Some of you may be interested in getting a full update on the situation with CCW reform. The makings of a 1994-1996 style wave of CCW reform happening this year is very likely. Individual updates:
CO: CO Senate passed the CCW reform and preemption laws, and they have also passed a House committee. It's now heading to the floor of the CO House, and will likely get passed without amendment. The bills are SB24 and SB 25. Considering that the House is more conservative than the Senate, these bills are likely to pass, and it is likely Governor Owens will sign both bills (he got what he wanted in the CCW bill, including K-12 exclusion and training requirements). The CCW bill has reciprocity provisions, that any licensee from a state that recognizes CO licenses would be recognized in CO.
OH: HB12 was voted DO PASS by the Criminal Justice committee, and is likely to go to a House floor vote soon. The kicker will be the Senate, which gutted the CCW bill last year to the point you couldn't carry a loaded handgun in a car even with a CCW. However, there is new leadership in the Senate, and it is likely that the GOP General Assembly leadership is gearing for a war with Governor Taft on this issue. A veto is likely, but a veto override is easily done by the amount of support it has in both houses. There is recognition language in the bill.
NM: NM Senate also passed CCW reform, and it is now in the House. Some grumblings were evident about the reciprocity provisions of the bill from some pro-gun folk, specifically the part where the bill only accepts out of state recognition from states that border NM. However, the proposal only says those licenses by states contigious to it, and since Utah is contigious to NM, a UT licensee can carry in NM if the law passes. The bill is SB23. Governor Bill Richardson has said that he would sign CCW reform.
MN: The House is close to a floor vote on HF261. It's currently in Ways and Means committee in the House, and it's on it's way. SF222, the Senate version of the MN PPA, attempted to take the bill out of comittee again, and it failed 32-34. However, there is some movement in the Senate, such as a DFL sponsor of SF222. Stay tuned, and keep an eye on www.mnccrn.org. Governor Tim Pawlenty, like his predecessor Jesse Ventura, will sign CCW (In fact, Pawlenty co-sponsored CCW while he was a member of the State House of Representatives).
MO: the MO House gave tentative voice approval to HB349, the CCW reform bill. Within a week, this should be going to a recorded vote. The pressure is on, and I would encourage all Missouri residents to call their elected House members and put the heat on their legislators to vote yes. SB83, the Senate version, was passed in committee, and should be on the floor of the Senate soon, as well. Both bills have full recognition language (a la Kentucky) in the language. A Governor Holden veto is likely, but the passage of the bill by a 2/3 votes in both houses are likely.
WI: Though WI PPA was promised to be immediately introduced, that was before the state's budget problems dominated every media package with front page news. After the Hunting and Fishing amendment was passed, the Democrats continually complained that any other things being considered other than the budget would take away from the negotiations, and the state media pounded the GOP controlled Legislature over that. As a result, CCW is on the backburner until June. David Zien, the state Senate sponsor of the bill, is now Assistant Majority Leader, and will be introducing it as soon as the budget negotiations are over. Last years bill also included recognition language. Despite an anti-gun governor, there is 2/3's support in both houses of the Legislature, making it likely that Governor Doyle will simply allow the bill to become law without his signature.
CO: CO Senate passed the CCW reform and preemption laws, and they have also passed a House committee. It's now heading to the floor of the CO House, and will likely get passed without amendment. The bills are SB24 and SB 25. Considering that the House is more conservative than the Senate, these bills are likely to pass, and it is likely Governor Owens will sign both bills (he got what he wanted in the CCW bill, including K-12 exclusion and training requirements). The CCW bill has reciprocity provisions, that any licensee from a state that recognizes CO licenses would be recognized in CO.
OH: HB12 was voted DO PASS by the Criminal Justice committee, and is likely to go to a House floor vote soon. The kicker will be the Senate, which gutted the CCW bill last year to the point you couldn't carry a loaded handgun in a car even with a CCW. However, there is new leadership in the Senate, and it is likely that the GOP General Assembly leadership is gearing for a war with Governor Taft on this issue. A veto is likely, but a veto override is easily done by the amount of support it has in both houses. There is recognition language in the bill.
NM: NM Senate also passed CCW reform, and it is now in the House. Some grumblings were evident about the reciprocity provisions of the bill from some pro-gun folk, specifically the part where the bill only accepts out of state recognition from states that border NM. However, the proposal only says those licenses by states contigious to it, and since Utah is contigious to NM, a UT licensee can carry in NM if the law passes. The bill is SB23. Governor Bill Richardson has said that he would sign CCW reform.
MN: The House is close to a floor vote on HF261. It's currently in Ways and Means committee in the House, and it's on it's way. SF222, the Senate version of the MN PPA, attempted to take the bill out of comittee again, and it failed 32-34. However, there is some movement in the Senate, such as a DFL sponsor of SF222. Stay tuned, and keep an eye on www.mnccrn.org. Governor Tim Pawlenty, like his predecessor Jesse Ventura, will sign CCW (In fact, Pawlenty co-sponsored CCW while he was a member of the State House of Representatives).
MO: the MO House gave tentative voice approval to HB349, the CCW reform bill. Within a week, this should be going to a recorded vote. The pressure is on, and I would encourage all Missouri residents to call their elected House members and put the heat on their legislators to vote yes. SB83, the Senate version, was passed in committee, and should be on the floor of the Senate soon, as well. Both bills have full recognition language (a la Kentucky) in the language. A Governor Holden veto is likely, but the passage of the bill by a 2/3 votes in both houses are likely.
WI: Though WI PPA was promised to be immediately introduced, that was before the state's budget problems dominated every media package with front page news. After the Hunting and Fishing amendment was passed, the Democrats continually complained that any other things being considered other than the budget would take away from the negotiations, and the state media pounded the GOP controlled Legislature over that. As a result, CCW is on the backburner until June. David Zien, the state Senate sponsor of the bill, is now Assistant Majority Leader, and will be introducing it as soon as the budget negotiations are over. Last years bill also included recognition language. Despite an anti-gun governor, there is 2/3's support in both houses of the Legislature, making it likely that Governor Doyle will simply allow the bill to become law without his signature.
