Hopefully, these government employees (Peace Officers and Attorney's) were not on the taxpayer clock and were not traveling at taxpayer expense, while expressing their personal opinions, since whatever they said is just their personal opinion.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Marbut-MSSA" <mssa@mtssa.org>
To: <mssa@mtssa.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 5:53 PM
Subject: Report HB 228, HJ 14, SB 183
> Dear MSSA Friends,
>
> A bunch of pro-HB 228 folks showed up at the hearing today - THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU WHO CAME!!!!!!
>
> A larger bunch of police officers, sheriffs and county attorneys showed up to oppose HB 228. Sheriffs were led by Sheriff Anderson of Lincoln County, current president of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. HB 228 was also opposed by a batch of folks representing various aspects of the Montana University system. That is a bit of a mystery because HB 228 basically will not affect the U. system.
>
> After hearing the testimony of proponents and opponents, HB 228 was assigned by Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Gary Perry (R-Bozeman) to a subcommittee made up of senators Jim Shockley (R-Victor), Dan McGee ((R-Laurel) and Larry Jent (D-Bozeman). Senator McGee will chair this subcommittee.
>
> Brian Judy of the NRA and I have discussed with Senator Shockley several amendments to HB 228 that in net, will have little overall effect on the bill. They will improve some sections and mildly hamper some sections. But, if the proposed (so far) Shockley amendments are applied at the recommendation of the subcommittee, HB 228 will remain in pretty good shape. Many of the proposed amendments are to rephrase and tighten up language in HB 228 - no loss. Some gain some ground for gun owners, and some concede a bit of ground, but nothing fatal to any section of the bill.
>
> The subcommittee must render its report to the full Committee within one week. I will be working with subcommittee members concerning concepts and language.
>
> Senator Larry Jent (D-Bozeman) asked a series of full-auto questions of witnesses, questions that were clearly hostile to HB 228. We may need to begin calling him full-auto Larry.
>
> Stay tuned on HB 228.
>
> In the hearing on HJ 14, supporting the Department of Interior regulation change to allow self defense in National Parks, there were a number of proponents and only the Montana Human Rights (no human rights in National Parks) Network, an entity that is irrelevant. I predict that HJ 14 will clear Committee with no problem. There was a suggestion by Senator Jesse Laslovich (D-Anaconda) about dropping the section that urges the Montana Attorney General to intervene in a lawsuit by the Brady Bunch in D.C. to block the new DoI regulations.
>
> The hearing on SB 183 (MSSA's Wolf Recovery Act) was held in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee while the rest of us were tied up in the Senate Judiciary Committee, so we were unable to attend. I'm told that sponsor and MSSA Board member Senator Joe Balyeat did a good job of presenting information about the SB 183 Fiscal Note to Committee members. Stay tuned on SB 183 too.
>
> That's the report.
>
> Gary Marbut, president
> Montana Shooting Sports Association
> Montana Shooting Sports Association
> author, Gun Laws of Montana
> Gun Laws of Montana
>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Marbut-MSSA" <mssa@mtssa.org>
To: <mssa@mtssa.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 5:53 PM
Subject: Report HB 228, HJ 14, SB 183
> Dear MSSA Friends,
>
> A bunch of pro-HB 228 folks showed up at the hearing today - THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU WHO CAME!!!!!!
>
> A larger bunch of police officers, sheriffs and county attorneys showed up to oppose HB 228. Sheriffs were led by Sheriff Anderson of Lincoln County, current president of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. HB 228 was also opposed by a batch of folks representing various aspects of the Montana University system. That is a bit of a mystery because HB 228 basically will not affect the U. system.
>
> After hearing the testimony of proponents and opponents, HB 228 was assigned by Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Gary Perry (R-Bozeman) to a subcommittee made up of senators Jim Shockley (R-Victor), Dan McGee ((R-Laurel) and Larry Jent (D-Bozeman). Senator McGee will chair this subcommittee.
>
> Brian Judy of the NRA and I have discussed with Senator Shockley several amendments to HB 228 that in net, will have little overall effect on the bill. They will improve some sections and mildly hamper some sections. But, if the proposed (so far) Shockley amendments are applied at the recommendation of the subcommittee, HB 228 will remain in pretty good shape. Many of the proposed amendments are to rephrase and tighten up language in HB 228 - no loss. Some gain some ground for gun owners, and some concede a bit of ground, but nothing fatal to any section of the bill.
>
> The subcommittee must render its report to the full Committee within one week. I will be working with subcommittee members concerning concepts and language.
>
> Senator Larry Jent (D-Bozeman) asked a series of full-auto questions of witnesses, questions that were clearly hostile to HB 228. We may need to begin calling him full-auto Larry.
>
> Stay tuned on HB 228.
>
> In the hearing on HJ 14, supporting the Department of Interior regulation change to allow self defense in National Parks, there were a number of proponents and only the Montana Human Rights (no human rights in National Parks) Network, an entity that is irrelevant. I predict that HJ 14 will clear Committee with no problem. There was a suggestion by Senator Jesse Laslovich (D-Anaconda) about dropping the section that urges the Montana Attorney General to intervene in a lawsuit by the Brady Bunch in D.C. to block the new DoI regulations.
>
> The hearing on SB 183 (MSSA's Wolf Recovery Act) was held in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee while the rest of us were tied up in the Senate Judiciary Committee, so we were unable to attend. I'm told that sponsor and MSSA Board member Senator Joe Balyeat did a good job of presenting information about the SB 183 Fiscal Note to Committee members. Stay tuned on SB 183 too.
>
> That's the report.
>
> Gary Marbut, president
> Montana Shooting Sports Association
> Montana Shooting Sports Association
> author, Gun Laws of Montana
> Gun Laws of Montana
>