Senators claim that the anti-gun version of HB 1278 isn’t really anti-gun after all!
South Dakota Gun Owners Email Alert Network
PO Box 3845 Rapid City, SD 57709
605.415.4299
March 7, 2009
Left-leaning Senators like Scott Heidepriem (D-Sioux Falls) are trying to blow smoke in your face.
They are claiming that the bill allowing cities to ban self-defense in your local park isn’t all that bad. They claim you’ve just been misinformed.
At the same time, the anti-gun crowd is trumpeting the fact that HB 1278 would allow towns and counties to ban self-defense in every city park, in every civic center and in every community hall.
It also includes all the fair grounds, every city bus, every library and any other property owned or leased by cities and counties. Everything except streets and highways. The anti-gunners are launching an email campaign to pass HB 1278 in its current, anti-gun form.
ACTION:
If you have received emails from the politicians claiming that you’ve been misinformed about the amended HB 1278, please feel free to let them know you’re not buying it. Here are a few facts:
Both sides agree that the amended HB 1278 allows cities and counties to ban guns on all property owned or leased by them. Everything except streets and highways.
No one can deny that this means your concealed pistol permit will be worthless in your local city park if your city wants to ban self-defense there. HB 1278 gives sweeping new authority to ban your right to bear arms in a host of places.
No one can deny that if the current HB 1278 passes, you could be arrested for defending yourself in your local park, regardless of whether or not you have a concealed pistol permit.
If you have not yet had a chance to contact your Senator, please do so today! HB 1278 is scheduled for its final Senate vote on Monday afternoon. Please ask your Senator to oppose the amended version of HB 1278, and to support the effort to change the bill back to its original form. You can use the Sample Message below to direct your comments.
If you don’t know who your Senator is, click here: http://capwiz.com/gunowners/state/main/?state=SD&view=myofficials Simply scroll down to”My Elected Officials,” enter your address and city and click “GO.”
Phone: Call the Senate Lobby at (605) 773-3821 to leave a message. A legislative page should be there between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, to take your call.
Email: Click on the following link to send your Senators an email online: http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx Choose his or her name from the drop down.
-------------------Sample Message-------------------
Dear Senator:
I’m appalled that HB 1278 has been amended to allow cities to ban guns.
My right to bear arms in self-defense is guaranteed by Article VI, Section 24 of the South Dakota Constitution. In its current form, HB 1278 is a complete denial of this foundational right. As it stands, the bill doesn’t even provide for self-defense when I go for a walk in my city park!
HB 1278 would now allow every town and county to completely nullify South Dakota’s concealed pistol permit. This is the exact opposite of the original intent of the bill.
Please support the efforts to amend HB 1278 back to its original form. It is currently completely unacceptable. A vote for HB 1278 as it stands could not be considered as anything but an anti-gun vote.
Thank you for your consideration. South Dakota Gun Owners will let me know how you vote.
Sincerely,
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Background
Senator Gene Abdallah (R-Sioux Falls) is at it again.
Many will remember that in years past, Sen. Abdallah supported every single anti-gun bill to be introduced.
In 2006, SDGO took him to task for his anti-gun record, forcing him to spend 4 times more money to win re-election. As a result, Sen. Abdallah stopped introducing anti-gun legislation and actually voted pro-gun several times.
But it now appears that he is beginning to forget the lesson of 2006. Just this week, Sen. Abdallah joined the anti-gun crowd in their efforts to create a patchwork of anti-gun restrictions all over the state.
As you may know, city officials are banning guns in South Dakota. Regardless of whether you possess a concealed pistol permit, these bureaucrats and politicians say you cannot carry a handgun to defend yourself on city property.
SDGO introduced HB 1278 to end this outrageous denial of your right to self-defense.
The State House passed the bill, 46 to 20, and soundly defeated efforts to gut the bill with anti-gun amendments.
But now Sen. Abdallah and six left-leaning members of the Senate State Affairs committee voted to gut HB 1278 with the very same anti-gun amendment. They have changed it from a very simple pro-gun bill to one of the most anti-gun bills to hit South Dakota in years.
If passed, the new HB 1278 would give cities the authority to ban guns on virtually all city property. This means that your concealed pistol permit would be useless in every city park. It would be useless on every city bus, at the library, the civic center and numerous other locations.
If Sen. Abdallah’s mutilated version of HB 1278 passes, you could be arrested simply for defending yourself in towns all across South Dakota.
Here are the Senators who voted for the anti-gun version of HB 1278
Sen. Gene Abdallah - sen.abdallah@state.sd.us
Sen. Bob Gray - sen.gray@state.sd.us
Sen. Gary Hanson - sen.hanson@state.sd.us
Sen. Nancy Turbak Berry – sen.turbakberry@state.sd.us
Sen. Dave Knudson - sen.knudson@state.sd.us
Sen. Thomas Dempster - senatordempster@sio.midco.net
Sen. Scott Heidepriem - sen.heidepriem@state.sd.us
Here are the two Senators who voted against the anti-gun HB 1278
Sen. Russell Olson – http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx?MemberID=24
Sen. Larry Rhoden – http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx?MemberID=88
Click here for more on the city gun ban issue