Amtrak Prepares For Guns In Checked Bags
Railroad passengers on Amtrak should soon be able to once again transport firearms in checked baggage. The change is slated to begin on Dec. 15, the effective date of the amendment by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., that forced Amtrak to accommodate gun owners. The new service will only be available between stations where checked baggage service is currently available.
As when transporting guns on a commercial airline flight, gun owners should pack firearms unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided container. Ammunition should be stored in a manufacturer's box or in "fiber, wood, or metal boxes … or in other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition." Unlike airlines, Amtrak also requires handgun cases to be stored inside a suitcase or other checked bag.
Convicted for Transporting Guns While Moving, N.J. Gun Owner Seeks Justice: In a case that has drawn national attention, a New Jersey gun owner has been sentenced to seven years in prison for having two unloaded, cased handguns in his car trunk while moving to a new home.
Another Way To Get Involved--Join NRA's Facebook And Twitter Groups: Internet social networking has exploded in recent years, and websites such as Facebook and Twitter attract millions of users. This on-line community fosters a connection between its users, and allows distribution of user-generated content (like pictures, profiles, music, video, and text).
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STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.)
CALIFORNIA: NRA & CRPA Foundation Submit Opposition to Proposed Microstamping RegulationsLawyers for the NRA and CRPA Foundation have submitted another set of comments to the California Department of Justice ("DOJ") opposing DOJ's recently revised proposed regulations requiring new handgun models sold in California to be equipped with a "microstamping" mechanism. If adopted, the new regulations may be used to implement AB 1471, which requires that after January 1, 2010, all semiautomatic pistols not already listed on the roster of handguns approved for sale by firearm retailers be "designed and equipped" with microstamping technology.
The law only takes effect "provided that the Department of Justice certifies that the technology used to create the imprint is available to more than one manufacturer unencumbered by any patent restrictions." The current technology is not only unreliable, it is also encumbered by a patent. For those reasons, AB 1471 has yet to be implemented.
Microstamping is a theoretical process whereby a semiautomatic firearm leaves a unique imprint on each ammunition casing ejected from the firearm upon discharging it. Given the lack of available micro-stamping technology, these proposed regulations are completely unnecessary. The NRA & CRPAF are objecting to the DOJ even engaging in the rulemaking process at this time for this reason and others.
The NRA & CRPA letter to the DOJ is posted here. The NRA & CRPA submitted a similar letter to the DOJ on February 15, 2010 during the initial comment period, but the DOJ has nonetheless insisted on proceeding with the rulemaking process.
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