Reconsideration WORKED on SB 414 – wolf control

Your efforts to get the House to reconsider its failing vote on our wolf control bill, SB 414, WERE SUCCESSFUL. The motion to reconsider passed by 62-38. We turned 13 votes!!

SB 414 will go to Second Reading now, and I hope this 62-38 vote holds for both Second Reading and Third Reading. Then it will have to go back to the Senate for Senate concurrence with House amendments. The Senate concurrence with House amendments should not be such a problem, however the Governor may veto despite his recent grandstanding about wolves.

We had a setback for our bill to encourage the manufacture of ammo components in Montana. The Senate failed to concur with House amendment by 20-30. I’ll get out a separate email about this.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

Resending list of Rep.s – FLASH – wolf control

For some of you, the BOLD of legislators possibly susceptible to changing their votes on SB 414 did not come through.

I have reworked the list of legislators below to include only those who voted against SB 414 yesterday and who MIGHT be susceptible to changing their vote today.

Dear MSSA Friends,

I missed that yesterday (Tuesday) the House committee report on our wolf control bill, SB 414 went down on a vote of 49-50.

THERE IS ONE CHANCE FOR RECOVERY. Today, some member of the House who voted against SB 414 yesterday can move to reconsider and change his or her vote- today only!

All of you who get this early email (Wednesday) need to get messages to House members THIS MORNING asking them to reconsider and SUPPORT SB 414.

ONLY people who voted AGAINST SB 414 yesterday can move to reconsider and change their vote, and ONLY TODAY. The House floor session convenes at 1 PM this afternoon.

I’ll bold some of the legislators on the list below who I think are possible candidates to switch and reconsider. They will have been told that if SB 414 passes it will achieve the opposite of what is intended and will NOT allow Montana management of wolves – that it will interfere with the promised action in Congress. What is pending in Congress will ONLY maintain wolves at currently too-high numbers, so it will not amount to much relief, if any. Tell Representatives that SB 414 is Montana’s last chance to save our game herds.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
=======================
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/laws11/LAW0211W$BLAC.VoteTabulation?P_VOTE_SEQ=H1841

YEAS NAYS EXCUSED ABSENT

N Ankney, Duane
N Flynn, KellyN
N MacLaren, Gary
N Greef, Edward
N McNutt, Walter
N Mehlhoff, Robert (Bob)
N Milburn, Mike
N Miller, Mike
N Connell, Pat
N Peterson, Ken
N Klock, Harry
N Fitzpatrick, Steve
N Yates, Max

FWP regulating ammo – HB 159

MSSA’s bill to prevent FWP from regulating ammunition and firearms, HB 159, was amended in the Senate and weakened some, but still contains the essential element of preventing FWP from regulating ammunition, spurred by FWP’s proposal last year to ban lead shot for upland game bird hunting.

In its amended form, HB 159 has passed the Senate and returned to the House for House concurrence with Senate amendments. We still support HB 159 and recommend you contact and encourage your Representative to support HB 159.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

FLASH – wolf control

I missed that yesterday (Tuesday) the House committee report on our wolf control bill, SB 414 went down on a vote of 49-50.

THERE IS ONE CHANCE FOR RECOVERY. Today, some member of the House who voted against SB 414 yesterday can move to reconsider and change his or her vote- today only!

All of you who get this early email (Wednesday) need to get messages to House members THIS MORNING asking them to reconsider and SUPPORT SB 414.

ONLY people who voted AGAINST SB 414 yesterday can move to reconsider and change their vote, and ONLY TODAY. The House floor session convenes at 1 PM this afternoon.

