Another reason why I don't believe in permission slips......
>News/Current Events News Keywords: TAKING NAMES IN WYOMING
>Source: AP
>Published: 2/5/01 Author: ELISABETH A. WRIGHT
>Posted on 02/05/2001 15:12:06 PST by anniegetyourgun
>
>
>
>CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A judge sided with a Gillette newspaper Thursday in
>ordering the state to release the names of about 7,000 people permitted to
>carry concealed weapons in Wyoming.
>
>First District Judge Edward Grant rejected an attempt by the Wyoming
>Division of Criminal Investigation to keep the names private. The agency
>argued releasing the names would violate the privacy rights of and possibly
>endanger permit holders.
>
>The Gillette News-Record sought the names after the number of permits rose
>sharply following a 1994 law that makes it easier to obtain such permits.
>
>The order will not take effect pending an appeal by the state, Grant said.
>
>State attorney Bryan Skoric said he plans to appeal and although he is
>disappointed with the ruling, the judge said the privacy of permit holders
>is a legitimate issue.
>
>Grant said a good case could be made in the political arena about why the
>names of permit holders should be kept secret, although state law does not
>specifically keep the names private.
>
>"If I were a permit holder, which by the way I am not, I would very
>strongly resent that my name could be published," he said.
>
>Ann Franscell, publisher and editor of the Gillette News-Record, said she
>is pleased with the ruling but thinks changing public sentiment against
>releasing the names could be an uphill battle.
>
>The newspaper does not intend to print the entire list of names but to
>contact people who hold permits and interview them for stories about the
>effectiveness of the law, she said.
>
>Government oversight is also important, she said. A story by the Los
>Angeles Times found that some felons obtained concealed weapons permits
>under a Texas concealed weapons law, she said.
>
>"For every argument that could be negative, there is also a positive," she
>said.
>
>A bill moving through the Legislature would keep the names private. It
>passed the Senate on Wednesday. A petition of about 1,900 signatures
>opposed the newspaper's request.
>
>In court, Tom Pagel, director of the Division of Criminal Investigation,
>said releasing the names could make his agency vulnerable to lawsuits by
>permit holders who believed their identities were confidential.
>
>Permit holders' property could be burglarized for guns if their concealed
>weapon permits are made public, he said. Also, people involved in disputes
>with permit holders might arm themselves before a confrontation, which
>could cause disputes to escalate into gunfire, he said.
>
>Skoric argued that Legislature intended to keep the names private when it
>wrote the law.
>
>A state law prevents information about a driver's license holder from being
>made public. The permit law suggests a similar intention because it
>protects the confidentiality of comments made by law enforcement during a
>background check on an applicant, he said.
>
>"The whole logic behind the reason for a concealed arms permit is that it's
>concealed," he said.
>
>Grant said the Legislature was not explicit.
>
>"How can they have specifically thought about one portion (of the law) but
>not the rest of it, if the intent was not to subject these people to
>disclosure?" he said.
>News/Current Events News Keywords: TAKING NAMES IN WYOMING
>Source: AP
>Published: 2/5/01 Author: ELISABETH A. WRIGHT
>Posted on 02/05/2001 15:12:06 PST by anniegetyourgun
>
>
>
>CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A judge sided with a Gillette newspaper Thursday in
>ordering the state to release the names of about 7,000 people permitted to
>carry concealed weapons in Wyoming.
>
>First District Judge Edward Grant rejected an attempt by the Wyoming
>Division of Criminal Investigation to keep the names private. The agency
>argued releasing the names would violate the privacy rights of and possibly
>endanger permit holders.
>
>The Gillette News-Record sought the names after the number of permits rose
>sharply following a 1994 law that makes it easier to obtain such permits.
>
>The order will not take effect pending an appeal by the state, Grant said.
>
>State attorney Bryan Skoric said he plans to appeal and although he is
>disappointed with the ruling, the judge said the privacy of permit holders
>is a legitimate issue.
>
>Grant said a good case could be made in the political arena about why the
>names of permit holders should be kept secret, although state law does not
>specifically keep the names private.
>
>"If I were a permit holder, which by the way I am not, I would very
>strongly resent that my name could be published," he said.
>
>Ann Franscell, publisher and editor of the Gillette News-Record, said she
>is pleased with the ruling but thinks changing public sentiment against
>releasing the names could be an uphill battle.
>
>The newspaper does not intend to print the entire list of names but to
>contact people who hold permits and interview them for stories about the
>effectiveness of the law, she said.
>
>Government oversight is also important, she said. A story by the Los
>Angeles Times found that some felons obtained concealed weapons permits
>under a Texas concealed weapons law, she said.
>
>"For every argument that could be negative, there is also a positive," she
>said.
>
>A bill moving through the Legislature would keep the names private. It
>passed the Senate on Wednesday. A petition of about 1,900 signatures
>opposed the newspaper's request.
>
>In court, Tom Pagel, director of the Division of Criminal Investigation,
>said releasing the names could make his agency vulnerable to lawsuits by
>permit holders who believed their identities were confidential.
>
>Permit holders' property could be burglarized for guns if their concealed
>weapon permits are made public, he said. Also, people involved in disputes
>with permit holders might arm themselves before a confrontation, which
>could cause disputes to escalate into gunfire, he said.
>
>Skoric argued that Legislature intended to keep the names private when it
>wrote the law.
>
>A state law prevents information about a driver's license holder from being
>made public. The permit law suggests a similar intention because it
>protects the confidentiality of comments made by law enforcement during a
>background check on an applicant, he said.
>
>"The whole logic behind the reason for a concealed arms permit is that it's
>concealed," he said.
>
>Grant said the Legislature was not explicit.
>
>"How can they have specifically thought about one portion (of the law) but
>not the rest of it, if the intent was not to subject these people to
>disclosure?" he said.