ISRPA ALERT INDIANA HOUSE BILL 1065
House Bill 1065 might be in trouble -- and the House Democrats need to hear from you now!
After passing out of the Senate last Thursday, HB 1065 was sent back to the House for a vote to pass the Senate's changes, such as removing the Homeland Security Amendment because that amendment would have gutted the bill and made it worthless. All that was necessary was for the bill's author, Representative Bob Bischoff (D), to concur.
Instead of concurring as was expected, Representative Bischoff filed a motion to dissent and called for a conference committee with less than a week remaining in this legislative session. This tactic would undoubtedly kill the bill. In prior sessions, Speaker Pat Bauer (D) has not allowed a vote on a gun bill, but the hope this year was that the Speaker would allow good gun legislation to be passed, since many of his Democrat members want to be shown as pro-2nd Amendment in this election year.
Please contact the Democrat Representatives today and urge them to support HB 1065 as it came out of the Senate. You might also send a polite e-mail to Speaker Bauer reminding him that the majority of the Democrats, along with the Republicans, have been very supportive of HB 1065 and deserve the chance to show their voters that they are indeed pro-2nd Amendment and want to protect their right "to own and bear."
For those of you who are not familiar with this bill, a synopsis is included below our signatures.
Links to find and contact your representatives, and to the bill are as follows:
http://www.in.gov/legislative/2345.htm
http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2010&session=1&request=getBill&doctype=HB&docno=1065
We rarely ask for your help, but it is really needed at this time.
Please let us hear of your responses.
Bill Jordan
President, Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association
Bill Dowden
Legislative Director, Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association
Various provisions concerning firearms. Prohibits a person, including an individual, a corporation, and a governmental entity, from adopting or enforcing a policy or rule that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting an employee of the person, including a contract employee, from legally possessing a firearm that is locked trunk of the employee's vehicle, kept in the glove compartment of the employee's locked vehicle, or stored out of sight in the employee's locked vehicle while the vehicle is in or on the person's property, unless the firearm requires a certain federal license to possess. Exempts possession of a firearm: (1) on school property, on property used by a school for a school function, or on a school bus; (2) on certain child care and shelter facility property; (3) on penal facility property; (4) in violation of federal law; (5) on property belonging to an approved postsecondary educational institution; (6) at a person's residence; and (7) on the property of a domestic violence shelter. Provides that a court does not have jurisdiction over an action that: (1) is brought against an employer who is in compliance with the prohibition against adoption or enforcement of a policy or rule that prohibits the possession of a firearm in a locked vehicle; and (2) is brought to recover for any injury or damage resulting from the employer's compliance. Authorizes a person harmed by a violation to bring a civil action for damages, costs, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief to remedy a violation. Prohibits the state, a political subdivision, or any other person from prohibiting or restricting the lawful possession, transfer, sale, transportation, storage, display, or use of firearms or ammunition during a declared disaster emergency, energy emergency, or local disaster emergency, subject to exceptions that apply to the prohibition against adoption or enforcement of a policy or rule that prohibits the possession of a firearm in a locked vehicle. Repeals provisions that allow certain political subdivisions to adopt emergency ordinances to regulate firearms if a local disaster emergency has been declared. Deletes an outdated reference.