Annapolis MD gun law hearing, public participation

[lee n. field]

Activists rally against gov.'s proposed gun control legislation

Linked straight to comments.

Sounds like what we've heard firsthand from the MN hearings.

Who wrote this piece? Because of the number of ordinary Citizens who came of their own accord, the doors to the Miller Building where the hearing was held were closed, after a long line of folks opposed to the ban snaked out in an extended line waiting to get in. The Judiciary Proceedings Committee alternated testimony between proponents and opponents of the Governor's gun ban bill, but quickly ran out of proponents, even when the Committee Chairman, a sponsor of the bill, actively sought them out to testify. There were so many opponents to the bill, that after 9:00 P.M. the Chairman called an end to proceedings and simply allowed the remaining vast number of opponents waiting to testify only the opportunity to state their names and that they were opposed on the record. This bill was overwhelmingly opposed by the ordinary Citizens who attended, and their were exceedingly few ordinary Citizens who were proponents, excluding the Governor's shills. For this article to say that 200 people signed up to testify on each side is grossly inaccurate to the point of being yellow journalism.

It was surreal. The committee wisely and fairly allocated equal time between pro and anti speakers. 4 hrs for pro- comments, 4 hrs for anti. Oddly, they did NOT enforce the 3 minute rule on most "pro-bill" speakers, but did so on the "anti" speakers.

When reaching the midpoint of the 2nd "pro" hour, the Chairman repeatedly called names for 'pro' witnesses. It was like this: Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? (crickets chirping) as there were no other "pro" speakers to be found in the hearing rooms or overflow rooms or in the hallways, nor in the stairwells, as Sheriff's Deputies and State Police combed the building for the elusive citizens of Maryland who had positive remarks for the Senate.

Makes me wonder what will be happening at the upcoming Illinois hearings on CCW.

[Harold Tuttle]

Wednesday’s hearing lasted more than eight hours and drew hundreds of prospective witnesses — as many as 3,000, by some estimates. The line to testify stretched from the second-floor committee room down to the front door of the Senate building.

By mid-afternoon, as many as a thousand potential witnesses were being turned away at the door because the building could not house the crowd. 

Sen. E.J. Pipkin (R-Dist. 36) of Elkton praised the committee’s handling of the hearing Thursday morning, but said the inability to accommodate everyone who wanted to testify was a “structural failure.”

“Turning away interested citizens in such a manner further fuels cynicism about our legislative process. Next time, they might not come back,” Pipkin said in a statement.

Pipkin said he will offer possible changes to the Senate rules to accommodate large crowds in the future.

Opponents of the governor’s plan also testified to its potential negative economic impact.

Theodore Wojcik, a gunsmith and owner of the Patriot Enterprises in Easton, said the bill likely would put him out of business by outlawing the guns he sells and customizes.

The Beretta U.S.A. Corp., which is based in Accokeek and employs about 400 people, is now facing a ban on its products at a time when it is being courted by other state governments to move their facilities from Maryland, said Jeff Reh, who sits on the company’s board of directors.

“We don’t want to do this,” Reh said. “But obviously this legislation has caused a serious level of concern within our company.”

Provisions in the governor’s bill barring the sale and transport of restricted weapons, which Beretta still could legally sell in other states, also could force the company to move, depending on how the proposed law was interpreted, Reh said.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach has said the governor’s proposal should “absolutely” be broken up into separate pieces so that the measures with broad support would pass.

Miller anticipates vigorous debate on several facets of the bill, particularly over the definition of “assault weapon” and the licensing requirements.

“Why are you fingerprinting someone who hasn’t committed a crime?” Miller said. “These are issues that are going to come up.

Members of the Judicial Proceedings Committee said Thursday it was too early to predict how the panel might alter the bill, but Chairman Brian E. Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Chevy Chase said there was a compelling case for a ban on assault weapons, a limit on magazine clip size and licensing, which have reduced gun crime elsewhere.

“It’s not like you can take a pill and we’re going to be better,” Frosh said. “But we do know reasonable steps that can be taken to reduce [gun fatalities].”

