Indiana –-(Ammoland.com)- I have a few things to tell you about our efforts to bring firearm and firearm related manufacturers to Indiana, but first I’d like to ask for some help.
Yesterday I received a call from Washington about the upcoming anti gun bills that will be heard in the Senate this week. There was a sense urgency in the call as to whether these bills will pass the senate and if there are enough votes to stop them. There was also concern as to how things stand in the House if they make it that far. I was asked to get word out to our group to encourage folks to call our Indiana senators.
Here are their phone numbers:
- Senator Donnelly, 202-224-4814
- Senator Coats, 202-224-5623
I called Coats’ office Friday and left a message with his staff to remind Sen. Coats about the phone call he made to me two years ago when he was “candidate” Dan Coats to tell me that he would never vote for gun control again. That was his statement to me when I pointed out his past voting record. I hope that Sen. Coats will hold fast because his vote may have influence on House members.
There are no good “reasonable gun control” bills and what ever bills become law now will never be repealed. Can you imagine trying to repeal the Gun Control Act of 1968? I seriously doubt that anything passed today will include a sunset clause.
I think back over the years how many times I was told by some how no one will ever take away their guns, (Well its happening in New York State), I hope that those who spoke so boldly will now muster up the energy to make a simple call.
Now, Resolution 61 declaring that Indiana wants the firearm manufacturers to come to Indiana passed the Senate on Thursday and the House version passed as well. All the Republican Senators signed onto the resolution and I am very grateful for their support. I had my office send a copy of the resolution to IEDC (Indiana Economic Development Corp.) and I am also hoping to send a copy to each of the 67 manufacturers on the list I have.
Monday I’m expecting to have a conference with IEDC and someone from Gov. Pence’s policy team. Last Tuesday I had a nice phone conversation with the Senior Vice President of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) about what our intentions are in Indiana. This group is the national trade association for the industry and they are located in Newtown, Connecticut.
Colt firearms, as you know, is also located in Connecticut and since this past Thursday at 2:26 AM when the Connecticut legislature passed what is touted as the most severe gun control in the country, it will be interesting to see what decisions may come from all this.
Since many of the states in the Northeast are now so proudly proposing and passing more gun control, we may see some of the manufacturers take flight and it’s been my hope for many years if they do, they land in Indiana.
Also, on Monday I have a meeting that I’ve set up with Major Shelton with the Indiana State Police firearms division about the changes to handgun applications here in Indiana. The change will require applicants to get the fingerprinting done through Morpho Trust beginning on July 1st 2013 instead of their local sheriff or police stations. The problem with this might be that as I understand there are only 61 locations across the state, so that won’t even cover all of the 92 counties. I’ve had a few sheriffs contact me about the inconvenience this will cause some applicants and I think there is an extra $10.00 fee for the electronic fingerprinting.
Finally, I’d like to mention that Wednesday as I was leaving the 4th floor of the Statehouse after doing a TV interview about my drone legislation, I had a Parliamentarian from the House approach me about SB 181, the repeal of the automatic knife ban that I introduced that is sitting in a House committee. He wanted some information about the bill to give to the House Chairman who has the bill in his committee. I had been told that the bill was not going to get a hearing, but now maybe there is a glimmer of hope. We’ll see.
You know the old saying that 10% of the people do most of the work, so I guess that means all of you. Please make your calls to the Indiana U.S. Senators to oppose these ridiculous proposals.
Jim and Margie“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.” Samuel Adams
STAY UNITED
2nd Amendment Patriots
www.2ndamendmentpatriots.org
About:
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of Indiana citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs. Visit: www.2ndamendmentpatriots.org