Gun Show Law Hearing Next Thursday

My cold seems to be doing well, and I feel rotten. This, however, is urgent.

There is a hearing in Olympia, Washington about the bill to require all firearms sales at gun shows to go through a FFL holder. In short, no gun show private sales without a dealer being involved.

This is from the NRA's news release:

Senate Bill 5197 will be up for a hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Thursday, February 8 at 3:30 P.M. in the John A. Cherberg Building, Hearing Room #4.

SB 5197 is a measure aimed directly at private firearm sales, which would mandate that all firearms sold at gun shows be transferred through a federally licensed dealer, thereby imposing dealer restrictions on private individuals who are not dealers. This will establish a gun tax on firearms, expand the growing government database of law-abiding handgun owners, and effectively halt handgun sales at gun shows.

Your attendance at this hearing is critical. Washington Ceasefire is planning on packing the hearing with supporters of the gun show/gun registration bill, so it's vital that NRA-supporters show a strong turnout as well. Attendees should plan on being at the Capitol by noon. Please visit your legislators, even if they are not on the Committee.

If you are unable to attend, please contact your State Senator at (800) 562-6000 and respectfully ask that he or she oppose this ill-conceived and restrictive measure.

From previous experiences, the plan here is to start late, finish early, and make sure the anti-gunners get lots of press. What the pro-gunners must do is get there early and in large numbers. As soon as the doors open into the hearing room rush (as in roller derby?) to the clip boards and sign up everyone in your group to speak.

FILL THE CLIPBOARD WITH PRO-GUN RIGHTS FOLKS!

You don't have to be a public speaker or have a speech written. All you need to do is to state your name, where you are from, and your opposition to the bill. In a couple of short sentences, say why. Thank the panel, and sit down. Speak slowly, clearly, and be polite. No extreme shirt slogans today. Remember that this is basically an orchestrated dog and pony show so the anti-gunners can claim public support for the bill.

The best hope for stopping this bill is for it to not come up for a vote in committee before the deadline for all bills to be out of committee. If voted out of committee it may go to another committee, or it may end up on the floor being voted on. If it gets to the floor with the Dem's having 2/3 of the votes, I'd say it's pretty much a done deal.

That's my opinion, anyway, and now I'm going back to bed.......