The Legion

Dick's Sporting Goods Inc., the largest sporting goods retailer in the U.S., will stop selling firearms at 125 of its stores in a move that has nothing to do with its famous anti-gun activism. https://www.ibtimes.com/dicks-sporting-goods-stops-gun-sales-125-stores-more-stores-soon-2774694

There were eight Republicans that also voted for this bill.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-02-27/democratic-house-passes-bill-mandating-universal-background-checks-on-gun-purchases The Democratic-led House on Wednesday passed a bill mandating universal background checks in a historic vote on the most significant piece of gun control legislation in years. The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, sponsored by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., passed largely along party lines, 240-190. The bill now faces a steep uphill battle as it heads to the GOP-controlled Senate. Eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the bill. Along with King, four other Republicans are co-sponsors, including Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Fred Upton of Michigan, Brian Mast of Florida and Chris Smith of New Jersey. Meanwhile, two Democrats defected to oppose the bill. The bill would require universal background checks for all firearm sales, including private transactions. Current federal law only mandates background checks for purchases from licensed gun dealers. "Gun violence is a true national emergency," said Thompson, who noted that he's an avid hunter. "If this bill did anything to erode gun rights … I wouldn't support it and have my name on it." The gun-control measure has been met by opposition from most Republicans and the National Rifle Association. President Donald Trump has already indicated that he'd veto the legislation if it made it to his desk. But a Republican amendment was adopted to the chagrin of Democratic leadership, which would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be notified when a person in the country illegally attempts to buy a firearm. In a surprising move, 26 Democrats joined Republicans to adopt it. Most Republicans have said that expanded background checks wouldn't have prevented a 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, noting that the shooter cleared a background check. The NRA argued that the bill "criminalizes the private transfer of firearms and targets law-abiding gun owners for persecution," including those who loan guns to family or friends. But the measure includes exemptions to permit transfers that are loans or gifts between family members in addition to allowing temporary transfers for guns used for hunting or on shooting ranges. Now that they serve in the majority, Democrats have been trying to flex their muscle on a number of campaign promises from the 2018 midterms, which include pledges to address gun control amid a series of mass shootings. While the bill faces a big hurdle in the Senate, the legislation is symbolic for the Democratic Party, which a few years ago would shy away from taking up gun control. It's been more than two decades since a vote on a standalone gun-control measure in the House. "No one's political survival here is more important than the survival of the American people, especially our children," Pelosi said prior to the vote. Ahead of the vote, a number of Republicans took to the floor in opposition to the background checks bill. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo, ticked through a number of the bill's exemptions, arguing that they "mislead people to believe a gun transfer is legal when it is not." And freshman Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., lambasted Democrats in committee hearings for rejecting his and several Republicans' amendments to the bill. Plus, Senate Republicans have made their opposition to the bill clear. Senate Majority Whip John Thune told CNN on Tuesday that the upper chamber is "unlikely" to debate the bill in the near future. The House will also vote on Thursday on another gun-control measure that would close the "Charleston loophole" and lengthen the window of time for a background check to be completed from three days to 20 days. The Enhanced Background Checks Act addresses, authored by Rep. James Clyburn, R-S.C., addresses the process that allowed the shooter in a 2015 South Carolina mass shooting at a black church to purchase a firearm. King is the only Republican co-sponsor on that bill.

The 2019 Walking in Memphis Regional IDPA Shootout will be held Sunday September 1 at Memphis Sports Shooting Association in Lakeland, Tn. Registration for the match will open February 16, 2019 @ 6:00am on PractiScore. Match Fee is $105.00. Link to Registration: https://practiscore.com/2019-walking-in-memphis-regional-idpa-shootout/register

