Pro-Gun Bills Pre-Filed in Texas
TSRA
The Texas Legislature has convened in its 2009 Regular Session. Tuesday, January 13. State Representative Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) pre-filed House Bill 267, legislation allowing Texans to purchase rifles and shotguns in non-contiguous states. Currently, federal law allows the interstate sales of such firearms, but a conflicting Texas law only allows residents to buy long guns in the neighboring states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. This state law has prevented the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) from approving sales of rifles and shotguns in 45 other states to Texas residents. Another pro-gun bill, pre-filed is HB 410 by State Representative Carl Isett (R-Lubbock). This legislation repeals the requirement that when stopped by law enforcement a Texas concealed handgun licensees display their license when carrying their handgun. Under current law failure to display the license when carrying a handgun may lead to the license being suspended for 90 days and/or the person charged with a class A or a class B misdemeanor. Law enforcement is made aware of the status of the concealed handgun licensee during the wants and warrants check. Technology has made the old law unnecessary and a potential hardship for licensees. Support HB 410 by Isett! Please contact your State Representatives and politely ask them to sign on as co-authors to HB 267 and HB 410. Updated contact information for returning and newly elected House members can be found next week at www.house.state.tx.us. More

Obama and the Second Amendment
from FOX News
Despite a huge Democratic Senate majority, Eric Holder’s confirmation hearings are going to be difficult. He has a long record to defend. Whether it is his involvement and inconsistent statements about Bill Clinton’s pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich’s or his pushing Clinton’s clemency of the FALN terrorists or his failure to disclose his work for troubled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich after Blagojevich's legal problems surfaced, he faces tough questions. More

More Gun Control not a Viable Answer to Crime
from The Bakersfield Californian
They're sneaking up on us again, and gun owners and hunters need to be forewarned of another plot to take away our Second Amendment rights. "Ammunition Accountability," a newly formed group of ammunition coding supporters, is working to pass legislation to make ammo-coding a reality. More

Study: Gun Purchases Feared More Difficult
from NRA Hunters Rights
As NRAhuntersrights.org has reported recently, gun sales are booming in advance of President-elect Barack Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration. Now, survey results released this week explain why. According to a poll conducted by Southwick Associates Inc., hunters and shooters, by a large majority, feel that the coming changes in Washington D.C. will make it more difficult for them to purchase firearms. More

Campus Concealed Carry Law Would Protect Rights, Students
from the UTD Mercury
Licensed carriers of concealed handguns may soon secure the ability to protect themselves and others on campus.The Texas legislative session convened Jan. 13 with the prospect of legalizing concealed handguns on campus. Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) and Rep. Joe Driver (R-Garland) will sponsor bills that would legalize concealed carry on universities. The Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) ranks Congressmen based on their answers to a questionnaire and their voting record regarding gun rights. More than two-thirds of Texas State Representatives are rated A or A+ by the TSRA, according to W. Scott Lewis, adviser and former national media coordinator of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC). More

Fear of the Dark
from the Oklahoman
State wildlife officials are taking another shot at opening a bear hunting season. Allowing bear hunting in Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain and Pushmataha counties tops the list of proposed hunting and fishing regulation changes for 2009. While the bear season is likely the most controversial, other significant proposals involve antelope and elk hunting and fishing for blue catfish. More