On Wednesday, February 24, the joint Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety will hold a public hearing to discuss Legislative Document 1572, legislation to ensure nondiscrimination against gun owners who reside in public housing. Please contact members of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and urge them to support this critical legislation. Please click the “Take Action” button below to contact the committee members!
LD 1572, sponsored by Senator Andre Cushing (R-Penobscot), would prevent public housing authorities from adding provisions in rental agreements to ban the lawful ownership, use, possession, bearing or transportation of firearms by tenants.
LD 1572 was introduced after Harvey Lembo, a Maine resident who lives in an affordable housing community, filed a lawsuit against his landlord who threatened to evict him for lawfully possessing and using his firearm for self-defense purposes. Since moving to his apartment in 2009, Lembo’s home had been burglarized five times. On August 31, 2015, Lembo decided to purchase a firearm for protection, and less than 24 hours later, he used that firearm to defend himself during a home invasion. Following this incident, Lembo’s landlord forced him to decide what was more important: affordable housing or his right to self-defense.
Law-abiding gun owners should not be denied the right to Keep and Bear Arms, regardless of their economic status or street address.
Once again, please contact members of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and urge them to support this critical legislation. Please click the “Take Action” button above to contact the committee members!
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