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https://wreg.com/2019/02/05/george-klein-legendary-dj-and-friend-to-elvis-presley-passes-away/ MEMPHIS, Tenn. — George Klein, the legendary Memphis DJ and best friend to Elvis Presley, has died at 83-years-old. Klein was a friend of Elvis Presley since they met at Humes High School at age 13. He was a groomsman in Elvis’ wedding and a pall bearer at his 1977 funeral. Klein died Tuesday evening. Priscilla Presley tweeted her condolences after learning of his death. Congressman Steve Cohen released a statement saying, “George Klein was a friend of Elvis, a friend to many and a friend of mine. A member of the Memphis Mafia and always TCB, George kept Elvis’ music at the forefront from the days of “Jailhouse Rock” to “Elvis Time” on SiriusXM satellite radio. He was always a nice guy and we were mutual friends of the late Irvin Salky. His was a life well lived and he will be missed.”

I feel his pain!!!

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I do not believe I would do this. Just saying!!!

https://thecelebdiary.com/2019/01/18/full-metal-jacket-star-r-lee-ermey-buried-at-arlington-national-cemetery/ R. Lee Ermey Buried at Arlington National Cemetery Ermey, the former Marine who rose to fame by playing the sadistic Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in “Full Metal Jacket,” was laid to rest Friday at Arlington National Cemetery. A former Marine drill instructor turned successful actor, Ermey, had his cremated remains buried with full military honors. There was a casket team, firing party and bugler, plus a folding and presentation of the American flag. military honor comes 9 months after his death last April from pneumonia. He was 74. The actor enlisted in the Marine Corp when he was 17 years old, and he served in Okinawa and in Vietnam. Ermey gained worldwide fame following his role in Stanley Kubrick‘s “Full Metal Jacket” in 1987, delivering his famous line, “What is your major malfunction?!” Ermey said he used his experience as a drill instructor to bring his character to life. Ermey appeared in dozens of films, though in his later years he said he had been blackballed from Hollywood because of his political views.

I wasn't planning on picking up a new gun "BUT" Walther just came out with the new Walther PPQ Q5 Match Steel Frame. I sold my polymer PPQ and picked up the new steel frame. It has been a long time since I really got excited about a new gun but I really like this gun. It is a heavy gun at 2lbs 10oz with an empty magazine so it will be legal for SSP/ESP division in IDPA. My main purpose for the gun is to shoot Carry Optics division and the weight limit is 45oz with an optic. The optic I will use will be the C-more RTS2 6 MOA. The gun does come with three mounting plates, not for the C-more. Had to purchase one from C-more. The grip is a little bit more aggressive than the polymer gun and I am very happy with that. I hope to get out to the range soon and when I do I will do a range report.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-to-introduce-bill-expanding-background-checks-on-gun-sales-11546959600?mod=hp_lista_pos3 Jan. 8, 2019 10:00 a.m. ET Democrats’ long-pledged push to tighten the country’s gun laws will take center stage when lawmakers introduce legislation Tuesday aimed at expanding background checks on gun sales. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), Rep. Mike Thompson (D., Calif.), who leads a task force focused on reducing gun violence, and former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D., Ariz.) will officially unveil the legislation expanding background checks to more commercial sales and private transfers, with the goal of flagging people with criminal or mental-health histories that disqualify them from gun ownership. The legislation will expand background checks to almost all commercial sales, including private sales at gun shows, as well as other transfers, with just narrow exemptions, according to people familiar with its text. Currently, federal laws require the checks only for sales by federally licensed dealers, though some states have