Corrections, gambling to be focus of legislative session
The state prison crisis is expected to take center stage in the legislative session.
Rauf Bolden: Should Orange Beach ban open & concealed carry at all city facilities
Shootings happen every day in America. I argue for a common-sense approach at municipal facilities, respecting our After-School Programs like Camp Sunshine and Expect Excellence. Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland are still fresh in our minds, banning open and concealed carry at city facilities makes sense, lowering the level of fear for adults and children inside. The Second Amendment gives American citizens the right to bear arms. “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” according to a report on The Cornell Law School web site. I agree with the Second Amendment, but I must ask in today’s world is a lone shooter a “well-regulated Militia”? Of course, he or she is not, especially in government buildings. “Generally, federal law prohibits a person from knowingly possessing or attempting to possess a firearm in a federal facility,” according to a report on Gifford’s Law Center web site. Several years ago, a man committed suicide outside of Community Development. He ended his life with a pistol in the front seat of his car, parked in the first space next to the front door. Could he have come into the office and opened fire on the city employees who refused his permit? Yes, he could have. In response to this threat management authorized construction of a bullet-proof podium in the Council Chambers at City Hall, giving the elected officials a place to duck down in the event a shooter opens fire during a council meeting. Yet, the front-desk personnel at Community Development are still unprotected. Open carry has strong support in Orange Beach. “In my opinion Orange Beach should not ban concealed or open carry weapons in city buildings or facilities,” said Tim Blackwell, former Planning Commissioner and current resident of Orange Beach in an email. “I am a supporter of our 2nd amendment rights personally. I support the right to bear arms to protect my family and country,” said four-term Orange Beach Council Member Jeff Silvers in an email. The city has no appetite for physically protecting facilities with TSA style security, arguing it costs too much, presenting an aura of suspicion when constituents pay sewer bills or apply for a business license. This is understandable. An ordinance costs nothing, putting a sign at the entrance to each building, providing legal notice of the policy. It’s simple, leave your guns locked in the car. The consequences of not taking action can lead to public hysteria at events held on city property. On Saturday morning, September 7, 2019, people at a Farmers Market in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia feared for their lives as open-carry protesters (five men), brandishing fully-loaded assault rifles and pistols, walked through the market spreading fear by their presence, according to a report in Blue Virginia. Families ran not wanting to be the next headline on Fox News. To better prepare our community the Orange Beach Fire Department holds Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) classes, said Assistant Chief for Training Kevin Lanford in an email. An Ordinance banning firearms at city facilities is not without its obstacles. “The ‘Dillon Rule’ from 1868 prohibits local jurisdictions from adopting laws that are not specifically permitted in the state. This has prevented communities like Falls Church (Virginia) from preventing people from walking the streets or entering businesses with loaded guns,” according to a report in Blue Virginia. Open and concealed carry are not synonymous with municipal life in a vacation town espousing family values like Orange Beach. This city is branded on every street corner and brochure as family friendly, catering to tourists from around the world. Allowing citizens to carry open or concealed weapons into city facilities like the Event Center, the Art Center, or the Recreation Center is reckless. The city was able to ban short term rentals, citing Mayor Tony Kennon’s desire to know who his neighbors are. Perhaps banning open and concealed carry at city facilities is easy, pro-actively creating a: Guns-Free Zone, protecting the same neighbors from harm. Rauf Bolden is retired IT Director at the City of Orange Beach, presently pursuing his dream as a Web Technologies Consultant on the Beach Road. He can be reached by email: publisher@velvetillusion.com.
Lawmaker to introduce bill to Alabama teachers to carry firearms
Guntersville-Republican, State Rep. Will Ainsworth on Thursday said he will introduce legislation to allow some public school teachers and administrators to undergo firearms training and arm themselves during school hours, in order to help prevent school shoots like the one that occurred Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. “Our children are sitting ducks in gun-free schools. As the parent of three public school students, I believe we must act now in order to prevent another tragedy,” Ainsworth posted on Facebook. Ainsworth, who is not seeking re-election in to the State House but is running for Lt. Governor, said he still has research to do before introducing a bill. Once introduced, Ainsworth’s bill would join a handful several others across the nation endeavoring to put more guns in schools for the defense of teachers and students. Similar bills have been filed in Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, South Carolina and West Virginia this year alone. If successful, Ainsworth’s bill would just at least nine, which already allow some form of concealed carry in schools.
