Philadelphia To Enforce Illegal Firearm Ordinances: Mayor Nutter yesterday said he would enforce new city gun-control laws even without state authorization to do so - setting up a possible legal and political showdown between the state and the new mayor. At the first regular meeting of the new City Council yesterday, Council members Darrell L. Clarke and Donna Reed Miller introduced the same package of gun-control measures that languished last year while the state legislature refused to authorize them. But these bills have a new wrinkle - they don't call for state-enabling legislation. The previous bills were conditional on companion state laws in recognition of a 1996 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that said cities could not enforce their own gun laws. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20080125_Nutter__Enforce_Phila_s_gun_laws.html --- What Is Romney's Position On "Assault Weapons"?: "...I also, like the president, would have signed the assault weapon ban that came to his desk. I said I would have supported that and signed a similar bill in our state. It was a bill worked out, by the way, between pro-gun lobby and anti-guy lobby individuals...I do not support any new legislation of an assault weapon ban nature, including that against semiautomatic weapons. I instead believe that we have laws in place that, if they're implemented and enforced, will provide the protection and the safety of the American people..." http://lonestartimes.com/2008/01/25/mitt-romney-and-the-second-amendment/ --- Ohio Castle-Doctrine Bill To Get Additional Hearing: Senate Bill 184 will have a third hearing next week. The bill has been added to the Senate Judiciary on Criminal Justice Committee's agenda for January 30 at 10:00 a.m. in Senate Building, North Hearing Room. This legislation would restore the right of individuals to respond in force in defense of their lives and family without fear of civil lawsuits by criminals. The purpose for Wednesday's hearing is so that the committee may hear testimony on SB184 from proponents and opponents of the legislation, and other interested parties. Buckeye Firearms Association leaders will be on hand. http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/5069 --- Utah Bill Would Block Emergency Confiscation: A Senate bill proposes to make it unlawful for the governor or any government entity to restrict the lawful possession of firearms during a declared state of emergency. SB157, sponsored by Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, proposes to prohibit the restriction or confiscation of a firearm or ammunition during an emergency. Specifically, the government would not be able to restrict the lawful possession, transfer, sale, transport, storage, display or use of a firearm or ammunition. The bill, which is in Senate Rules, provides exceptions, such as if a firearm is confiscated in self-defense, if an individual is committing a felony or misdemeanor or if a person is not legally allowed to possess a firearm. http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247105,00.html --- Arizona Bill Would Allow School CCW: Individuals with a concealed-weapons permit would be allowed to bring their guns onto school grounds under a measure introduced Friday at the Arizona Legislature. The proposal, Senate Bill 1214, would exempt concealed-carry permit holders from a state law that bars individuals from knowingly carrying deadly weapons onto school property. If it becomes law, the measure would allow teachers and anyone else with a valid permit to carry their weapon onto the grounds of any public or private K-12 school, college or university in the state. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0126gunbill0126.html --- BATFE Loses Round In Bid To Close Idaho Gun Shop: US District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge has denied the BATFE's request for summary judgment in our case and has moved it on to trial...I am of course bouncing off the walls in excitement, it has been nearly a year now that the ATF moved to revoke our license after 72 years in business. At question in our case is the ATF's definition of the word WILLFUL; they claim that we WILLFULLY committed .4% clerical errors. Another Federal Judge in North Carolina recently questioned the ATF's definition of willful and moved another dealers case to trial as well. http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/2008/01/breaking-news-judge-denies-atfs-request.html --- Judge - Bloomberg Gun Sting Not Illegal: City officials say a federal judge helped their lawsuit against gun dealers by ruling that there was no crime in sending undercover investigators into gun shops to try to buy weapons illegally. But gun dealers see the same decision as support for their argument that they didn't do anything wrong. The sting operation was conducted two years ago. It was the basis for a civil case Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration brought against 27 gun dealers in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. Bloomberg targeted shops that the city believes are responsible for selling guns traced back to crimes in New York City. http://breakingnews.nydailynews.com/dynamic/stories/N/NY_BLOOMBERG_GUN_STING_BAOL-?SITE=NYNYD&SECTION=TOP_STORIES&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT --- Off-Duty Officer Killed In Mistaken Identity Shooting: An off-duty Mount Vernon, N.Y., police officer was shot and killed in downtown White Plains on Friday evening after he pulled his gun on another man and was fired at by Westchester County police officers, the authorities said..."I saw police come from the courthouse," he said. "They said, 'Drop your weapon.' " He said that instead of dropping the weapon, the person with the gun turned around, prompting the county officers to shoot. Officer Ridley was hit twice in the chest. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. (This is why so many instructors emphasize the ability to reholster one-handed, without needing to take your eyes from the threat, to avoid getting shot by responding officers.) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/nyregion/26shoot.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin --- Speaking Of Holsters...: Criminal behavior is often self-defeating, but when a Shelby man allegedly attempted to rob a Cherryville convenience store, he shot himself in the foot in more ways than one. According to an arrest warrant, Kevin Ethelbert Roberts, 28, dropped a .45-caliber handgun as he walked to the door of Gasland USA on East Church Street on Sunday. The weapon fired as it hit the ground and struck Roberts in the right foot, police reported... Police say Roberts shot himself in the foot with a Derringer handgun that had been altered so that it could fire .410 shotgun shells. http://www.shelbystar.com/news/roberts_28212___article.html/weapon_foot.html --- Chris Matthews, ABC Prohibitionist: "...But that's what's going on. I'm talking about a different point here. I want to see people disarmed. I want people disarmed in our major cities. How's that for a plan? I don't think we should all be armed, and I don't think more guns is the answer. I think it's wacky to say that the solution to armed robbery and killing in our streets in big cities is to put more arms in the streets. Anyway, thank you Deroy." http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2008/01/25/matthews-machine-guns-2nd-amendment-i-want-people-disarmed -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .