MN gun control bill aims to close sales loophole

[Magnum Mikie]

The anti's have short memories. Don't they remember Morton Grove's gun ban in the early 1980's? I sure do.

http://www.davekopel.com/2A/OthWr/KuklaResponse.htm

http://www.davekopel.com/2A/OthWr/QuiliciReponse.htm

[nyffman]

Considering the present membership in both the Minnesota Legislature and the US Congress, I have preemptively sold all firearms. It was real easy. I just put up a few handmade ads at local grocery stores, etc. "Guns for Sale" and my address. Last one left the house this morning. It was fun while it lasted, but one must adapt to the times. I will, of course, continue voting and writing my legislators in hope that sanity and common sense will, some day become common again.

[Widge]

Unfortunately, all my Reps, Senator, US Rep, and US Senator are socialists...er...DFL. However I did e mail Rep. Falk and Rep. Paymar.

[Pat]

I Wrote both my local rep and the committee chair.

[Stradawhovious]

Emails sent....... Even to my local rep that apparently co-authored the bill If I wasn't on any lists before, I sure as hell am now!

[Widge]

Color me surprised! less than an hour to reply!

Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:17:00 -0600
From: "Andrew Falk" <rep.andrew.falk@house.mn>
To: <chief@*****.com>
Subject: Re: H.F. No. 953, 56149

Guy, Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have reviewed HF 953 and agree that it is not necessary. I do believe that our current firearm laws are sufficient. And like you stated, individuals who choose to break the law will break the law regardless. This is just a further encroachment on our rights (as legal citizens) to bear arms. Once again, thank you for bringing this bill to my attention. While I am unaware of any action to send this to the House Floor, I will watch carefully for it. Best regards, Andrew Falk

Representative Andrew Falk 431 State Office Building 100 Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, MN 55155 Office: 651-296-4228 Email: rep.andrew.falk@house.mn View my website at: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/member ... strict=20A

My original message:

chief@******.com

Dear representative Falk, I write to urge you to oppose H.F. No. 953 introduced by Rep. Paymar. This is another attempt to introduce legislation sponsored by a vocal minority that will do nothing to curb illegal gun sales or prevent criminal use of firearms, and a lot to unnecessarily inconvenience and restrict those who lawfully exercise their rights under the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution. As the serving Chief of Police in my City, and a LEO of over 20 years, I can tell you from first hand experience that criminals do not care what legislation is passed, they will not comply, that is why they are criminals. The only people this will affect are the law-abiding, those who we rely on to support us, our friends and neighbors. I draw your attention to this particularly egregious piece of wording:

(lines 2.15-2.17) 'The permits and their renewal shall be granted free of charge for a fee not to exceed $5 above the expenses incurred by the chief of police or sheriff for processing the transferee permit application.'

This will allow those Chief officers of Agencies that oppose the right to carry a firearm 'carte blanche' to impose whatever ludicrous charges they see fit, in an effort to discourage citizens from applying. It is gun control by the back door. Once again, I urge you to oppose this bill should be presented to the House. I look forward to hearing from you.

Guy *********************

(Man, I wish I'd spell checked that sucker before I sent it)

[westberg]

Widge,

Thank you for taking the time to address this issue, I feel a letter from you with the position you hold carries a lot more weight then from just a permit holder. I have also sent a letter to our representative who is Jeremy Kalin (D) but pro gun and he did mention he has not heard a good enough argument to support this bill.

[Stradawhovious]

Whodathunkit.. I got a reply within an hour as well from Rep. Jeff Hayden (Co-Author)

Thank you for sending an e-mail. I appreciate hearing from you.
Since I personally read and review each of the hundreds of e-mails
I receive daily, it often takes time to respond to everyone.

If your e-mail is urgent, or an invitation to an upcoming meeting,
please call my Legislative Assistant, Lutunji Abram at 651-296-
5322 or e-mail to lutunji.abram@house.mn

Also, many of the e-mail messages I receive come from around the
state. My policy is to give residents who live in my district my
top priority and will respond to non-constituents if time permits.
if you are a resident of my district, I encourage you to reply to
this message and send me your full name and postal address. By
doing this, I will move your name ahead of all non-constituents
and will be able to reply to you sooner.

You may want to review what I am working on by clicking on the
following web link: http://www.house.mn/61b

I'm sure this will be the last I hear about it.

[Widge]

Widge,

Thank you for taking the time to address this issue, I feel a letter from you with the position you hold carries a lot more weight then from just a permit holder. I have also sent a letter to our representative who is Jeremy Kalin (D) but pro gun and he did mention he has not heard a good enough argument to support this bill.

Despite what some may think, I confine my Jack Booted Thuggery to the ungodly in our midst The rest of the day I'm all about the good times! Even though ( or even because) I am a cop, I believe in, and support the Constitution every day just like everyone else on here (well, almost everyone).

[DeanC]

Wow - from your first message Widge I didn't think you were going to bother to write. I'm glad you did. Great response.

[Dick Unger]

Andrew Falk is apparently another pro 2A rural Democrat. I know him, but did not know he was supportive of our stuff. He's pro wind energy and environment and is a farmer. He's new to the legislature; replaced Aaron Peterson, who unfortunately was not supportive of gun rights. Aaron decided not to run again.

He beat a strong Republican challanger in 2008, but not by much, considering it's a DFL District.

