Gov Bobby Jindal Vetoed HB 523!!!

[CCW]

Thank you Gov. Jindal and everyone who contacted him to ask that he veto the bill.
It is listed on the Governor's website today.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Like I said in the other thread...

 

[Gus McCrae]

Great!

 

[dzelenka]

Thank you Gov. Jindal and everyone who contacted him to ask that he veto the bill.
It is listed on the Governor's website today.

give me a site. I can't find it on his website.

 

[Tulse Luper]

Got the letter here:
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louis..._Disclosure_Bill_Vetoes_Pens_Others__9179.asp

Today, Governor Bobby Jindal vetoed HB 523 and issued the following veto letter:



July 10, 2009





Mr. Alfred W. Speer

Clerk of the House of Representatives

State Capitol

Baton Rouge, LA 70802



Re: House Bill No. 523 by Representative Ernst



Dear Mr. Speer:



Under current law, it is illegal to carry a firearm “used in the commission of a crime of violence” within a parade zone. The purpose of this qualifying language is to require that the illegal use of a firearm is the primary element of the offense, not the mere possession of a firearm. House Bill No. 523 removes this important provision and criminalizes certain acts of mere possession. The National Rifle Association and others have requested veto of this bill in part because it does not exempt firearm carriers with a valid permit under R.S. 40:1379.3 or unintentional violators. In addition, I have signed House Bill No. 44, which creates the crime of reckless or criminally negligent discharge of a firearm within 1,000 feet of certain public events, including parades.



For these reasons, I have vetoed House Bill No. 523 and hereby return it to the House of Representatives.



Sincerely yours,

Bobby Jindal

Governor

 

[dawg23]

The veto is attributable to the following:

1. LSA
2. NRA
3. The hundreds of calls and emails sent to Governor Jindal by gun owners across the state.

This was a grassroots effort in the truest sense, and it was effective because of the large volume of messages that Jindal received. It was important to have the NRA on our side, but the efforts of LSA and the tidal wave of calls and emails from gun owners were, in my opinion, the primary factors.

Everyone who participated is to be commended.

As a footnote, I am also appreciative because I don't have to revise my CCW lesson plan or my power point presentation. I can continue to teach students that they can carry at (but not in) parades.

 

[FishingBack]

This made my day

 

[spanky]

So I guess this clarifies at vs in.

 

[tactical723]

We actually do have a say in current US/LA polictics, thank God, God Bless everyone who helped us out!!!

 

[Gumbo]

Yay, I can leave my house armed during Mardi Gras!

 

[jlg]

.

 

[dzelenka]

NRA Legislative Alert

Governor Jindal Vetoes Anti-Gun Parade Bill in Louisiana!

Please Thank Governor Jindal!

On Friday, July 10, House Bill 523 was vetoed by Governor Bobby Jindal (R). HB 523, introduced by State Representative Gregory Ernst (R-94), posed an unacceptable risk to those who lawfully carry a concealed firearm.

NRA’s main concern was that the bill could be interpreted to create an outright prohibition on the carrying of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a permitted parade or demonstration, except as specifically authorized in the bill. While certain persons would have been exempt from this prohibition, holders of a valid statewide concealed carry permit would not have been among them. Someone who was otherwise lawfully carrying a firearm pursuant to a statewide permit could have been exposed to criminal liability merely for wandering within 1,000 feet of a parade, whether or not the person caused any harm, broke any other law, or even knew the parade was occurring.

The actions of the sponsor himself indicated that his intent was to ban outright the carrying of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a permitted parade or demonstration. The bill had at one point included an explicit exemption for statewide permit holders, which resulted in Representative Ernst’s threat to pull the legislation unless this exception was removed. Representative Ernst also refused an NRA request to amend the bill to clarify that a person would only be available for the bill’s penalties if the person knew he or she was within 1,000 of a parade or demonstration at the time of the violation.