Martha Roby: Enhancing the protection of the Second Amendment
Our country’s Founders laid out certain rights in our Constitution in order to empower the people, not the government. Certainly among the most fundamental rights we have as Americans is the right to keep and bear arms, as declared by the Second Amendment. As a gun owner myself and a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives has taken action to preserve Americans’ constitutional right and ensure that our background check system is functioning properly. The House has passed H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, to enhance and standardize the protection of the Second Amendment by simply ensuring all law-abiding citizens who obtain concealed carry permits in their home states can exercise the right to protect themselves in any state. Our Second Amendment right doesn’t end when we cross the state line, and I believe individuals who meet the requirements for concealed carry in their home state should be allowed the same privileges in any state, of course provided that they obey the local concealed carry laws. That’s what H.R. 38 does. This bill also seeks to ensure that our current National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is enforced and working properly. In the wake of the horrible shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, we learned that the assailant had been allowed to legally purchase a firearm when he should not have been. If the system we have in place had worked, his time served in military prison for his history of domestic violence would have been properly reported into NICS by the U.S. Air Force, and he would have been prohibited him from obtaining such weapons. This oversight was unacceptable, deadly, and completely avoidable. That’s why H.R. 38 takes steps to hold federal agencies accountable for their responsibility to report information. Some gun control advocates claim that this bill somehow makes it easier for dangerous, unqualified individuals to obtain and carry guns. That is absolutely not true. If a citizen is currently prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, this bill does nothing to change that. On the other hand, others have claimed this bill makes it harder for Americans to exercise their Second Amendment right. That’s not true either. H.R. 38 does nothing to infringe on any law-abiding citizen’s right to keep and bear arms, but rather seeks to ensure that our current laws are properly enforced. Those of us who respect the Second Amendment and dedicate our careers to defending it will always fight to protect this fundamental right from those who would try to erode it. It is precisely because we want to preserve the Second Amendment for future generations that we must uphold and enforce our current laws designed to ensure that dangerous people cannot legally obtain weapons. As a member of the Judiciary Committee that worked on this legislation, I’m proud that the House has taken this important action. I also appreciate the work of the National Rifle Association and other groups to help build support for this legislation. I hope the Senate takes up this bill quickly and sends it to the President’s desk. I will keep you posted as we move forward. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
House passes bill allowing concealed carry across state lines
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 231-198 Wednesday to pass a bill that would allow people with concealed carry permits to carry their concealed weapons into other states where concealed weapons are allowed, scoring a major victory for gun-rights supporters. H.R. 38: the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act allows a person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also issues concealed firearm permits. The bill would also apply for states that allow non-prohibited persons to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Notably, the bill does not create a national licensing program, but would require states to recognize other states’ valid concealed carry permits. The bill does not allow felons and other prohibited possessors to carry concealed handguns, as they are not legally allowed to have a firearm now, and that does not change under the bill. The legislation, supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA), now faces an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate as eight Democrats most vote in favor of the bill in order for it to become law. Here’s how the Alabama delegation voted: Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne: A citizen’s Second Amendment right should not end when they cross state lines. Under current law, a gunowner is subject to criminal and civil risk by simply exercising their constitutional right to carry their firearm when traveling. With this strong Second Amendment legislation, we can provide much needed clarity and help make our country a safer place. Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby Alabama 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers As a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights, I was proud to support the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This common-sense legislation will allow any law-abiding gun owners to concealed carry across state lines without penalty. I am pleased this bill passed the House today. Alabama 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks Today’s House passage of concealed carry reciprocity is a win both for gun owners everywhere and for the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Constitutional rights don’t end at state lines. This bill helps to ensure that all Americans are able to protect themselves and their families from criminals and terrorists when traveling from state to state. If H.R. 38 is enacted into law, then every citizen’s Constitutional right to carry concealed firearms will be protected and promoted. The Second Amendment is not only a matter of public safety for law-abiding citizens, it is a fundamental part of America’s Bill of Rights. In that vein, I am proud to protect the Second Amendment and promote concealed carry reciprocity Alabama 6th District U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer: As a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I am a proud cosponsor of and voted in favor of H.R. 38 today. This bill protects the constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms and ensures that the right does not end when you cross a state line. Overreaching restrictions placed on gun ownership are not only unconstitutional, they inevitably harm law-abiding citizens and do little to dissuade the illegal use of firearms. It is important to note that this bill would not apply to individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm under current federal law. Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell
