FEATURE

Answering A Reader Question

Yesterday, firearms regulations in Washington, D.C. were amended by emergency order. That amending process came in response to a federal suit filed by the Second Amendment Foundation challenging the arbitrary nature of previous regulations enforced in the District.

Huh?

OK, plain English: the lawsuit asserted the D.C. list of approved handguns was inadequate. As in unacceptable because it followed the California list of approved firearms, which is also unacceptable. That list, FYI, included guns that were not approved for what was nothing more than cosmetic items, some as insignificant as color.

As a result, citizens who had previously been denied the chance to register their handguns will be invited to re-apply under the new guidelines. Those include information from the "safe gun rosters" used in Maryland and Massachusetts.

Alan Gura, attorney for the SAF, says the decision is a victory, but the goal was not to stop until "this list is scrapped."

Go get, 'em, Alan.

Earlier this week, the story of a group of state Attorneys General who wrote U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, encouraging him to stop trying to reintroduce the so-called assault weapons ban. Instead, the AGs encouraged Holder and the Justice Department to try enforcing the laws already on the books.

A reader asked for a list of those AGs and we're glad to provide it:

Dustin McDaniel, Arkansas
Troy King, Alabama
Bill McCollum, Florida
Lawrence G. Wasden, Idaho
Jack Conway, Kentucky
Mike Cox, Michigan
Steve Bullock, Montana
Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada
Wayne Stenhjem, North Dakota
Henry McMaster, South carolina
Mark L. Shurtleff, Utah
Bruce A. Salzburg, Wyoming
Greg Abbott, Texas
John W. Suthers, Colorado
Thurbert E. Baker, Georgia
Steve Six, Kansas
James D. Caldwell, Louisiana
Chris Koster, Missouri
John Bruning, Nebraska
Kelly A. Ayotte, New Hampshire
W.A. Edmonson, Oklahoma
Lawrence Long, South Dakota
J.B. Van Hollen, Wisconsin

If your AG's not on the list, you might want to consider letting them know your position on firearms and the Second Amendment.

And another of the big hunting states, New Jersey, removed the restrictions on bowhunting that had prevented the use of - GASP- crossbows. Every time I write about crossbows, I get angry letters from bowhunters accusing me of something just short of either heresy or treason. Knowing the notes will start about the time you finish reading this sentence, it's fair to point out a growing number of states known for big deer and bow hunting have made crossbows legal for non-impaired hunters.

More accurately, the new amendment adopted by the New Jersey Fish and Game Council expands the definition of "bow" and removes the prohibitions on all draw locking and draw holding devices in addition to adding crossbows. All crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 75 pounds, and a minimum stock length of 25 inches.

New Jersey officials say they hope expanding the bow definitions, allowing crossbows and allowing Sunday bow and arrow hunting on Wildlife Management Areas and private property will increase participation in New Jersey bow and arrow hunting seasons.

According to a release from the NJ Division of Fish and Game, the 2009-2012 Game Code becomes law five days after it is published in the New Jersey Register.

We'll keep you posted.

--Jim Shepherd

Jul 4	California Free Fishing Day Statewide
Jul 4	Independence Day
Jul 15-17	ICAST Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida

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