March 6, 2010
The South Dakota House of Representatives passed the Firearms Freedom Act (SB 89) on Wednesday by a vote of 49-19 (see below for the full vote). The bill now awaits Governor Rounds’ signature.
Thanks again to all who took action. This bill is an excellent step in the right direction. South Dakota joins 23 other states in the battle against the anti-gun crowd in Washington, DC. If the Governor signs the bill, we will become the fourth state to pass it into law.
On another note, you will remember that HB 1169, "the parking lot bill" was defeated a couple of weeks ago. This legislation was designed to prohibit employers from penalizing or harassing gun owners who keep their firearms locked in their cars on company property. But no bill is dead until the Legislature adjourns.
A similar bill has been revived and is numbered SB 79. While SB 79 is a watered down version of HB 1169, it is largely the same bill with many of the same good parts.
ACTION:
There are two items that need action:
1) Please contact the Governor’s office and express your support for SB 89.
Phone: You can leave a message for the Governor at (605)773-3212. Your message can be as simple as "Please ask the Governor to support SB 89."
Email: Click here to email the Governor via his online form: http://www.sd.gov/gov/email.aspx
Feel free to copy and paste the sample message below or compose your own message.
---Sample message---
Dear Governor Rounds,
I strongly support SB 89, the Firearms Freedom Act.
Montana, Tennessee and Utah have already passed this outstanding legislation, and South Dakota is the 20th state to introduce it this year.
SB 89 simply ensures that firearms manufactured and sold in South Dakota are NOT subject to the unconstitutional restrictions pushed by the gun control zealots in Washington, D.C.
SB 89 protects the 2nd Amendment, the 9th Amendment and the 10th Amendment. It's time to send a message to the U.S. Congress and tell them to start legislating within the authority given them by the Constitution. Please help continue the movement that began in Montana by signing SB 89 into law.
Respectfully,
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2) Please contact your state Representatives and ask them to support SB 79, the new parking lot bill. It will most likely be up for a vote on Monday afternoon.
If you need help identifying your Reps, 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 House Lobby at (605) 773-3851 to leave a message. A legislative page should be there between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays to take your call. You can leave a message for two Representatives at a time, and your message need be no more than "Please vote YES on SB 79 as amended."
Email: Click on the following link to send your Representatives an email online:
http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx
Choose his or her name from the drop down. Feel free to copy and paste the sample message below or compose your own message.
---Sample message---
Dear Representative,
I strongly support SB 79 as amended. I believe that it strikes a good balance between the private property rights of the employer and the right to self-defense of the employee.
Policies which prohibit firearms in vehicles on company property have a very clear chilling effect on the right to keep and bear arms. Right now, numerous people in South Dakota simply cannot carry a firearm for self-defense because they are not allowed to lock that firearm in their car while at work.
Our state laws provide for the right to self-defense, yet that right is being nullified in some cases by company policies and regulations. Nobody should have to choose between their job on the one hand, or their right to self-defense on the other.
Please vote YES on SB 79.
Respectfully,
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Here is the latest vote on the Firearms Freedom Act. Feel free to contact the Representatives and express your thanks or displeasure according to their votes. As always, courtesy is the best policy.
South Dakota House of Representatives vote on Firearms Freedom Act
Voting for SB 89 (pro-gun)
Representatives
Bolin
Boomgarden
Brunner
Carson
Conzet
Cronin
Curd
Cutler
Deadrick
Dennert
Faehn
Fargen
Frerichs
Gosch
Greenfield
Hamiel
Hoffman
Hunt
Jensen
Juhnke
Kirkeby
Kopp
Krebs
Lust
McLaughlin
Moser
Noem
Novstrup (David)
Olson (Betty)
Olson (Ryan)
Peters
Pitts
Putnam
Rausch
Rave
Romkema
Rounds
Russell
Schlekeway
Sly
Solum
Sorenson
Steele
Tidemann
Turbiville
Van Gerpen
Vanneman
Verchio
Wink
Voting AGAINST SB 89 (anti-gun)
Representatives
Blake
Burg
Elliott
Engels
Feickert
Feinstein
Hunhoff (Bernie)
Iron Cloud III
Killer
Kirschman
Lange
Lucas
Nygaard
Schrempp
Solberg
Street
Thompson
Vanderlinde
Wismer