Clean Preemption Fight Now Underway
Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
February 7, 2001
Dear Second Amendment supporter,
Gun owners across Arizona are on offense in the legislature this
year.
Your action in pressuring the politicians is vital so that Senator
Tim Bee's "clean" preemption bill (SB 1268) becomes law. Please use
the pre-written message and roster below to contact your state
Senator today.
The anti-gunners, especially in the Arizona State Senate, are
gearing up to fight this important pro-gun change with all of the
power and influence they can bring to bear. Only a concerted effort
by those who value their firearms freedoms, all across the state,
will bring victory.
SB 1268, when passed, will halt the constant march of local gun
control across the state.
City bureaucrats, and their accomplices in various anti-gun groups,
aren't about to give up their agenda of disarming gun owners without
a struggle. In fact, they will win unless you act to defeat them.
Please let me explain the situation.
Preemption is the wise policy of insisting that gun laws be uniform
across the state. That is, prohibiting cities and localities from
adopting a patchwork-quilt of onerous anti-gun ordinances.
For some time, Arizona's preemption law was very weak. That led to
local laws banning guns in such public areas as parks.
Last year, the problem was "solved" through the politician's
time-honored and ill-advised favorite ploy: the compromise sell-out.
Legislators attempted to placate both sides, giving up more of your
rights in the hopes that everyone would just go away.
They changed the preemption law-- in some respects making it better,
but mostly just carving out numerous anti-gun exceptions where
cities are specifically allowed to strip away your right to
self-defense.
Gun Owners of America warned then that the new law was ripe for
abuse.
Anti-gun bureaucrats and city administrators were quick to take
advantage of their new-found "power" and began looking for ways to
disarm the citizens of Arizona.
Tucson, for example, turned first to declaring libraries as "no
safety" zones where ordinary firearms possession is banned.
Recently, they voted to outlaw private sales at gun shows by forcing
background registration checks.
But you can end the local gun control assault on your rights if you
are willing to take action.
Support must become widespread for SB 1268, Sen. Tim Bee's "clean"
preemption bill. The initial fight-- in the Senate committees--
will also be the toughest.
Please, right away, take the following actions to help pass SB 1268:
1. Use the pre-written message and contact roster below to
insist your state Senator support SB 1268. Better yet, write your
own message.
2. Enlist others in the fight by passing out copies of this alert
and others at the range or anywhere pro-gun people congregate.
You see, politics is by and large a numbers game. If enough
pro-freedom voters contact their legislators in this fight, the
anti-gunners won't be able to keep you from reclaiming some of your
rights in 2001.
Rights that include the right to defend yourself and your loved ones
while you are in public. Why should it make any difference if you
are in Tucson or Tempe when your safety is threatened?
When localities are allowed to ban guns in public places, these No
Safety Zones amount to a safe working environment for criminals. Not
to mention the fact that creating them is unconstitutional in the
first place.
So please, act today.
Note: Rep. Karen Johnson (R-30) has also introduced clean preemption
as HB 2347 in the House. Johnson was one of only a small handful of
legislators to vote consistently pro-gun last year. However, since
most of the opposition to pro-gun legislation will occur in the
Senate, it is important to concentrate efforts there. Fending off
last-minute anti-gun amendments will be easier in the House, so
that's where the fight should end rather than begin.
Sincerely,
Dennis Fusaro
Director of State Legislation
P.S.: State Senator Tim Bee has introduced SB 1268, a "clean"
preemption bill. Since anti-gun forces will view this pro-gun reform
as a threat to their agenda of disarming Arizona gun owners, it is
vital that you counter them with the strength of numbers. Please
contact your state Senator right away.
----- Pre-written message -----
Dear Senator __________________,
Please do everything in your power to pass SB 1268 with absolutely
no anti-gun amendments.
Recent actions by political subdivisions such as Tucson demonstrate
quite clearly that an unambiguous firearms preemption law is needed
in Arizona.
Why should it matter what city I am in when I need to defend my
loved ones or myself?
A patchwork-quilt of local gun control ordinances is simply not an
acceptable approach to firearms policy.
Please support SB 1268 exactly as written at every opportunity.
Gun Owners of America, and gun rights groups across the state, will
keep me informed.
