Dear MSSA Friends,
Well, not exactly. I’m home now.
Tuesday morning at 8 AM I attended a public hearing before the House Judiciary Committee to support MSSA’s School Safety Act, HB 385, to allow for armed teachers. Garrett Bacon of Helena also came to support the bill (thanks Garrett), but he was the only other proponent. There were about 30 Moms Demand Action there. Each side was allowed 20 minutes. One of the MDA bill opponents took up over 10 minutes of that time with unpersuasive testimony. Others of the 30 were frustrated when their side ran out of time and they were only allowed to state their name for the record. I must admit that it is frustrating when some clueless dolt burns most or all of your side’s time with wasted talk, but I admit to not being so disturbed when it happened to the other side. The committee has not yet taken action on the bill, but I think it likely the Committee will approve the bill. It’s not too late to send messages to Committee members asking them to support HB 385. Do it.
Tuesday afternoon, the Senate passed Permitless Carry (HB 262) and Post Office Carry (HB 246) on Second Reading. Both of those were passed by the Senate today on Third Reading. Since neither was amended by the Senate, both will now go to the Governor. In a different email to you (maybe tomorrow) I’ll offer information and suggestions for messages to the Governor about these two bills. Neither one passed with a veto-proof majority, which would be 34 votes in the Senate and 67 in the House.
Later on Tuesday afternoon I attended a public hearing before the House Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Committee to support HB 151, a bill to prevent FWP from using for other purposes the money the Legislature appropriates for the Shooting Range Development Program. There were several opponents, including FWP and their reliable sidekick the National Wildlife Federation. I told how FWP had diverted the SRDP funding from two previous legislative sessions. I think the Committee was sympathetic because legislators don’t like executive branch agencies and personnel ignoring legislative intent. Please contact the House FWP Committee and ask that committee members support HB 151.
BTW, HB 151 and HB 262 (Permitless Carry) were MSSA bills (bills for which we overtly asked for introduction) last session. They were not on the final MSSA legislative agenda this session, but we couldn’t hardly not support them when sponsors reintroduced them this session since they were introduced last session at MSSA’s request.
This morning at 9 AM I attended a public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of SB 99 and SJR 11. Garrett Bacon was there again in support (thanks again Garrett), but nobody else showed up to support these two MSSA bills.
Senate Joint Resolution 11 is the measure to provide the first authoritative definition for the critical phrase in the Montana Constitution “shall not be called in question.” Surprisingly, there were no opponents. I guess the Moms Demand Action wore themselves out on Tuesday.
SB 99 is the bill to prohibit state and local public employees (cops) from enforcing any new federal restrictions on firearms or magazines. SB 99 was opposed by county attorneys and the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, although the opposition was not as spirited as it has sometimes been in the past.
NEW BILL. A bill has been introduced for a referendum to upgrade the right to hunt, fish, and trap in the Montana Constitution, SB 236, sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Fielder. It will have a public hearing tomorrow (2/16) before the Senate Fish and Game Committee. I emailed a letter of support for SB 236 from MSSA. Please send messages to the Committee in support of SB 236.
Every change to the Montana Constitution must be voted on by the people. To put SB 236 on the ballot requires 100 votes combined out of the 150 possible votes in the Senate and House. That’s a pretty heavy lift, so your ongoing support for SB 236 will be needed.
That’s enough for now.
Best wishes,
-- Gary Marbut, president Montana Shooting Sports Association https://www.mtssa.org Author, Gun Laws of Montana http://www.mtpublish.com