added their own requirements. The measure, which is expected to have some Republican support, will likely pass the House later this year but is expected to stall in the GOP-led Senate. Yet, after decades of little action under both Republicans and Democrats, proponents of tighter gun laws said passage in even one chamber would mark political progress on an issue that flares up frequently after mass shootings. “It’s a political moment that is a necessary prerequisite to a policy moment,” said Mark Glaze, the former executive director of Everytown for Gun Safety, a group founded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “A shift in political attitudes in the House is step one toward a shift in political attitudes among more Republicans in the Senate.” The bill’s introduction falls on the eighth anniversary of the day Ms. Giffords was shot in the head outside a Safeway in Tucson. Less than a week after Democrats took control of the House, the timing also highlights how high they plan to prioritize reducing gun violence as the 2020 presidential primary heats up. In the 2018 midterms, gun control became a litmus test for Democrats, a shift from years past when many in tight races emphasized their support for gun rights. Some Republicans are expected to back the measure in the House, but many GOP lawmakers have criticized bills expanding background checks as ineffective in stopping criminals from obtaining firearms. “To me it doesn’t violate anyone’s rights and it puts in very basic protections,” said Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.), who is a co-sponsor of the bill. But he said for many Republicans, critics of tighter gun laws are a stronger political force. “Those who are opposed to it are much more intense and much more likely to vote on that as their main issue,” he said. The National Rifle Association said it expects to oppose the House bill, noting that there already is a background-checks system in place. “So-called universal background checks will never be universal because criminals do not comply with the law,” NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said in a statement. “Instead of looking for effective solutions that will deal with root cause of violent crime and save lives, antigun politicians would rather score political points and push ineffective legislation that doesn’t stop criminals from committing crimes.” Congress has made only incremental changes to the country’s gun laws in recent years. After the shooting of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., a bill to expand background checks to all online sales and sales at gun shows narrowly failed in the Senate in 2013. Bipartisan groups of lawmakers have also pushed to prevent suspected terrorists from buying firearms by prohibiting individuals on the government’s “no fly” list, but a series of proposals all came up short in 2016, following the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. In March, Congress did tuck a provision in a spending bill signed by President Trump to strengthen compliance with the national background check system for buying firearms. The measure added incentives for states and federal agencies, including the military, to submit criminal-conviction records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. Federal law requires agencies to submit relevant records, but at the state level, compliance is voluntary unless mandated by state law or federal funding requirements. The last time Congress passed far more sweeping changes to gun laws was in the 1990s after a series of mass shootings. A federal 1994 ban on sales of more than a dozen models of assault weapons, including those capable of holding more than 10 bullets, expired in 2004 and hasn’t been renewed since. The Trump administration last month issued a sales ban on bump stocks, the firearm attachments that allow semiautomatic weapons to fire like machine guns that were used during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting. Although the NRA supported that move, others, including some federal regulators, have questioned the government’s authority to issue the ban.

