Alert for week of February 11 in Annapolis

(2-8-2002) Hearings of concern to us this week involve public information and domestic violence. These bills represent our first targets. Please distribute this alert to our people, and make your legislative calls as listed below. (Out of state subscribers -- this is an example of what could come your way!)

1. ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES TO GUT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT

Sunshine is one of the best weapons left to us as gunowners. Our ability to expose details of Glendening's worst shennanigans has helped us hold his gun-banners at bay. The Public Information Act gives us that access. If not for PIA, we'd never have blown the cover off their failure to prepare a training class necessary for purchase of handguns. It might have become a de facto gun ban.

Glendening's answer to this is to gut the Public Information Act. Administrators would be free to CENSOR any state documents at will.

The two administration bills SB 240 and HB 297 (that we think of as a "Corruption Protection Act") will be heard this week. Your committee call list and sample messages are appended. MAKE CALLS!

2. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BILLS BECOME FIREARM CONFISCATION VEHICLES

One bill to be heard this week would allow judges to issue ex parte protection orders, that is, a protection order could be issued to ban someone's possession of firearms or ammunition WITHOUT THEIR HAVING A DAY IN COURT ... much less ever being accused of a crime! The first you'd know an order had been issued against you is when you get home to find the sherrif's office made entry to confiscate your property. This is HB 381.

Another bill would mandate that a judge in domestic cases check if those involved own firearms ... and if so, issue an order for the sherrif to confiscate them! This is HB 382.

It's hard to believe these measures could be seriously proposed in America, but they are, and it is up to us to STOP THEM.

ACTIVISM IS A TEAM EFFORT

... So give us something to work with in Annapolis, teammates. Please run up the numbers in committee phone logs. When spokesmen say gunowners have concerns, legislators must believe it relates to real people whose presence can be measured ... and maybe later felt at the polls too.

Get your friends and family dialing too. Don't let them complain. If they can't spend 30 minutes a week dialing a phone for freedom, then shame on them, and woe is the future of liberty. A little effort put in by everyone adds up to a lot of political force. DO IT.

** ACTION ITEM **

WHO:

ALL OF YOU!

WHAT:

Call key committee members listed below, and tell them NO.

WHEN:

Calls must flood in between Monday, Feb 11, and Thursday, Feb 14. (Hearings are on the 13'th and 14'th, so public comment should be recorded before the committee votes after their hearings.)

HOW:

Call any legislator's extension toll free at either 301 858 xxxx or 410 841 xxxx

1. SB 240, the Administration's Censorship Bill: "Please ask the Senator to strongly oppose this bill."
Michael Collins x 3642
Roy Dyson x 3673
Andrew Harris x 3706
Alex Mooney x 3575
Sandra Schrader x 3572
Norman Stone x 3587

2. HB 297, the Administration's Censorship Bill: "Please ask the Delegate to strongly oppose this bill."
John Arnick x 3458
Elizabeth Bobo x 3205
David Brinkley x 3107
William Bronrott x 3019
James Crouse x 3421
Diane DeCarlo x 3384
Barry Glassman x 3289
James Malone x 3378
Joanne Parrott x 3289
B. Riley x 3289
Christopher Shank x 3447
Louise Snodgrass x 3240
Theodore Sophocleus x 3233
John Wood x 3502

3. HB 381 and HB 382, confiscation from protective order bills: "Please ask the Delegate to strongly oppose these measures."
David Boschert x 3223
William Cole x 3319
Dana Dembrow x 3045
Tawanna Gaines x 3058
Joseph Getty x 3371
John Giannetti x 3058
Thomas Hutchins x 3247
Kevin Kelly x 3404
Kenneth Montague x 3259
Donald Murphy x 3378
Tony O'Donnell x 3314
David Valderrama x 3012