20 percent of Alabamians have concealed carry permit — highest in the country
The national gun debate continues to divide the nation leaving many Americans feeling as though their 2nd Amendments rights may soon be on the chopping block. In response to the uncertainty, more Americans across the country have been going out and getting guns. According to a July 2017 study by the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC), nearly two million Americans obtained concealed carry permits in 2016, meaning one in every 20 citizens now has a concealed carry permit (CCP). “All states now allow concealed carry,” CPRC President John Lott Jr. said. “And they are all issuing more permits. Not surprisingly, concealed carry is much more popular in states where permits are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain.” Which is perhaps one of the reasons why Alabama, a known red-state, has the highest number of permit owners, 20 percent, of any state. Conceal carry permits in Alabama Alabama issues concealed handgun licenses only to residents of Alabama, through the sheriff of their county of residence. While permit fees vary by county, they range from $7.50 to $30 per year. WKRG reports, “According to [NRA] data, a vast majority of counties charge $100 for a five-year permit. At least, 46 out of 67 counties do.” The state does not issue carry conceal permits to out of state residents. Alabama reciprocity maps
State Senate to vote on nixing concealed carry permits
The Alabama Senate will vote on a legislation Tuesday that would allow people to lawfully carry a concealed handgun without needing to get a permit first. Senate Bill 24, sponsored by Tuscaloosa-Republican state Rep. Gerald Allen, would remove restrictions on Second Amendment rights and would codify constitutional carry as the law of the land. The bill however, has been heavily criticized by some of the state’s law enforcement officials, including the Alabama Sheriff’s Association and the Alabama County Commissioners Association, who say concealed carry permits are necessary for public safety. “It’s a bad piece of legislation. It’s probably one of the worst we’ve seen,” Butler County Sheriff Kenny Harden told AlabamaNews.net. Concealed carry permits are typically only granted should an individual pass a background check. SB24 would in essence allow anyone who has previously failed a background check and denied a carry permit to carry a gun. But Rep. Allen says the bill is all about the Second Amendment and U.S. Constitution, which he says protects “the right of the people to keep and bear arms” for the “security of a free state.” He doesn’t think Alabamians should be required to pay their hard-earned dollars to exercise those rights. “Alabama should be leading the way on constitutional gun rights. More than ten states across the country already allow their citizens to carry guns without a permit. It’s time we give our citizens the right to bear arms without first seeking the government’s permission,” Allen said. “We already allow open carry without a permit, and there is no logical reason for continuing to require a permit for concealed carry.” The National Rifle Association (NRA) also supports the bill. “The law-abiding citizens of Alabama have a fundamental, constitutional right to keep and bear arms,” said the NRA. “The NRA supports legislation that would provide law-abiding citizens greater freedom to protect themselves in the manner that best suits their needs, while still keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals.” Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said he expects the Republican-controlled Senate to pass the measure Tuesday. According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, 11 states —Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming — allow people to carry concealed weapons in public without a permit.
State lottery, guns, wireless data bills coming to state Legislature
With the start of Alabama’s Legislative Session less than a week away, a slew of bills have been prefiled in the House of Representatives. Alabama Rep. Craig Ford (D-Etowah) has prefiled House Bill 10, which would establish an Alabama lottery to fund scholarships, an Alabama Lottery Corp. “to implement and to regulate” a state lottery, and would prohibit the operation of casinos. Proceeds from Ford’s lottery would go into a Lottery Trust Fund and be used to give scholarships to “qualifying students” to attend two- or four-year colleges within the state. The bill specifies that qualified students are those “who are A/B Honor Roll students.” Ford’s bill would also alter part of a constitutional amendment that prohibits the state Legislature to “authorize lotteries or gift enterprises for any purpose.” Rep. Mack Butler (R-Etowah), along with a number of House colleagues, has proposed a constitutional amendment, HB12, to allow persons with a concealed pistol permit to carry weapons on the campuses of public and private universities within the state. The bill also provides for universities to establish rules regarding the storage of such weapons in dormitories or other residential areas, the carrying of weapons on campus, and to prohibit carrying weapons in some cases, though complete prohibition would not be allowed. The law further provides immunity to universities “for damages arising from action or inaction under the requirements of the amendment.” Universities would be required to submit a report each year to the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate detailing a description of the rules regarding campus carry and the rationale behind such rules. Butler noted than an additional bill, to be filed at the start of the session, will provide criminal penalties to universities that ban guns on campus. “The people overwhelmingly are embracing it,” Butler said. “It’s becoming crystal clear that the targets are these gun-free zones.” A bill prefiled by Rep. Tommy Hanes (R-Scottsboro) and others, HB2, would require wireless service providers to turn over location information to law enforcement agents in “an emergency situation involving a risk of death or serious bodily harm.” Also known as the Kelsey Smith Act, named for a woman killed in 2007 whose body was found after Verizon Wireless finally cooperated with law enforcement. The bill goes on to say that “law enforcement may monitor from any location in this State location information obtained from a wireless communications provider or device from anywhere the device is located regardless of jurisdiction.” Further, the bill states that “the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency shall obtain contact information from all wireless service providers authorized to do business in this state to facilitate a request from a law enforcement agency for call location information under this section. The bureau shall disseminate the contact information to each state and local law enforcement agency in this state.”
