Gun Owners of America Fax/Email Alert
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703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408

http://www.gunowners.org

Utah Legislative Update — February 4, 2000

Your cards, letters, faxes and postcards have the capitol buzzing!
Governor “Gun Control” Leavitt is up in arms, worried that his
anti-gun agenda is in danger. Now, like a cornered animal, he is at
his most dangerous, willing to stop at nothing to force gun control
down the throats of Utah’s citizens. Please, right away, use the
included rosters and once again call your Representatives and
Senators. Tell them “NO GUN CONTROL in 2000.”

Leavitt and other anti-gun legislators are applying a lot of
pressure to ram their agenda through — it is critical that you
contact your legislators again immediately and urge them to stand up
for your rights.

Here are details on the latest developments:

Gun Owners Make Some Headway Against Current of Bad Bills

The latest “No-Safety Zone ” bill in Utah has been stopped in
Committee — at least for now.

Rep. Dave Jones’s HB 248, which would have banned guns in schools,
churches and private residences was tabled in committee on Tuesday,
despite anti-gun maneuverings by the acting Committee Chair Ron
Bigelow and his cronies. As of now, it appears that it will stay
dead, but GOA will keep you posted.

Gun Owners from across Utah, numbering around 100, made a strong
show of opposition at the hearing but still the vote was close.
That means that many politicians still haven’t gotten the message:
NO GUN CONTROL IN 2000.

Gun Owners Lose Ground on Other Fronts

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee gave Utah gun owners a slap
in the face, passing HB 245, the “NO SAFETY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS” Act,
by a glaringly anti-gun vote of 9-0-2. Not only will this bill
treat a child with a toy gun as a violent criminal, but it opens the
door to Federal funds, allowing anti-gun feds to call shots in your
local affairs.

Remember — this bill treats gun owners as a separate, second class
of citizen. Please call your Representative and tell him or her
that this bill needs to apply to ALL violent offenses, or they need
to oppose it. NO GUN CONTROL IN 2000.

SB 72S1 (Terry Spencer) was heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee
and passed. Some other so-called “pro-gun groups,” afraid of bad
press and of losing a battle, gave up instead, actually helping to
pass this anti-gun bill! The sponsors made some token changes, but
while it was originally much worse, it remains an anti-gun bill
targeted at gun ownership. Do not be fooled just because they
aren’t asking you to sacrifice as much — gun owners will still be
giving up their rights if this passes.

Among other things, the bill as rewritten still calls for
unconstitutional ex post facto (after the fact) penalties — holding
juvenile offenses against people in order to deny gun rights. And
once again creating a separate second class of citizen — the gun
owner. This tactic is being used very effectively against gun owners
in nearby Colorado — don’t let it happen here!

Gun Owners Action Item

Rabid anti-gun Rep. Dave Jones is not about to let the opinion of
the public (see HB 248 above) affect his agenda. HB 95, The
Jones-Leavitt plan for BRADY REGISTRATION OF PRIVATE SALES of guns
at “gun shows” will be heard FEB. 4 at 9 AM in Room 225.

If you buy a gun at a so-called “gun show” Mike Leavitt and Dave
Jones want Big Brother to know about it. This is the next major
step towards a complete gun owner database. Plus, anti-gun
Democrats have already moved the goal line. They think “gun show”
registration is a sure thing. ALL private sales may be registered
with Big Brother. If it passes, anti-gunners win and it could result
in the closing down of gun shows in Utah.

Please contact committee members and insist that they OPPOSE HB 95.

Bud Bowman [email protected] 435-586-8174
Jack A. Seitz [email protected] 435-789-0650
Loraine Pace [email protected] 435-753-6154
Blake D. Chard [email protected] 801-773-7474
Carl Saunders [email protected] 801-476-1110
Nora Stephens [email protected] 801-825-3792
Susan Koehn [email protected] 801-296-1761
David L. Hogue [email protected] 801-254-1668
Perry L. Buckner [email protected] 801-964-8215
Duane Bourdeaux [email protected] 801-596-8784
Trisha Beck [email protected] 801-572-2325

All can be contacted at: 801-538-1029