Gun News

Wisconsin: NRA concerned about implementation of Right-to-Carry

A top official with the National Rifle Association sent Wisconsin's pro gun attorney general a sharply worded letter Wednesday over how he is interpreting the state's new law allowing people to carry concealed weapons.

Read About It: The Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisc.)

Florida: Broward Commission wants Broward 'exempt' from gun legislation

Broward County Commissioners will ask Florida Legislators to exempt Broward County from House Bill 45, the recently enacted state law that allows anyone with a concealed weapons permit to take a handgun into a public building or park. The law also includes fines of up to $5,000 for each appointed or elected official who violates the law, holding them personally liable.

Read About It: Broward County (Fla.)

Oregon: Right-to-Carry case clears court hurdle

A three year legal dispute in Jackson County over issuing concealed handgun licenses to medical marijuana patients has piqued the interest of the U.S. Supreme Court. The case involving Sheriff Mike Winters versus Cynthia Willis has cleared an important first hurdle with the high court, which sent out a Sept. 30 letter asking Willis' attorney, Leland Berger, to file a written response to the sheriff's legal arguments.

Read About It: Daily Tidings (Ashland, Ore.)

NRA concerned about implementation of concealed-carry law

NRA-ILA chief lobbyist Chris Cox sent Wisconsin's attorney general a sharply worded letter Wednesday over how he is interpreting the state's new law allowing people to carry concealed weapons.

Read About It: JSOnline

Kentucky: Subcommittee Meets Next Tuesday to Discuss Sandhill Crane Hunting Season

On Tuesday, October 11, a subcommittee of eight members will meet to discuss the proposed plans for Kentucky’s new sandhill crane hunting season.  Already approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this subcommittee is the final step before the proposed plan can go into effect. If all goes as planned, the sandhill crane hunting season could begin as early as December 17.  Land east of the Mississippi has not seen sandhill cranes hunted in over a century due to a decrease in the species’ population.  Over the last three decades their population has grown more than 300% to the point where hunters in thirteen states currently enjoy being able to participate in the hunting and proper management of this species.   The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is confident that the thirty-day hunting season would result in approximately 400 birds harvested, which is less than one percent of the total population.  The goal of the KDFWR proposal is to allow the greatest possible participation for hunters, while being certain the sandhill crane population is properly maintained for future generations. Please contact members of the Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee and respectfully urge them to SUPPORT the proposed plan for the Kentucky sandhill crane hunting season.  Contact information can be found below. Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee: Senator Joe Bowen (R-8), Co-Chairman (502) 564-8100 Ext. 662 Click here to e-mail Representative Johnny Bell (D-23), Co-Chairman (502) 564-8100 Ext. 688 Johnny.Bell@lrc.ky.gov Senator David Givens (R-9) (502) 564-8100 Ext. 624 Click here to e-mail Senator Alice Forgy Kerr (R-12) (502) 564-8100 Ext. 625 Alice.Kerr@lrc.ky.gov Senator Joey Pendleton (D-3) (502) 564-8100 Ext. 622 Click here to e-mail Representative Robert R. Damron (D-39) (502) 564-2217 Robert.Damron@lrc.ky.gov Representative Danny Ford (R-80) (502) 564-5855 Danny.Ford@lrc.ky.gov Representative Jimmie Lee (D-25) (502) 564-8100 Ext. 650 Jimmie.Lee@lrc.ky.gov

NRA Victory in Battle with Environmental Groups Over Use of Lead Ammunition for Hunting in Arizona Strip

In a major legal victory, a federal judge ruled recently in favor of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and threw a lawsuit filed by the environmental group, Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) out of US District Court in Phoenix, Arizona. The case is Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, et al.  Safari Club International had joined the case as a “friend of the court” and assisted NRA with its successful efforts. CBD’s lawsuit, filed on January 27, 2009, alleged that the BLM and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) were illegally mismanaging federal lands in Arizona.  The lawsuit challenged the allowance of off road vehicles, construction of roads, inadequate protection of desert tortoises, and inadequate protection of California condors. Among other things, the suit sought to force BLM to ban the use of lead ammunition for hunting in the Arizona Strip, a rugged area in the northwest corner of the state renowned for great hunting. CBD contended California condors in Arizona and elsewhere were being poisoned from scavenging game that was shot by hunters using lead shot or bullets. But the record plainly shows that California condors were reintroduced to this area of Arizona based on express promises by FWS and other agencies that the “reintroduction” would not impact hunting. Among other things, the Court ruled that CBD had waived its claims concerning BLM’s failure to assess the alleged impact of lead ammunition on condors because “[i]t did not argue that BLM was required to include the potential effects of lead ammunition in [BLM’s] analysis of environmental impacts.” Even before today’s ruling, NRA's intervention on behalf of its members in the case had already resulted in several legal victories.  A January 13, 2010 court ruling granting NRA's motion to intervene was recently published in the official Federal Rules Decision Reporter. The Federal Rules Decisions Reporter is a compendium of selected United States District Court rulings that specifically interpret and apply the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure.  Publication of this court ruling is important to hunters and NRA members because it sets legal precedent and confirms that there is "significantly protectable interest" in hunting that can justify intervention by hunter's rights groups like NRA in the increasing number of lawsuits filed by so-called environmental groups against state and federal natural resource, game and land management agencies. Groups like CBD often file lawsuits alleging improper regulatory action or inaction in managing public lands and natural resources in attempting to advance their anti-hunting agenda. NRA has collected thousands of documents via public records act requests over the last two years on the lead ammunition issue.  Many of these documents raise doubts about the veracity of claims that lead ammunition is poisoning condors. In fact, many documents obtained by NRA indicate that claim is based on faulty and intentionally misleading science. To see key documents filed in this case, visit http://michellawyers.com/cbdvblm.