Sincerely,
_____________________
-------------------------------------------------------
Arizona Senate
District maps at:
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/maps/state.htm
Name Dis Pty E-mail Phone (602)
Aguirre 23 D laguirre@azleg.state.az.us 542-7830
Arzberger 08 D marzberg@azleg.state.az.us 542-4321
Bee 09 R tbee@azleg.state.az.us 542-5683
Bennett 01 R kbennett@azleg.state.az.us 542-5584
Blanchard 30 D jblancha@azleg.state.az.us 542-5325
Bowers 21 R rbowers@azleg.state.az.us 542-5288
Brown 04 D jbrown@azleg.state.az.us 542-4129
Bundgaard 19 R sbundgaa@azleg.state.az.us 542-4136
Burns 17 R bburns@azleg.state.az.us 542-3160
Cirillo 15 R ecirillo@azleg.state.az.us 542-4173
Cummiskey 25 D ccummisk@azleg.state.az.us 542-4916
Daniels 06 R ldaniels@azleg.state.az.us 542-4178
Gerard 18 R sgerard@azleg.state.az.us 542-4480
Gnant 28 R rgnant@azleg.state.az.us 542-4138
Guenther 05 D hguenthe@azleg.state.az.us 542-4139
Hamilton 16 R dhamilto@azleg.state.az.us 542-5261
Hartley 20 D mhartley@azleg.state.az.us 542-4485
Hellon 12 R thellon@azleg.state.az.us 542-4326
Jackson 03 D jjackson@azleg.state.az.us 542-4323
Lopez 22 D jlopez@azleg.state.az.us 542-4171
Martin 24 R dmartin@azleg.state.az.us 542-5284
Mitchell 27 D hmitchel@azleg.state.az.us 542-4124
Nichols 13 D anichols@azleg.state.az.us 542-5911
Petersen 29 R dpeterse@azleg.state.az.us 542-4481
Richardson 11 D erichard@azleg.state.az.us 542-5262
Rios 07 D prios@azleg.state.az.us 542-5685
Smith 26 R tsmith@azleg.state.az.us 542-5955
Solomon 14 D rsolomon@azleg.state.az.us 542-5993
Valadez 10 D rvaladez@azleg.state.az.us 542-5342
Verkamp 02 R jverkamp@azleg.state.az.us 542-4486
Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
February 7, 2001
Dear Second Amendment supporter,
Gun owners across Arizona are on offense in the legislature this
year.
Your action in pressuring the politicians is vital so that Senator
Tim Bee's "clean" preemption bill (SB 1268) becomes law. Please use
the pre-written message and roster below to contact your state
Senator today.
The anti-gunners, especially in the Arizona State Senate, are
gearing up to fight this important pro-gun change with all of the
power and influence they can bring to bear. Only a concerted effort
by those who value their firearms freedoms, all across the state,
will bring victory.
SB 1268, when passed, will halt the constant march of local gun
control across the state.
City bureaucrats, and their accomplices in various anti-gun groups,
aren't about to give up their agenda of disarming gun owners without
a struggle. In fact, they will win unless you act to defeat them.
Please let me explain the situation.
Preemption is the wise policy of insisting that gun laws be uniform
across the state. That is, prohibiting cities and localities from
adopting a patchwork-quilt of onerous anti-gun ordinances.
For some time, Arizona's preemption law was very weak. That led to
local laws banning guns in such public areas as parks.
Last year, the problem was "solved" through the politician's
time-honored and ill-advised favorite ploy: the compromise sell-out.
Legislators attempted to placate both sides, giving up more of your
rights in the hopes that everyone would just go away.
They changed the preemption law-- in some respects making it better,
but mostly just carving out numerous anti-gun exceptions where
cities are specifically allowed to strip away your right to
self-defense.
Gun Owners of America warned then that the new law was ripe for
abuse.
Anti-gun bureaucrats and city administrators were quick to take
advantage of their new-found "power" and began looking for ways to
disarm the citizens of Arizona.
Tucson, for example, turned first to declaring libraries as "no
safety" zones where ordinary firearms possession is banned.
Recently, they voted to outlaw private sales at gun shows by forcing
background registration checks.
But you can end the local gun control assault on your rights if you
are willing to take action.
Support must become widespread for SB 1268, Sen. Tim Bee's "clean"
preemption bill. The initial fight-- in the Senate committees--
will also be the toughest.