I’ll bold some of the legislators on the list below who I think are possible candidates to switch and reconsider. They will have been told that if SB 414 passes it will achieve the opposite of what is intended and will NOT allow Montana management of wolves – that it will interfere with the promised action in Congress. What is pending in Congress will ONLY maintain wolves at currently too-high numbers, so it will not amount to much relief, if any. Tell Representatives that SB 414 is Montana’s last chance to save our game herds.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
=======================
http://laws.leg.mt.gov/laws11_pref/LAW0211W$BLAC.VoteTabulation?P_VOTE_SEQ=H1841

YEAS NAYS EXCUSED ABSENT

N Ankney, DuaneN Flynn, KellyN MacDonald, Margaret (Margie)Y Reichner, Scott
Y Arntzen, ElsieN Furey, TimothyN MacLaren, GaryN Reinhart, Michele
N Bangerter, LizN Gibson, SteveN Malek, SueY Roberts, Don
N Barrett, DickN Greef, EdwardN McChesney, BillY Rosendale, Matthew
Y Beck, BillY Hale, AlanN McClafferty, Edith (Edie)Y Salomon, Daniel
N Belcourt, TonyN Hands, BetsyY McGillvray, TomN Sands, Diane
Y Bennett, Gerald (Jerry)Y Hansen, KrisN McNally, MaryN Schmidt, Trudi
N Bennett, BryceY Harris, BillY McNiven, JonathanN Sesso, Jon
Y Berry, TomY Hendrick, GordonN McNutt, WalterY Skattum, Dan
Y Blasdel, MarkN Hill, Ellie BoldmanN Mehlhoff, Robert (Bob)Y Skees, Derek
Y Blyton, JoanneN Hiner, CynthiaN Menahan, MikeN Small, Sterling
N Boland, CarlieY Hollandsworth, RoyN Milburn, MikeN Smith, Frank
Y Brodehl, RandyN Hollenbaugh, GalenN Miller, MikeY Smith, Cary
Y Burnett, TomN Hoven, BrianY More, Michael (Mike)N Squires, Carolyn
Y Clark, ChristyY Howard, DavidN Noonan, PatN Stahl, Wayne
N Connell, PatN Hunter, ChuckY O’Hara, JesseN Swanson, Kathy
N Cook, RobY Ingraham, PatY O’Neil, JerryY Taylor, Janna
N Court, VirginiaY Kary, Douglas (Doug)Y Osmundson, RyanY Vance, Gordon
Y Cuffe, MikeY Kennedy, DanN Pease-Lopez, CarolynY Wagner, Bob
N Driscoll, RobynY Kerns, KraytonN Peterson, KenY Warburton, Wendy
Y Edmunds, ChampN Klock, HarryN Phillips, MikeY Washburn, Ted
N Ehli, RonY Knox, JamesN Price, JeanY Welborn, Jeffery
Y Esp, JohnY Knudsen, AustinY Randall, LeeN Williams, Kathleen
Y Evans, Lila WalterY Lavin, SteveY Read, JoeN Wilmer, Franke
N Fitzpatrick, SteveY Loney, CleveY Regier, KeithN Yates, Max

Another FLASH – SB 371

SB 371, MSSA’s bill to encourage manufacture of powder, primers and brass in Montana is back again before the House on Second Reading, having been re-referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

The House passed SB 371 again with a vote of 63-37. SB 371 will almost certainly be approved by the House on Third Reading tomorrow by a similar vote. If so, it will go to the Senate for Senate concurrence with House amendments (to put tax breaks and liability protection back into the bill).

MSSA’s wolf control bill, SB 414, has been approved by the House Appropriations Committee with the couple of changes I mentioned previously were in the wind, plus one more that dilutes SB 414 some. SB 414 is still forward progress and will soon come before the full House for Second Reading action and vote.

Stay tuned.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

FLASH – Permitless carry passes House

The conference committee report on HB 271 just passed the House by 68-29.

If the Senate concurs with the conference committee report, HB 271 will go to the Governor for his signature.

The House-passed version specifies that a person may carry concealed inside city limits if the person is eligible to possess a handgun under state or federal law.

HB 271 will soon come before the Senate for concurrence with the conference committee report. I will notify you when that is scheduled so you may contract your senators.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

SB 371 Rerouted

SB 371, the powder, primer and brass bill has been reassigned to the House Appropriations Committee to review the fiscal consequences of the bill. It is scheduled for a public hearing before Appropriations at 9 AM this morning (Friday). This reassignment caught me off guard or I would have been there. If you want to look at the Fiscal Note attached to SB 371, there is a link to it from the Legislature’s Web page for SB 371 (or HERE).

