E-mail to Sen, Klobuchar about Gun Free School Zones

[Chunkychuck]

Here is a copy of an email I sent to Sen Klobuchar today about gun free school zones. I certainly don't want to be a test case and I don't hold much hope for her doing it, but with most things, you never get anything if you don't ask.

Senator Klobuchar,

In two weeks my wife and I will be traveling to Louisiana to attend a wedding for a family member. In light of the recent shooting in Tucson of Rep. Giffords and others, I would like to make you aware of a law that severely reduces my ability to protect my wife and myself from incidents like this. It is the Federal Gun Free School Act of 1995. That law places a 1000 ft buffer around schools where possession of a firearm is prohibited.

18 USC 922 (q)(2)(A): (2)
(A) It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.


There are some exemptions. (i) and (iii) are the ones that will apply in my travel.

(B) Subparagraph (A) does not apply to the possession of a firearm—

(i) on private property not part of school grounds;

(ii) if the individual possessing the firearm is licensed to do so by the State in which the school zone is located or a political subdivision of the State, and the law of the State or political subdivision requires that, before an individual obtains such a license, the law enforcement authorities of the State or political subdivision verify that the individual is qualified under law to receive the license;

(iii) that is—
(I) not loaded; and
(II) in a locked container, or a locked firearms rack that is on a motor vehicle;

As I will be traveling where I do not know where all schools are located, I will have to unload and lock my firearm away to be in compliance with the law as I travel, even though the MN Permit to Carry I possess is honored by the states in which I will be traveling. The penalty is five years prison for each school zone violated. That could, in essence, add up to a life sentence for me at 58, if I violated only five school zones. I sure there are many more than that which I will travel through on my 1000 mile trip to Louisiana. If this law were amended to limit the gun free zone to school property only, you would allow me and countless other law abiding citizens to travel without fear of Federal prosecution. Would you please consider offering such an amendment?

Thank you,
Charles Friemel

[carver952]

Thanks for the info, I could be violating this just by walking between the apartment and the metro bus stop.
I was not aware that school zone means within a distance of 1000 feet from the school grounds.
http://www.gunlaws.com/Gun_Free_School_Zones_Act.pdf

[Chunkychuck]

Thanks for the info, I could be violating this just by walking between the apartment and the metro bus stop.
I was not aware of the 1000 foot buffer.
http://www.gunlaws.com/Gun_Free_School_Zones_Act.pdf

If you are a MN resident and have a PTC, you are OK in MN as long as you avoid actual school property. See (ii) in the exemptions listed in my original post

[1911fan]

Just a word about office practices. It has been my experience that emails to elected folks get little or no attention. Print it out, sign it in ink, and mail it and it moves a giant step up the food chain in the office. Just my experience.

[Chunkychuck]

Just a word about office practices. It has been my experience that emails to elected folks get little or no attention. Print it out, sign it in ink, and mail it and it moves a giant step up the food chain in the office. Just my experience.

I've both emailed and written Sen. Klobuchar. She or her staff have answered my e-mails but not my written letter.

[mnglocker]

Just a word about office practices. It has been my experience that emails to elected folks get little or no attention. Print it out, sign it in ink, and mail it and it moves a giant step up the food chain in the office. Just my experience.

I've both emailed and written Sen. Klobuchar. She or her staff have answered my e-mails but not my written letter.

Send it in a cardboard box filled with rocks to make it heavy.

[1911fan]

That seems odd. Every time I have mailed a letter to an official I have gotten a written response, even when I have said respond via emial.

[tman]

That seems odd. Every time I have mailed a letter to an official I have gotten a written response, even when I have said respond via emial.

Maybe the "1911" part of your signature scares them into replying.