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130208/NEWS/130209122/0/gazette&template=gazette

[Harold Tuttle]

Late last night, Governor O’Malley’s gun control package, Senate Bill 281, was passed by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee by a 7-4 vote.  This all-out assault on your right to self-defense now goes to the Senate Floor where it will likely be heard and voted on next week.  Several amendments listed below were added to this bill, but it remains an affront to law-abiding citizens throughout the state of Maryland, and must be strongly opposed in its current state.

Thank you to senators Norman Stone, Nancy Jacobs, Chris Shank and Joe Getty for voting to support the Second Amendment and your rights in Maryland by opposing SB 281 in Committee.

Senators Brian Frosh, Lisa Gladden, Jamie Raskin, Bobby Zirkin, Anthony Muse, Jim Brochin and Jennie Forehand voted in favor of Governor O’Malley’s legislation knowing full well that this bill would seriously impair Marylanders’ ability to defend themselves. The seven senators who voted for this bill heard testimony from Marylanders for hours, received your phone calls and emails, and ignored the voices of their constituents and voters.  Marylanders should keep this in mind in the upcoming 2014 elections, and choose legislators who understand they work for the people instead of being a puppet for the Governor.

A few of the amendments to the bill include:

Two-Feature test:  So called “Assault Weapons” will be defined using 2 features instead of the original one feature.  The bill now includes a ban on the transport, sale, purchase, transfer or possession of commonly owned semi-automatic centerfire rifles that have a detachable magazine and two additional characteristics – such as a pistol grip, telescoping stock, flash suppressor, threaded barrel etc.  The 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which was shown to have absolutely no effect on reducing crime, also used this criteria. This two-feature test still outlaws a majority of the most popular and commonly owned semi-automatic firearms.

License Fees Reduced:  Fees for renewing and applying for a firearm license have been reduced.  The imposition of requiring a license to own a firearm is still an affront to Maryland Citizens who should not have to ask for the government’s permission in order to exercise a fundamental right to self-defense.

Training Requirements Reduced:  The amount of training required in order to apply for a firearms license is reduced by half. Instead of 8 hours originally mandated by SB 281, you now have to complete 4 hours.

No changes to arbitrary Magazine Capacity Limit:  No amendments were made to change the arbitrary limit of ten rounds that was placed on the capacity of magazines. Standard capacity for some semi-automatic rifles is 30 rounds.  This is a factory standard amount, not “high capacity” as anti-gun zealots claim.

Other amendments to the bill have been added and under review to determine their effect.

Senate Bill 281 is not scheduled to be heard yet, but it will likely take place early next week. Please contact your Senator and strongly urge them to Oppose Senate Bill 281.

Also, House Bill 294, companion to SB 281 will be heard on March 1 by the House Judiciary Committee at 1:00PM.  It is important that you call and e-mail your state Delegates and members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and also plan to testify at the March 1st hearing in Annapolis!

[Harold Tuttle]

Last week the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee passed the Governor's Gun Control bill - SB281 - with almost no modification. It still licenses owners, forces expensive training, and implements a ban on common firearms backed with serious life-altering penalties, including prison, for even small technical paperwork issues.

Be sure that if these draconian laws pass, some of you are going to be arrested and face jail time, just for possessing a firearm that the state once approved you to own.

The Senate leader - Mike Miller of Calvert County - is pressing hard for fast-track approval of these laws. Mike promised many of his constituents that he would "fix the Governor's bill" before letting it out of the Senate. But it appears now that the "fix" is in: he intends this bill to become law.

Likewise, we have seen Senator Jim Brochin of Baltimore County speak up in this own public town halls and promise the people he worked for that he would not support this legislation unless massive repairs were made, in order to end unconstitutional schemes and to protect his constituents from being arrested. Yet given the chance to force the changes, he demurred and supported them anyway. This bill advances largely on Senator Brochin's last-minute change to support gun control.

The list goes on.

How to Take Action

Over the past few days, scheduling has moved. We know have details to report and action plans that you can implement.