Here is my email from late last night to members of the Appropriations Committee.

Gary

=====================

Dear Committee Members,

I see that SB 371 has been referred to House Appropriations for a public hearing at 9 AM on Friday (tomorrow morning). I regret that I cannot rally to Helena on such short notice to appear to speak about the SB 371 Fiscal Note. I hope this email will substitute for an appearance.

The purpose of SB 371 is to encourage the manufacture of smokeless powder, small arms primers and cartridge brass (ammunition components) in Montana. No such businesses exist in Montana at this time.

I wish to make three points about the Fiscal Note:

1) Assumptions 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Fiscal Note assume that such businesses exist now in Montana. Those assumptions are incorrect. No such business exists now in Montana. Montana DOES have businesses which assemble components into finished ammunition. Such businesses would not be affected by or benefit from SB 371. Because no ammunition component manufacturers currently exist in Montana, the costs attributed by the Fiscal Note do not occur. Thus, Assumptions 5, 6, 7, and 8 are meaningless.

2) The House Taxation Committee made a significant change to SB 371 since the Fiscal Note was compiled. At Page 3, Lines 20 and 21, a new provision was inserted by the House Taxation Committee (Section 4(3) ) to clarify that any tax breaks would only apply to that portion of any business actually manufacturing ammunition components. Although Section 2(4) on Page 2 limits SB 371 effect to only businesses for which over 50% of the business activity is manufacture of ammunition components, the new provision added by the House Taxation Committee clarifies that tax breaks would only apply to that part of a business actually manufacturing ammunition components, but not to a theoretical 49% of a business engaged in other business activity.

3) DOR assumption 11 says it will cost DOR $3,318 to develop an application form for manufacturers of ammunition components to apply to claim the tax breaks of SB 371. If this figure is correct, may I please be awarded the contract to develop this form?

I respectfully request that you reject the Fiscal Note for SB 371 and approve SB 371 as is.

FYI, I’ll paste below my signature an email I received today from a current cartridge brass remanufacturer in Colorado who has new brass manufacturing equipment warehoused and who would like to move this equipment to Montana and create jobs if SB 371 passes. I’ve had a similar expression of interest about making primers in Montana from another current manufacturer in Oregon.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

================================

Dear Gary,

It was very nice to hear from you about the progress you are making with SB 371 in Montana.

As you know, I have a substantial amount of brass-making equipment in reserve here in Colorado and would love to be involved in a joint venture of some kind where we could see this equipment producing brass shell casings once again for the ammunition industry. I support your efforts with great enthusiasm and hope your are successful in the near future.

Sincerely

Dan Scharch

Scharch Mfg. Inc
http://scharch.com/

FLASH Update

HB 271, permitless carry is out of conference committee. It has been amended to strip Senate amendments and to say that a person can carry concealed inside cities without a permit for “(g) a person eligible to possess a handgun under state or federal law”

HB 271 will now go to the full Senate and House for concurrence with the amendment of the conference committee. Please contact BOTH your Senator and Representative and ask him or her to support the conference committee report on HB 271!!

Shooting Range Funding. Funding for the Shooting Range Development program uses hunter license fees ONLY (no tax revenues) for FWP to make matching grants to local clubs to start or improve shooting ranges – to develop safe and suitable places for people to shoot. This funding is controlled by HB 2, the budget bill for state government. MSSA is requesting $1.5 million for the SRDP for the next two years. FWP requested only $625K for the program in the proposed state budget.

HB 2 has gone to a conference committee to iron out differences between House and Senate versions of the state budget. A conference committee includes three members from the Senate and three from the House. Appointed to the conference committee from the Senate are senators Dave Lewis (R-Helena), Rick Ripley (R-wolf Creek), and Carol Williams (D-Missoula). Appointed from the House are Walt McNutt (R-Sidney), John Esp (R-Livingston), and Jon Sesso (D-Butte).

