Arizona House Caves In To Anti-gunners
— Preemption bill pulled in protest

Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408

http://www.gunowners.org

Immediate Action: Hammer The Sell-outs!

February 3, 2000

To all GOA activists in Arizona:

With the full support of GOA and Brassroots, Inc. (Arizona’s premier
no-compromise gun lobby), Rep. Wes Marsh (R-28) has WITHDRAWN HB
2582, the bill to strengthen your preemption law. It was the only
right thing to do.

Here’s why.

On Monday, the House Committee Of the Whole approved an amendment by
Rep. Susan Gerard (R-18) that thoroughly gutted the bill and perhaps
made it worse than even current law. The amendment added one
paragraph to the bill. That paragraph specifically gives cites and
municipalities (political subdivisions) the statutory ability to ban
gun possession on any property they control– such as streets and
sidewalks.

You have been telling legislators to oppose such anti-gun amendments
from day one– just in case the anti-gunners tried something like
this.

More than half of the House had sponsored or cosponsored the bill!
Those legislators alone could have stopped this amendment! They are
the ones who allowed this travesty to occur!

In typical politician fashion of ducking responsibility, this was
not a recorded vote. It was a voice vote– making it easy for
politicians to lie about what they did– and harder for us determine
exactly what happened. Recorded votes are always better than voice
votes.

Of course, pulling the bill does not mean the battle for preemption
is over for the year. Quite the contrary. It sends the signal that
Arizona gun owners will accept nothing less than full preemption,
and should serve as a rallying point for all pro-gun activists.

Please! Use the contact info and pre-written letter to express your
outrage. (Especially after betrayal like this, it is much better if
you write your own text and have a friend send the pre-written
letter, but the important thing is that EVERYONE needs to act.)

TARGET THE SPONSORS AND COSPONSORS OF PREEMPTION WHO SHOULD HAVE
STOPPED THIS ATTACK ON YOUR RIGHTS BUT DID NOT.

The next move is to get the original language restored using the
technique known as “strike and replace.” Under that scenario,
another bill that is just languishing in committee is amended by
striking ALL of its language and replacing it with the text of HB
2582 as originally written. So the bill number will change, but the
language will advance. GOA will of course let you know when the new
bill needs to be pushed (probably early next week)– through the
same Committee of the Whole that just gutted it.

No doubt the anti-gunners, elated by their successful manipulation
of the sell-outs in Committee of the Whole, will try again.

So the sell-outs have to be spanked like the misbehaving children
they are and made to do the right thing next time. Please act today.

Warning: some politicians are almost certain to use the built-in
camoflauge of a voice vote to make you go away. They will state, “I
did my part– I was there and voted right.” Or, “I even shouted as
loud as I could.” Or, “I thought we had won, but the Chair said the
ayes have it.” Some of that, or even all of it, could be true.

NOTHING CHANGES THE FACT THAT A BILL WITH A MAJORITY OF REPS AS
COSPONSORS WAS GUTTED ON A VOICE VOTE!

The pre-written letter follows the roster.

————————-
Arizona House of Representatives:

Sponsors and cosponsors of HB 2582.

Dis Name E-mail Phone

01 Binder [email protected] 602-542-5413
01 Blewster [email protected] 602-542-5412
02 Hart [email protected] 602-542-4079
02 Verkamp [email protected] 602-542-3300
03 Gordon [email protected] 602-542-5835
03 Laughter [email protected] 602-542-5862
04 Brimhall [email protected] 602-542-5861
04 Flake [email protected] 602-542-5219
06 Daniels [email protected] 602-542-5898
08 Griffin [email protected] 602-542-5761
08 Maiorana [email protected] 602-542-5058
09 McGibbon [email protected] 602-542-3235
12 Huffman shuffman[email protected] 602-542-3394
12 Schottel [email protected] 602-542-5839
13 Dunbar [email protected] 602-542-5828
15 Gleason [email protected] 602-542-5409
15 Overton [email protected] 602-542-5894
16 Gray [email protected] 602-542-3376
16 Weiers [email protected] 602-542-4639
17 Burns [email protected] 602-542-5872
17 McGrath [email protected] 602-542-3255
19 Carpenter [email protected] 602-542-1859
19 Voss [email protected] 602-542-5168
21 Cooley [email protected] 602-542-5874
21 Jarrett [email protected] 602-542-3163
23 Avelar [email protected] 602-542-3278
26 HatchMiller [email protected] 602-542-5051
26 May [email protected] 602-542-5408
27 Gardner [email protected] 602-542-5896
27 Knaperek [email protected] 602-542-5169
28 Allen [email protected] 602-542-4225
28 Marsh [email protected] 602-542-5503
29 Anderson [email protected] 602-542-4371
29 Gardner [email protected] 602-542-5760
30 Groscost [email protected] 602-542-5735
30 Johnson [email protected] 602-542-4467

——– Pre-written letter ——–

Dear Representative,

I was shocked and outraged to hear that the Committee of the Whole
gutted HB 2582, the Arizona firearms preemption bill, by passing the
Gerard amendment.

Gun owners have been asking that you support HB 2582 and oppose all
weakening amendments. You are on record as supporting this
legislation as written. The Gerard amendment trashed the bill so
thoroughly that the sponsor withdrew it. Wes Marsh is to be
commended for that action; it shows a commitment that is sadly
lacking from you.

The action of the House Committee of the Whole is completely
unacceptable.

There is a movement to “strike and replace” to restore the original
language. You will have a chance at redemption.

When next the preemption bill comes before the Committee of the
Whole– with the original language– you must:

1. Be present and make certain observers hear your loud opposition
to anti-gun amendments and support for the original language.

2. Urge every other sponsor or cosponsor of HB 2582 to join you.
Sheer numerical advantage means there is no excuse for losing a
voice vote.

3. Use every legislative tactic to exclude anti-gun amendments and
force recorded votes.

In light of what has happened, this time I must respectfully insist
rather than politely ask. Strong preemption passed the Arizona House
last year, and there is no reason why it should not pass again in
2000.

Sincerely