Given the above-mentioned factors and the very harsh penalties imposed by the bill, NRA believed HB 523 posed an imminent and serious risk for those who lawfully carry firearms in Louisiana. A conviction under the amended statute, even for an inadvertent violation, would have carried felony penalties and the collateral consequence of a lifetime loss of the right to possess a firearm. These penalties are far too grave to risk the very real chance that a court could have interpreted the statute to create an outright prohibition on the possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a permitted parade or demonstration, even for those with a valid Louisiana concealed carry permit.

Please contact Governor Jindal TODAY and thank him for vetoing HB 523. To contact Governor Jindal please click here.

I don't recall NRA sending a legislative alert asking us to contact Jindal requesting a veto. This is a win for you guys.

 

[spanky]

Me either but they sure are taking credit.

 

[sraacke]

Me either but they sure are taking credit.

They do that a lot. Other groups do the leg work and then the Negotiate Rights Away steps in to take the credit. Screw them. I dropped my membership back when they sold us out on the Clinton AWB.

 

[FishingBack]

Well, Jindal did mention the NRA specifically in his veto letter. It is important to try and get as many groups involved as possible when dealing with legal issues. The more the merrier.

 

[dawg23]

They do that a lot. Other groups do the leg work and then the Negotiate Rights Away steps in to take the credit. Screw them. I dropped my membership back when they sold us out on the Clinton AWB.

Let's see -- you're also the guy who espouses open carry, right ?

Thanks for sharing your maturity and wisdom.

 

[dzelenka]

Yale,

You are taking the wrong lesson from what I said. My point is that we (Louisiana gun owners) can take the lead and carry our end of the load. I can now let you know that I was told there would be no veto without the NRA's backing of our position. That is why we made our voice heard by both the Governor and our NRA rep. We don't know what the NRA was doing behind the scenes. Theirs may have only been a failure to communicate with us, but that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't involved. Early or late, I know the NRA was on board and in the thick of it. They are our partner and carry the big stick. We need them, but they also need us. LSA will be coordinating its efforts at grass roots lobbying with NRA. These plans are in the works and NRA has offered to do grass roots seminars as well as help teach us to organize an email "tree" for more effective communication. NRA has 26,000 members in Louisiana. LSA, while growing at a historic rate, only has about 700. We need to increase membership in both organizations. In numbers there is strength.

Anyone who is a gun owner that believes the 2nd Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms is a fool if he is not an NRA member. Like many of the people here, I am a life member. I have been a member for 30 years. NRA is to the 2nd Amendment as the ACLU is to the 1st. NRA is the oldest civil rights organization and it is on our side.

I do have one last question. Where in the world did you come up with the notion that they sold us out for the 94 AWB? That is pretty ridiculous. Do you see that ban in effect now? No.

Yale, you need to go to the NRA.org site and join. After that go to lsa1.org and join. Then get in touch with me to volunteer for some grass roots lobbying the next time it is needed. When you are doing all that you can do for the cause, you will have room to criticize those who are in the fight and carrying the water. Until then, you need to just accept their strategy and methodology. You don't really get a voice.

Sorry if some view this as harsh, but a number of us spend a lot of our time volunteering, writing letters, calling in for talk shows, attending hearings, etc. Criticism by those who want to sit back and Monday morning quarterback gets under my skin.

Dan

 

[CCW]

"Sorry if some view this as harsh, but a number of us spend a lot of our time volunteering, writing letters, calling in for talk shows, attending hearings, etc. Criticism by those who want to sit back and Monday morning quarterback gets under my skin.

Dan"

Amen brother!!!

 

[sraacke]

Let's see -- you're also the guy who espouses open carry, right ?

Thanks for sharing your maturity and wisdom.

Yes I am and you are very welcome.

 

[dzelenka]

Veto of HB 523 made the Times Picayune. Interesting read. I know this will come as a shock, but neither LSA nor BS.com were mentioned. It is clear that we won an uphill fight.

Dan