Legislative bills to watch....so far. Updated Feb. 12th

[FarmerRick]

I'll update this post as new firearms-related bills are introduced.  To read any of these bills, go the search page and enter the bill number.

http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/

Please contact your senator about any concerns you may have with these bills...they won't know if you don't tell them.

http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/senators/senator_list.php

Firearms related:

LB35 Ashford- Adopt the Violence Prevention Act, prohibit certain gang activity, and change certain firearm provisions

LB35
-- Adopt the Violence Prevention Act, prohibit certain gang activity, and change certain firearm provisions
Committee: Judiciary Committee
Actions(s):
Notice of hearing for February 20, 2009
Location: Room 1113
Time: 1:30 PM

LB63 Friend- Change provisions relating to assault, firearms, graffiti, gang affiliation, juveniles, and jailhouse informers

LB63
-- Change provisions relating to assault, firearms, graffiti, gang affiliation, juveniles, and jailhouse informers
Committee: Judiciary Committee
Actions(s):
Notice of hearing for February 20, 2009
Location: Room 1113
Time: 1:30 PM

LB143 Langemeier- Nebraska Shooting Range Protection Act Has been withdrawn to be re-written and re-introduced

LB145 Avery- Prohibit firearms at schools, colleges, and universities as prescribed

LB273 Ashford- Change sheriff's fees and handgun certificate fees (makes handgun purchase permit $10)

LB273
-- Change sheriff's fees and handgun certificate fees
Committee: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
Actions(s): Notice of hearing for February 04, 2009

NFOA President Chris Zeeb testified at the end of the hearing that we were neutral, and recommended amending statute 69-2403 to make an exception for Concealed Handgun Permit holders to be excepted from having to get a handgun purchase permit.

LB430 Christensen- Amend the Concealed Handgun Permit Act and state the power of cities and villages with respect to firearms  (this is the one we've been hoping for!!)

LB503
-- Adopt the Nebraska Shooting Range Protection Act
Committee: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
Actions(s):
Notice of hearing for February 20, 2009
Location: Room 1507
Time: 1:30 PM 

Hunting/Outdoors related:

LB105 Natural Resources Committee- Change provisions relating to fees, licenses, permits, funds, penalties, and damages under the Game Law and the State Boat Act (raises all hunting/fishing fees over 50%, increases penalties also)



General topics of interest:

LB306 Council- Repeal the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole

[Aldo]

Thanks, FarmerRick.

LB145 has caught my attention.  I work at one of NU's health profession colleges, and last month an ALERT e-mail came across our computers regarding a warning to be on the lookout of a disgruntled former student who had terroristic threats about some of the faculty, and that it warned of potential danger from him (even had his photo!), and that if seen, the campus security should be notified immediately.

By the time campus security would get there, it would be too late!!!  Yet, interpretation of current law as well as the nail-in-the-coffin LB145 that is currently before the Judiciary Committee prevents folks from carrying.  That's unfortunate because I absolutely feel helpless when at the workplace.

And I don't feel comfortable in contacting Sen Avery or the Judicial Committee because I don't want my name out there.

The university and their health profession colleges is a tragedy waiting to happen from either some disgruntled student or some one coming to the place to either hold it up or looking for drugs.

Arrgghhh.

[FredG]

Correct me if I am wrong but if I read LB430 correctly, if passed it will blow Omaha's gun registration out the back door!  I hope.  Just sent an email to Senator Tom White urging his support of this bill.

[Dtrain323i]

Correct me if I am wrong but if I read LB430 correctly, if passed it will blow Omaha's gun registration out the back door!  I hope.  Just sent an email to Senator Tom White urging his support of this bill.

It probably SHOULD blow Omaha's ordinance out of the water. But I would expect a court battle before it would actually be repealed. I could see the Omaha city council saying "well it doesn't apply to us because blah blah blah" Then someone will have to sue the city for them to comply.

[475okh]

Omaha handgun registration is a total joke.  It does nothing to stop crime and only serves as a way for the powers to be to jack around the lawful people of Omaha.  The most important thing it does do is raise 10 bucks for the city for each handgun.  They will raise a stink if you try to take any revenue stream away from them..  I, for the life of me, cannot see how this is constitutional as imagine for a moment if the city tried to charge 10 bucks to attend a church service,  vote in a election, or even have a abortion.  The courts would come down on the city like a ton of bricks.  But even though we have a federal and state right to bear arms the locals can subject us to paying for this right.  Anyone know of any other rights that we are charged a fee???

[Aldo]

Anyone know of any other rights that we are charged a fee???

As homo sapiens, we are omnivorous, right? That means eating meat is a right of human nature.

Hey, if the global warmer's club has their way with taxation of beef, the cattlemen will have to pass along the proposed $175/head of cattle to the consumer....all because each cow fa*ts too much, and the methane is doing a number on the environment!

