Jim March
Member
Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
12500 N.E. Tenth Place • Bellevue, WA 98005 • www.ccrkba.org
NEWS RELEASE
CCRKBA APPLAUDS SCHWARZENEGGER VETO
For Immediate Release:
BELLEVUE, WA—California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did the right thing when he vetoed SB1177, a so-called “gun safety education†bill, because of its potential to allow anti-gun propaganda to be taught in the guise of safety, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.
“SB1177 was an attempt to politicize hunting and self defense issues within schools in an open ended manner, with no state guidance,†said CCRKBA’s California representative Jim March. “On a cost basis alone, it was a disaster in the making.â€
“We opposed this legislation from the outset,†added CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “It seemed clear to us that this legislation, authored by anti-gun rights zealot Sen. Jack Scott, would have easily been abused to promote an anti-self-defense message.â€
Gottlieb and March noted that California gun rights activists rallied against the measure, especially after a much better bill – AB 2263 – had been blocked in committee.
“We’re hopeful that next year, the Legislature will have the good sense to come back with a proposal like AB 2263,†Gottlieb stated. “This one would teach gun safety in a reasonable fashion, with information that can be easily covered in an hour or two.â€
Chief among CCRKBA’s complaints about SB1177 was financing. It was essentially an un-funded state mandate, March noted. Also, he said, there were no guidelines about the type of materials that could have been used.
“California gun owners who have school-age youngsters should send their thanks to Gov. Schwarzenegger,†March observed. “The Legislature chose wrongly in advancing Scott’s bill. Gov. Schwarzenegger’s veto sends a clear message to lawmakers to get it right next year.â€
“Nobody is opposed to genuine firearm safety education in public schools except anti-gun fanatics,†Gottlieb remarked. “So long as it is presented in an unbiased manner, with good materials, such education could have a lasting, positive effect on school-age youth. The governor was right to terminate this legislation.â€
With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation's premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States.
-END-
Personal note to THR:
While this bill wasn't "major" like, say, the 50cal ban or ammo registration, it was very symbolic. Scott's bill basically said "teach gun something or other in schools", deliberately vague.
AB2263 by Assemblyman Dutton-R specified short training on proper gun storage techniques and what to do if a kid finds a gun - basically "Eddie Eagleish" without that brand name of course. Still, the point is that those topics are non-controversial, all sides agree on what safe storage and child gun safety basically looks like. and the whole thing could be done in an hour or two tops. THAT never made it out of committee.
Scott's bill is currently in the "Senate Unfinished Business" file. As a practical matter, a veto override is impossible, we have no hardcore grabbers among the Republicans right now (even Bruce McPherson has been solidly on our side lately!) and they're enough to block override.
Does this tell us "for sure" what Gov. Schwarzenegger is going to do with the rest of the bills? No.
But it suuuure is a welcome sign!
12500 N.E. Tenth Place • Bellevue, WA 98005 • www.ccrkba.org
NEWS RELEASE
CCRKBA APPLAUDS SCHWARZENEGGER VETO
For Immediate Release:
BELLEVUE, WA—California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did the right thing when he vetoed SB1177, a so-called “gun safety education†bill, because of its potential to allow anti-gun propaganda to be taught in the guise of safety, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.
“SB1177 was an attempt to politicize hunting and self defense issues within schools in an open ended manner, with no state guidance,†said CCRKBA’s California representative Jim March. “On a cost basis alone, it was a disaster in the making.â€
“We opposed this legislation from the outset,†added CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “It seemed clear to us that this legislation, authored by anti-gun rights zealot Sen. Jack Scott, would have easily been abused to promote an anti-self-defense message.â€
Gottlieb and March noted that California gun rights activists rallied against the measure, especially after a much better bill – AB 2263 – had been blocked in committee.
“We’re hopeful that next year, the Legislature will have the good sense to come back with a proposal like AB 2263,†Gottlieb stated. “This one would teach gun safety in a reasonable fashion, with information that can be easily covered in an hour or two.â€
Chief among CCRKBA’s complaints about SB1177 was financing. It was essentially an un-funded state mandate, March noted. Also, he said, there were no guidelines about the type of materials that could have been used.
“California gun owners who have school-age youngsters should send their thanks to Gov. Schwarzenegger,†March observed. “The Legislature chose wrongly in advancing Scott’s bill. Gov. Schwarzenegger’s veto sends a clear message to lawmakers to get it right next year.â€
“Nobody is opposed to genuine firearm safety education in public schools except anti-gun fanatics,†Gottlieb remarked. “So long as it is presented in an unbiased manner, with good materials, such education could have a lasting, positive effect on school-age youth. The governor was right to terminate this legislation.â€
With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation's premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States.
-END-
Personal note to THR:
While this bill wasn't "major" like, say, the 50cal ban or ammo registration, it was very symbolic. Scott's bill basically said "teach gun something or other in schools", deliberately vague.
AB2263 by Assemblyman Dutton-R specified short training on proper gun storage techniques and what to do if a kid finds a gun - basically "Eddie Eagleish" without that brand name of course. Still, the point is that those topics are non-controversial, all sides agree on what safe storage and child gun safety basically looks like. and the whole thing could be done in an hour or two tops. THAT never made it out of committee.
Scott's bill is currently in the "Senate Unfinished Business" file. As a practical matter, a veto override is impossible, we have no hardcore grabbers among the Republicans right now (even Bruce McPherson has been solidly on our side lately!) and they're enough to block override.
Does this tell us "for sure" what Gov. Schwarzenegger is going to do with the rest of the bills? No.
But it suuuure is a welcome sign!