It may help if he gets positve reinforcement from gunnies.

[WWJD]

Widge,

Thank you for taking the time to address this issue, I feel a letter from you with the position you hold carries a lot more weight then from just a permit holder. I have also sent a letter to our representative who is Jeremy Kalin (D) but pro gun and he did mention he has not heard a good enough argument to support this bill.

Despite what some may think, I confine my Jack Booted Thuggery to the ungodly in our midst The rest of the day I'm all about the good times! Even though ( or even because) I am a cop, I believe in, and support the Constitution every day just like everyone else on here (well, almost everyone).

And HOW MUCH did those AR's cost??

You've probably spent more in ammo than you paid for those puppies!!

Updated with any goodies yet? (New uppers, I hope) at a minimal dept. cost

[nyffman]

Here's an article about how well registration is working out in Canada. It may be worth sending this to your representatives if they are considering supporting this.

One of the most expensive and ineffective programs ever imposed on the people of Canada has been the long-gun registry for non-restricted firearms. When the federal Liberals first introduced the long-gun registry 10 years ago, they insisted the cost would be about $2 million. Today, its cost is pegged at $2 billion and counting.

Registered long guns were used in homicides nine times from 1997 to 2004 and the registry of some seven million firearms did not prevent any of these deaths. Instead, 84 per cent of the firearms used in the commission of crimes are unregistered and 75 per cent of those were illegal guns smuggled into Canada. Where firearms were used in a violent crime, more than 71 per cent involved handguns and only nine per cent involved rifles or shotguns. Very few of those were even registered.
There were 306 illegal breaches of the national police database documented between 1995 and 2003 and 121 of those cases are still unsolved. Many police investigators have publicly voiced their concerns that the gun registry has been breached and become a shopping list for thieves. Mr. Breitkreuz sums up his position this way, "Many Canadians have come to realize that the long-gun registry wasn't working because it targets the wrong people. Criminals are not hampered in the least by the registry." Even the Auditor General's 2002 report says the program was excessively regulatory, overly complex and very costly to deliver and had become difficult for owners to comply

[westberg]

I forwarded the link and text to my Representative, suggesting that the cost to startup and maintain alone is enough to kill this bill.

[JohninMinnesota]

NRAILA sent this message out today:

Minnesota Gun Registration Scheme to be Heard Friday!

Please Contact the Members of the House Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division!
On Friday, March 6, House File 953, introduced by State Representative Michael Paymar (DFL-64B), will be voted on by the House Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division Committee.

This bill was designed to not only regulate the sale of firearms at gun shows, but to regulate the sale of firearms between law-abiding persons, all across Minnesota. As a whole, HF 953 will only affect law-abiding gun owners, and in no way keeps guns out of the hands of criminals.

A particularly troublesome provision in HF 953 creates a de facto registration system by requiring records of all transfers to be maintained by the state. These records would be made available to all authorities, including for use in “civil” cases, which are often brought by anti-gun government officials and are designed to damage or interfere with lawful commerce in firearms.

HF 953 is a direct attack on Minnesota’s gun rights. It also removes the carry permit holders’ exemption from the purchase permit requirement for all handgun or semi-automatic rifle purchases, not just those completed at gun shows, and increases the waiting period from five to seven days.

Please contact the members of the Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to protect our Second Amendment rights and oppose this bill. Contact information can be found below.

State Representative John Lesch (DFL) Chairman
Phone: 651-296-4224
Email: rep.john.lesch@house.mn

State Representative Ron Shimanski (R) Vice Chair
Phone: 651-296-1534
Email: rep.ron.shimanski@house.mn

State Representative Debra Hilstrom (DFL)
Phone: 651-296-3709
Email: rep.debra.hilstrom@house.mn

State Representative Kory Kath (DFL)
Phone: 651-296-5368
Email: rep.kory.kath@house.mn

State Representative Paul Kohls (R)
Phone: 651-296-4282
Email: rep.paul.kohls@house.mn

State Representative Jenifer Loon (R)
Phone: 651-296-7449
Email: rep.jenifer.loon@house.mn

State Representative Dave Olin (DFL)
Phone: 651-296-9635
Email: rep.dave.olin@house.mn
----------- ---------------- --------------------

Here's a copy of what I sent to Paymar. It was slightly modified from the one I sent to others.

Dear Representative Paymar,

I want you to know I oppose HF 953. Law abiding citizens don't need further regulation. Gun sales at gun shows are closely monitored already, and sellers already capture purchaser information with the threat of breaking or being liable under existing laws. Sellers at gun shows are law abiding citizens who have the right to be there selling guns. They are fully aware of the consequences of selling a gun to a criminal. There is no evidence this legislation will do one thing to prevent criminals from obtaining guns. Criminals steal guns.

Criminals are by defnition those who don't abide by laws. To end gun violence, end violent criminal's careers - early. Maybe on their second felony, as opposed to giving them light sentences and letting them keep repeating.

As a gun owner, I already know that selling a gun to someone who doesn't have a valid permit to purchase a handgun or a valid permit to carry a handgun leaves me exposed to being held liable for providing a felon with a gun. Further restricting me, taxing me, making me pay more transfer fees, and restricting my 2nd ammendment rights is just going to penalize me - a law abiding citizen, taxpayer... voter.

Thank you for your time.
--

Thanks!