AZCDL Legislative Update

Update from Arizona Citizens Defense League:

Thanks to the hundreds of you generating almost 4,000 emails to committee members, we made great progress this week!

The companion AzCDL-requested Constitutional Carry bills, SB 1102 and HB 2347, were both voted out of their respective committees. The SB 1102 vote was 4-3 in the Senate Judiciary Committee and the HB 2347 vote was 5-2, with one member not voting, in the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee.

Both Constitutional Carry bills have been amended in almost identical fashion. The primary Constitutional Carry language remains intact! The biggest change was in the CCW training requirements. SB 1102 and HB 2347 originally proposed eliminating the CCW permit training altogether. The strong resistance to this was not unexpected. AzCDL-suggested language was added that improves, but no longer eliminates, the existing statutory CCW permit training requirements. This resulted in reduced opposition. Other changes to the Constitutional Carry bills include:

- Correcting the language regarding the sale (versus destruction) of confiscated weapons.
- Requiring CCW permit holders to have their permit, when required, and available to law enforcement.
- Preventing law enforcement from confiscating a weapon lawfully possessed by a permit holder.
- Other technical corrections.

As a result of AzCDL’s representatives addressing the concerns of “stakeholders” of SB 1102 and HB 2347, some of the law enforcement unions have changed their position to “neutral” (from “opposed”). This is critical to successful passage. And, the NRA has registered support for Constitutional Carry with their representative testifying during the HB 2347 hearings. We hope to see even more support from the NRA on these bills.

The next step for SB 1102 and HB 2347, as with all bills passing out of committee, is a review in the Rules Committee in their respective chambers before being scheduled for debate and vote on the Senate and House floors.

Constitutional Carry was not the only pro-rights issue being addressed this week.

SB 1011, authorizing college and university faculty members, with CCW permits, to possess a concealed firearm on campus, was heard in the Senate Public Safety and Human Services Committee on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, but after discussion was “held” without a vote.

SB 1015, clarifying the "no firearms" signage requirements for restaurants, is also being held. An agreement was reached with the stakeholders (i.e., Liquor Lobby), to clarify the posting requirements via a change in the liquor laws. Senator Barbara Leff, chair of the Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee (where SB 1015 is assigned) is closely monitoring the situation.

SB 1098, the "Firearms Freedom Act," was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, February 1, 2009. It passed out of committee by a party line vote of 4-3. The House version of SB 1098 (HB 2307) passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on January 28, 2010.

It looks like next week will be relatively quiet. Most key firearms related bills have been voted favorably out of their assigned committees and appear to be moving along nicely.

Stay tuned! When critical legislation moves, we will notify you via these Alerts.

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