some help! Did I mention that I hate California?
 
Updates to MSSA site?

Gary:

Thanks for the info...BTW, any chance somebody could update the MSSA site with '07 session info? Obviously, a lot of things have happened since the most recent posting back in November. This new MSSA member would greatly appreciate it, as others, I'm sure, would, too.

Mike Harbour
Texan by birth, Montanan by choice
 
I see that the Montana Firearms bill passed the House, but how do we track the senate procedures? Whats the new bill's name, and where can I see its progress?
 
I pass on some of Gary Marbut's messages, but I'm not Gary. I suspect things are too crazy right now to pay attention to the web site, he does have a mailing list.

Bill progress in either House can be tracked here

http://laws.leg.mt.gov/pls/laws07/law0203w$.startup

http://laws.leg.state.mt.us/pls/laws07/laws_agendas.agendarpt?chamber=H

I don't think that the bill number changes when it moves to the other chamber. LT
 
Marbut: Get ready for HB 340

From:
Gary Marbut-MSSA <[email protected]>

To:
[email protected]

Date:
Today 11:21:25 am

Dear MSSA Friends,

We are waiting for our Self Defense, HB 340, bill to be assigned a
date for its public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. *I
believe that date will be announced soon, and it may be this coming
Wednesday, March 28. *I'll let you know the hour I know for sure.

It's time to start getting ready for this - prepare yourself.

If there is any occasion during this legislative session when it is
important for you to show up in Helena, this will be the time. *This
will be the occasion important enough to take time off work, to dip
into the reserve funds for gas to Helena, and to round up your
buddies to go with you.

The Senate Judiciary Committee meets at 8 AM. *Yes, it's a pain to
show up in Helena at 8 AM. *I know - I did yesterday for shooting
range funding, and about five other times so far this session. *But,
that's what we must do if we want our bills to pass.

I am trying to arrange for HB 340 to have its hearing on the same
date as HB 420 (Montana-made firearms), so you can support both and
kill two birds with one stone while in Helena.

For those who would come to Helena but have never testified before a
legislative committee before and are intimidated by the process,
don't worry. *It's no big deal. *I'll walk you through it.

We WILL have to give up more ground with HB 340 to reduce opposition
enough to get it through the Senate. *This is unfortunate, but it's
just how the process works. *I don't like losing pieces of HB 340 -
it started out as a fine bill. *In the beginning, HB 340 was a home
run with the bases loaded. *If it ends up being a home run with
nobody on base, we'll still take it.

I am negotiating with senators now to learn what revisions will be
required to garner enough Senate votes so that HB 340 stands a high
likelihood of passing the Senate. *I expect we will have to give up
three or four sections, including: *1)mandatory probable cause
hearing in self defense cases; 2) police destruction of firearms
prohibition; 3) police must investigate to gather evidence that might
exonerate a defender as well as evidence of a crime; and maybe 4)
prohibiting landlords from disarming tenants. *Stay tuned for the
results of these negotiations.

Even if we must give up these sections, that will still leave us: *1)
burden of proof shift requiring prosecution to prove beyond a
reasonable doubt that someone defending was NOT justified to use
lethal force; 2) "castle doctrine" - no duty to flee or dial 911
before defending; 3) defensive display of a firearm - defining that a
defensive or harmless display of a firearm is not a crime; 4)
authorization to use reasonable force to detain a criminal; and 5)
"Alaska carry" - no concealed weapon permits needed, even inside city limits.

You know now that only law enforcement administrators have opposed HB
340, but they have opposed with a vengeance, and by saying
inflammatory things about HB 340 that are just not true. *We expect
this pattern to continue and increase.

What can you do? *Plan to come to Helena to support HB 340 at hearing
if you possibly can. *Write letters to the local paper urging local
senators to support HB 340. *Be prepared to flood Senate Judiciary
Committee members with messages supporting HB 340. *Make sure your
network of friends, including local gun clubs, are informed and
poised to support HB 340 with messages to Committee members.

This is the big one this session folks - the most important occasion
for your active support. *Get ready!

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

See also: http://www.marbut.com/gazette/ and check out the comments.

I've tried to contribute a response, hasn't appeared yet. -- Libertyteeth.
 
Calling all Montanans - your help is needed! Hope to see you there - Libertyteeth

HEARINGS SCHEDULED - GUN BILLS

From:
Gary Marbut-MSSA <[email protected]>

To:
[email protected]

Date:
Today 8:00:51 am

Dear MSSA Friends,

The public hearings have been scheduled for both HB 340, self defense, and HB 420, Montana-made firearms, before the Senate Judiciary Committee for 8 AM on Wednesday, March 28th. *The hearing will be in the old Supreme court chambers on the third floor of the Capitol, at the east edge of the rotunda balcony.

We really need your help. *Please show up with all your friends, or send messages to Judiciary Committee members asking them to support these bills, and get all your friends to do so too.

There's lots of info about HB 340 at:

http://www.marbut.com/gazette

I'll write another email about testifying before a committee later today.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
 
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