There are five MSSA bills scheduled for public hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and Thursday of next week, February 11th and 12th. The HJC meets at 8 AM in Room 137 of the State Capitol. Here are the bills for each day:
Wednesday
HB 298 – Permitless carry. Will allow concealed carry without a permit inside city limits by persons eligible to possess firearms, the same as it has been outside city limits in Montana for 24 years.
HB 320 – Guns on school grounds. Will clarify that school boards have full authority over discipline of kids who forget a hunting rifle in a car in the school parking lot, and that federal law does NOT mandate an automatic one-year expulsion.
HB 371 – Prohibited places. People with CWPs will be able to carry in a bunch of formerly prohibited places, including restaurants that have a liquor license, but not including genuine bars.
Thursday
HB 281 – Game wardens. Will require that game wardens must comply with all the same requirements for arrest, search and seizure as deputy sheriffs, and will provide an affirmative defense of a trivial mistake for persons charged with violating game laws.
HB 388 – Fix Montana Supreme Court mistake. The Legislature enacted 45-3-112 in 2009 at MSSA’s request, to require that in an alleged or apparent case of self defense police investigators must investigate ALL evidence, including evidence that might corroborate legitimate self defense. The MSC held that 45-3-112 made no effective change in Montana law. HB 388 clarifies the language to fix that MSC mistake.
If you can come to Helena to support these bills, that will be outstanding. If so, please review my advice for testifying to a committee at:
http://progunleaders.org/Legislative%20Process/hearing.html
If you can’t get to Helena to support these bills, please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee via the Message Center, 444-4800, or the Online Message Form at:
http://leg.mt.gov/css/About-the-Legislature/Lawmaking-Process/contact-legislators.asp#email
Ask Committee members to please support these bills.
Thanks loads for your ongoing help. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRITICAL!
Best wishes,
Gary Marbut, President
Montana Shooting Sports Association
https://www.mtssa.org
Author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.MTPublish.com