Those who support your rights will be pushing amendments to this bill, and they need your immediate support. The Governor is counting on gun control for his moment in the spotlight. He is already planning the press conference - he wants to recreate the moment Paris Glendening had in the mid 90's, where a fawning press and adoring President sit with him as he signs into law a bill that puts lawful citizens at risk of prison, just for exercising their rights.

The problem is that 4,000 of us showed up on February 6th. More than 1,500 signed up to testify, and that does not include those people who were literally locked out of the building before they could do the same. Our turnout frightened the political elite who rule over us. They cannot maintain order so long as we stand and protest. They cannot pass their laws so long as we look over their shoulder and demand accountability.

Memories are short for these people. They think we have gone away. Now is the time to remind them of our power by literally looking over their shoulder: we need to move into the Senate gallery the next few days and watch them. They need to see us there. They need constant reminder that they are not alone and that we will hold them to account.

Mike Miller is master at his game. He will hold the most important matters for the hours when the newspaper reporters and the news cameras have left the building. He waits until they leave to make their deadlines, then he moves forward the things he wishes to stay hidden. To be successful, he needs to work public law in the shadows.

You are the sunlight that can cleanse that process. You need to light up the phones and brighten days with personal office visits. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Make the extended effort to beat these bills back.

First Fight: The Senate

The Senate goes into session Tuesday at 10:00 AM. They will debate Death Penalty and then Gun Control. You need to find time to get into Annapolis, visit your lawmakers, and then fill in that gallery. Watch them. Take notes. Record them using your phones and MP3 recorders. Update the world in real-time using MDShooters.com and the MSI Facebook page: when key amendments are offered and considered, go live and tell everyone what is happening, and more importantly - who is helping you and who is harming you.

A powerful committee chair recently said in response to our efforts to watch, record and be heard: "Let them. We can wait them out."

They do not think we have the discipline to do this. Let's prove them wrong.

This Week In Detail

This week will be busy. There is something for everyone, regardless of schedule:
Monday:

- Visit Senators and Delegates in their offices after work hours. Session starts at 8 PM, so you have plenty of time to drive over and wander the halls. Find your lawmaker's office number on mdelect.net, then just show up. Ask for five minutes. If they are too busy, tell the staff you will wait to "walk them to session." The best time to get these folks is the two hours before they go into session.

Tuesday:

- Session starts at 10 AM. Visit your lawmakers before this time. Sit in the Senate gallery and watch. Gun Control might not come up until afternoon, so if you cannot arrive until lunch time or later - that is fine. This may stretch into the evening. Just plan on watching and waiting them out.

Wednesday:

With enough pressure, they will be forced to continue Gun Control into Wednesday. Session will probably start early, perhaps even 8 AM. Mike Miller has already told his committees to be ready to "clear the calendar" when he calls. We need to be on deck, in that gallery.

Thursday:

Senator Miller wants this thing voted on by Thursday. We will let you know the schedule as this progresses.

Friday:

The House considers the Governor's bill in a joint hearing. We will update you separately on the House schedule, but we need a turnout much like the one we did on the 6th. We need to be heard.

Friday will offer some new options. No more standing in long lines. We learned lessons from the Senate hearings and have done a lot of work with the House to make this day comfortable. We will have many witness sign-in sheets to avoid lines; the House has reserved all rooms for overflow (the House is also bigger than the Senate); and in a new twist, MSI and other civil rights organizations have reserved the upper floors of the House for our own activities, including a "Public Safety Policy Conference".

We won't repeat the rally - we are going to hold our own hearings, right in the same building as the actual hearing themselves. This time we will not locked out. Lawmakers will be in attendance, and we will empanel the most important people at the heart of this debate: you.
No excuses this week. You have the opportunity to speak, be heard and to make a difference. You just need to take it. There is something for everyone. Stand up, or be pushed down. Your choice.

Special Attention:

If you are a constituent of one of the following Senators, you must contact them via phone, fax or in person immediately. Emails might be ignored, so you need to add the personal touch:
Senator Miller
Senator Klausmeier
Senator Zirkin
Senator Muse
Senator Miller
Senator Middleton
Senator Dyson
Senator Astle
Senator DeGrange
Senator Mathias
Senator Brochin
 
Don't know who your representatives are? Find them at MDElect.net.