Please, right away, take the following actions to help pass SB 1268:
1. Use the pre-written message and contact roster below to
insist your state Senator support SB 1268. Better yet, write your
own message.
2. Enlist others in the fight by passing out copies of this alert
and others at the range or anywhere pro-gun people congregate.
You see, politics is by and large a numbers game. If enough
pro-freedom voters contact their legislators in this fight, the
anti-gunners won't be able to keep you from reclaiming some of your
rights in 2001.
Rights that include the right to defend yourself and your loved ones
while you are in public. Why should it make any difference if you
are in Tucson or Tempe when your safety is threatened?
When localities are allowed to ban guns in public places, these No
Safety Zones amount to a safe working environment for criminals. Not
to mention the fact that creating them is unconstitutional in the
first place.
So please, act today.
Note: Rep. Karen Johnson (R-30) has also introduced clean preemption
as HB 2347 in the House. Johnson was one of only a small handful of
legislators to vote consistently pro-gun last year. However, since
most of the opposition to pro-gun legislation will occur in the
Senate, it is important to concentrate efforts there. Fending off
last-minute anti-gun amendments will be easier in the House, so
that's where the fight should end rather than begin.
Sincerely,
Dennis Fusaro
Director of State Legislation
P.S.: State Senator Tim Bee has introduced SB 1268, a "clean"
preemption bill. Since anti-gun forces will view this pro-gun reform
as a threat to their agenda of disarming Arizona gun owners, it is
vital that you counter them with the strength of numbers. Please
contact your state Senator right away.
----- Pre-written message -----
Dear Senator __________________,
Please do everything in your power to pass SB 1268 with absolutely
no anti-gun amendments.
Recent actions by political subdivisions such as Tucson demonstrate
quite clearly that an unambiguous firearms preemption law is needed
in Arizona.
Why should it matter what city I am in when I need to defend my
loved ones or myself?
A patchwork-quilt of local gun control ordinances is simply not an
acceptable approach to firearms policy.
Please support SB 1268 exactly as written at every opportunity.
Gun Owners of America, and gun rights groups across the state, will
keep me informed.
Sincerely,
_____________________
-------------------------------------------------------
Arizona Senate
District maps at:
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/maps/state.htm
Name Dis Pty E-mail Phone (602)
Aguirre 23 D laguirre@azleg.state.az.us 542-7830
Arzberger 08 D marzberg@azleg.state.az.us 542-4321
Bee 09 R tbee@azleg.state.az.us 542-5683
Bennett 01 R kbennett@azleg.state.az.us 542-5584
Blanchard 30 D jblancha@azleg.state.az.us 542-5325
Bowers 21 R rbowers@azleg.state.az.us 542-5288
Brown 04 D jbrown@azleg.state.az.us 542-4129
Bundgaard 19 R sbundgaa@azleg.state.az.us 542-4136
Burns 17 R bburns@azleg.state.az.us 542-3160
Cirillo 15 R ecirillo@azleg.state.az.us 542-4173
Cummiskey 25 D ccummisk@azleg.state.az.us 542-4916
Daniels 06 R ldaniels@azleg.state.az.us 542-4178
Gerard 18 R sgerard@azleg.state.az.us 542-4480
Gnant 28 R rgnant@azleg.state.az.us 542-4138
Guenther 05 D hguenthe@azleg.state.az.us 542-4139
Hamilton 16 R dhamilto@azleg.state.az.us 542-5261
Hartley 20 D mhartley@azleg.state.az.us 542-4485
Hellon 12 R thellon@azleg.state.az.us 542-4326
Jackson 03 D jjackson@azleg.state.az.us 542-4323
Lopez 22 D jlopez@azleg.state.az.us 542-4171
Martin 24 R dmartin@azleg.state.az.us 542-5284
Mitchell 27 D hmitchel@azleg.state.az.us 542-4124
Nichols 13 D anichols@azleg.state.az.us 542-5911
Petersen 29 R dpeterse@azleg.state.az.us 542-4481
Richardson 11 D erichard@azleg.state.az.us 542-5262
Rios 07 D prios@azleg.state.az.us 542-5685
Smith 26 R tsmith@azleg.state.az.us 542-5955
Solomon 14 D rsolomon@azleg.state.az.us 542-5993
Valadez 10 D rvaladez@azleg.state.az.us 542-5342
Verkamp 02 R jverkamp@azleg.state.az.us 542-4486