Senator Dave Lewis (our good friend) has prepared an amendment for HB 2 to put another $850K into the SRDP to bring it up to the MSSA-requested $1.5 million (THANKS Dave). Please contact the other members of the conference committee and urge them to support Senator Lewis’s amendment to fully fund the SRDP.

Understand that the most contentious bill in the legislature is HB 2. Democrats want to tax and spend more, and Republicans want to spend less. So, to some extent we are swimming against the stream. Therefore, it’s important to note that this money is NOT tax revenue, but a small portion of each hunter’s license fee being used to provide that hunter with a place to sight in and practice with his hunting rifle. As I have told FWP, if people are not shooting, they won’t be hunting and buying hunting licenses, affecting the long term financial health of FWP.

Suppressors. The Montana Stockgrowers Association continues to oppose HB 174 because rancher members think suppressors are like the “silencers” they’ve seen in James Bond movies. They believe that if the archaic law making it illegal to be in the “field or forest” with a suppressor is repealed, as HB 174 would do, people with legally-owned suppressors will suddenly become a rash of undetectable poachers on their ranches. If you know any MSGA members, it is important for them to contact MSGA and ask MSGA to back off its opposition to HB 174 so we can spring it from the Senate Judiciary Committee where it is now tabled.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

More news from Helena

I’ve just come back from yet another trip to Helena, this time to testify in support of our Wolf Control bill, SB 414, before the House Appropriations Committee. The Committee seemed receptive to the bill, but the Committee has not yet voted on the bill so stay tuned. I hope you already contacted members of House Appropriations and asked them to support SB 414.

SB 371, to encourage the manufacture of powder, primers and brass has cleared the House Taxation Committee, AND the Committee restored the two inducements we requested that had been stricken in the Senate. SB 371 now goes to the House floor for Second Reading. Contact your Representative and urge him or her to support SB 371.

SB 114, the watered-down version of Sheriffs First, has been sent to the Governor for his signature. No word on whether or not he’ll sign it, but I can’t think why he wouldn’t. Call the Governor’s office at 444-3111 if you wish to urge the Governor to sign SB 114.

HB 271, permitless carry, has gone to a conference committee to work out the differences between the Senate and House versions. Stay tuned on this too.

HB 174, to repeal the archaic suppressor law, is still stuck in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Three critical senators, Murphy, Hutton and Peterson, are against HB 174 because the Montana Stockgrowers Association opposes the bill. MSA testified against HB 174 at the Senate Judiciary public hearing and reiterated what they thought they knew about suppressors from having watched James Bond movies. MSA lobbyist Jay Bodner has admitted since that he’s never used a suppressor, or seen one used, and that probably the reasons for MSA opposition are incorrect. I’ve asked Jay to switch the MSA position on HB 174, or at least officially back off opposition. Jay says ranchers still don’t like the bill, still based on information from James Bond movies. $%&&*&%@#&%$@. It doesn’t seem to be any sort of priority with Jay to cure his bosses misperceptions about suppressors, or correct MSA’s wrongheaded opposition to HB 174. If you know any ranchers who approve of suppressors, it is IMPORTANT for them to contact senators Murphy, Hutton and Peterson with that information.

Enough for now, I need (NEED) to go burn some powder to chill out.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

FLASH – Wolf control bill hearing – 4/6

This late in the session, things happen fast in the Legislature. I just got word this morning that MSSA’s Wolf Control bill, SB 414, will have a public hearing before the House Appropriations Committee tomorrow (Wednesday, 4/6) morning at 8 AM in Room 102 of the State Capitol.

Please show up if you can to support SB 414. If you can’t show up, please contact Committee members and urge them to support SB 414. This bill is Montana’s best chance to get control of invasive and destructive wolves.

Also, SB 114, the stripped-down version of Sheriffs First, has gone to the governor for his signature. You can call the Governor’s office at 444-3111 if you wish to leave a message asking the Governor to be sure to sign SB 114.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

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