Tomorrow's hearing on H.F. 953 by the Minnesota House Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division Committee has been canceled.. The proposed bill, which would regulate firearm sales in a number of ways related to gun show, is sponsored by Representative Paymar. Prior to the cancellation of the meeting, Paymar reportedly asked to have the bill removed from the committee's agenda.
As a gun rights supporter, we oppose the bill (more about it here at a rightie blog) and had written to our state representative expressing our opposition to the measure.
It's our understanding that the likelihood of the hearing being rescheduled is very low; a source says that the bill is probably dead for the session. We hope so, but will be keeping an eye on things. We only regret that arguments from both sides won't be getting a public hearing in the committee, since sunlight is the best way to deal with controversial legislation.
We encourage readers to write their state legislators about this bill--and any other that they are concerned about. Democracy only suffers when citizens see it as a consumer item or spectator sport.
Many people, that I know, had planned to attend the committee meeting and submit arguments against the bill.
It is great to see the bill die (so far) in committee and we can thank all of our gun-rights legislators and the constituents who did their part.
Unfortunately last week a companion bill was introduced in the Senate.
https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF1165&ssn=0&y=2009
It is assigned to Judiciary committee now. We will have to see where this one ends up.
Posted by: Marc | March 09, 2009 at 02:35 PM