Kind of a wild example, but you asked for one.

[Aldo]

But I would expect a court battle before it would actually be repealed. I could see the Omaha city council saying "well it doesn't apply to us because blah blah blah" Then someone will have to sue the city for them to comply.

Before it even gets to the Omaha City Council, LB430 is gonna get a blast from Senator Brenda "Ernie in Disguise" Council.  Here is an e-mail exchange I recently had with Senator Council from Omaha:

• Dear Senator Council,
   
  As you are well aware, there are several NE cities who have their respective city ordinances that do not honor the NE Concealed Handgun Permit Act, with Omaha being the most restrictive.
   
  The recent ?legal opinion? of the NE Attorney General may appear to clarify the intent of the NE Concealed Handgun Permit Act, but, unfortunately, as noted in the various newspaper reports, these particular cities are only regarding the NE Attorney General?s opinion as just that?.an opinion.  A subsequent NE Attorney General could just as easily render a different ?legal opinion?.
   
  It would be greatly appreciated if you and your colleagues would introduce and advocate for legislation this current session regarding ?preemption? for NE citizens who have the NE concealed handgun permit.
  
  Respectfully,
  
  YYYYYYY

• Dear Mr. YYYYYY:
   
  I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail regarding the NE Concealed Handgun Permit Act.  This is to advise that I do not support the current law allowing the carrying of concealed weapons.  Therefore, I will not support any preemption legislation.
   
  Senator Brenda J. Council

• Dear Senator Council,
   
  Thank you for the e-mail response.  I respect your candidness and honesty.
   
  My prayers are that individuals who do not support carrying of concealed weapons will: 1) have respect and support the facts that those individuals who have CCW permits have been intensely scrutinized with law enforcement background checks and documented with fingerprints and handprints as well as photographed into the database of law enforcement, 2) really, really, really enforce the existing laws against those individuals who commit unlawful acts with guns (especially those with repeated criminal backgrounds but who are routinely returned back to the streets of society to wreak havoc against law-abiding citizens), and 3) realize that not supporting CCW laws for lawful citizens will NOT reduce crimes as long as point # 2 is not dealt with adequately.
   
  I am not aware of any CCW permit holders who have had any legal issues in NE relative to their guns.  The issues all seem to deal with true criminals who don?t care about gun free zones or even laws that would affect them for their wrongdoings.  In fact, whether it is Omaha or Lincoln, all of the gun-related incidents deal with criminals, and most of them have multiple offenses.  Law abiding citizens must have the right to appropriately defend themselves and their families as they are trained to do per strict law enforcement training requirements.
   
  Regards,
   
  YYYYYYYY

• Dear Mr. YYYYYY,
   
  The fact that persons with CCW permits are required to undergo extensive background checks and some degree of training does not, in my opinion, justify denying the rights of law-abiding citizens to have their local government create ?gun free zones.?  If the actions of these local elected officials do not represent the will of their constituents, there is an avenue of redress, i.e., the next election.
   
  The other point I want to share with you is that I have never correlated CCW laws with crime rates.  My opposition to CCW laws rests squarely on my belief that the carrying of weapons by anyone increases the risk of harm to others.
   
  In closing, while we don?t, and probably will never, agree on this issue, I trust that we will maintain this level of mutual respect.
   
  Senator Brenda J. Council

Hopefully, there's enough steam on the pro-LB430 side of the issue to get past this stuff.

[ranger04]

Perhaps Council should consider disarming the police and military. Geesh she should be a lefty in Chicago, she would fit in perfectly there. Just another politician who ignores the facts.

[Randy]

Omaha handgun registration is a total joke. But even though we have a federal and state right to bear arms the locals can subject us to paying for this right.  Anyone know of any other rights that we are charged a fee???

The Second Amendment is the only amendment that you have to pay a fee and or sign some paper to exercise.
CCP, purchase of firearm, Nebraska Firearm Purchase Permit

[Jay]

The hearing for LB273 will be next Wednesday:


LB273
-- Change sheriff's fees and handgun certificate fees
Committee: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
Actions(s): Notice of hearing for February 04, 2009

[Dtrain323i]

Perhaps Council should consider disarming the police and military. Geesh she should be a lefty in Chicago, she would fit in perfectly there. Just another politician who ignores the facts.

from the correspondence I've been reading on here. She would fit in BEAUTIFULLY in Mayor Daley's crew. (Former IL resident here)

[Wymore Wrangler]

I hate to say it, we as gun owners screwed the pooch on the last election, the man that ran against Brenda Council, also a democrat, belongs to my gun club, is very pro gun and pro police, and anti crime,  I'd would have mortaged my house if I thought it would have helped him beat Brenda Council....

[Jay]

Updated with upcoming hearing dates. Thanks to Cathy1911 for forwarding the information.