He died at the same age as Super Dave 76. NEW YORK — Daryl Dragon, the cap-wearing "Captain" of "The Captain and Tennille" who teamed with then-wife Toni Tennille on such easy listening hits as "Love Will Keep Us Together" and "Muskrat Love," died Wednesday at age 76. Dragon died of renal failure at a hospice in Prescott, Arizona, according to spokesman Harlan Boll. Tennille was by his side. "He was a brilliant musician with many friends who loved him greatly. I was at my most creative in my life, when I was with him," Tennille said in a statement. Dragon and Tennille divorced in 2014 after nearly 40 years of marriage, but they remained close and Tennille had moved back to Arizona to help care for him. Dragon and Tennille met in the early 1970s and soon began performing together, with Tennille singing and Dragon on keyboards. (He would later serve as the Captain and Tennille's producer). Their breakthrough came in 1975 when they covered the Neil Sedaka-Howard Greenfield song "Love Will Keep Us Together," which Sedaka himself recorded in 1973 and been released as a single in Europe. The Captain and Tennille version topped the charts — and acknowledged Sedaka's authorship by singing "Sedaka's back" at the end of the song — and won a Grammy for record of the year. They followed with a mix of covers such as "Muskrat Love" and "Shop Around" and original songs, including Tennille's "Do That to Me One More Time," which hit No. 1 in 1980. They also briefly starred in their own television variety show. A Los Angeles native, Dragon was the son of Oscar-winning composer Carmen Dragon and singer Eloise Dragon and was himself a classically trained musician. Before he was with Tennille, he played keyboards for the Beach Boys and was dubbed "The Captain" by singer Mike Love, who noted Dragon's fondness for sailor's caps. He is survived by his older brother, Doug Dragon, and two nieces, Kelly Arbout and Renee Henn.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-dems-bills-new-supermajority Published December 21, 2018 Fox News The blue wave that swept through California in the midterm elections gave Democrats a supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature -- which means virtually free rein to pursue boundary-pushing liberal policies in the new year. The state that popularized plastic straw bans and played a critical role in the push for "sanctuary" policies protecting undocumented immigrants may just be getting started. Having tightened their grip on power in Sacramento, Democrats are on pace to hold 29 of the 40 seats in the state Senate and 60 of 80 in the state Assembly. With a Democratic governor-elect, Gavin Newsom, the veto-proof majorities in the legislature might not be critical on most issues. But they could help ensure passage of any items Newsom might otherwise resist. Lawmakers already are pushing a number of proposals ahead of the new session in January. From tighter gun controls to affordable public housing measures, Democrats are readying a raft of bills that would face no meaningful opposition from a depleted Republican minority, provided the party stays united. “Republicans are politically less relevant in California than they have been in years and it is really up to the Democrats to decide what role they play,” Zev Yaroslavsky, the director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, told Fox News. “But as long as Democrats stay unified, they won’t even need bipartisan support.” One of the pieces of legislation Democrats are looking to quickly pass is Assembly Bill 18, which among other things looks to tax the sale of handguns and semiautomatic weapons in order to generate funding for gun control programs. The bill, which was sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman Marc Levine, would implement “an excise tax on the sales of handguns and semiautomatic rifles” and then hand over the resulting revenue to the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP). “California needs to bolster violence prevention initiatives so that they are commensurate with our state’s tough gun laws and as effective as violence prevention programs of other states,” Levine said in a statement earlier this month. California already has some of the toughest gun control laws in the country and, beginning in 2019, state ammunition dealers will be required to maintain logs of all sales – including those of bullets. The state has already restricted online sales of bullets so they can only be delivered to licensed dealers and not someone’s home. The gun-tax legislation has drawn heavy criticism from gun-rights and hunting groups. “While the legislation lacks details of how the actual proposal will look, it expresses the intent to place an additional tax on handguns and semi-automatic firearms for distribution to various community-based intervention and prevention programs,” the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action stated on its website. “Once again, lawmakers are saddling lawful gun owners with additional taxes and fees for the misdeeds of criminals.” Along with guns, California Democrats are also looking to crack down on the rise of vaping, or e-cigarette use, among teens. In November, six state senators led by Democrat Jerry Hill introduced a law to ban store sales of flavored electronic cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products. "We must stop the appalling epidemic of e-cigarette use by youths," Hill said in a statement. "Enticed by fruit, candy and other appealing flavors, high school and middle school students throughout the U.S. are vaping in record numbers." California’s Democratic supermajority also could take up the immigration debate anew. In early December, Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula introduced legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants over the age of 19 to enroll in Medi-Cal, the state’s low-income health care program. Around 60 percent of the remaining 3 million uninsured Californians are undocumented, and projections put the price tag for the program at around $3 billion per year. While incoming Gov. Newsom campaigned on creating a universal health care system in the state, it is unclear if he would support Arambula’s measure, which would take a big chunk of the state’s budget. 'Republicans are politically less relevant in California than they have been in years and it is really up to the Democrats to decide what role they play.' — Zev Yaroslavsky, the director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Besides immigration measures, California Democrats are looking to deal with the state's mounting homelessness crisis and its problem of affordable housing. Two measures attempting to tackle the problems were recently introduced. One introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener would create “right to shelter” for homeless individuals. “California’s housing crisis, along with our mental health and addiction challenges, are driving people into homelessness, and we must act,” Wiener said. “We must do more to ensure homeless people have access to shelter, as a way to stabilize people’s lives and help them transition to permanent housing.” Wiener also introduced legislation to give the state more power over land-use decisions and allow developers to bypass local low-density zoning restrictions and build apartment buildings within a half- or quarter-mile of public transit and close to job centers. While both pieces of legislation are meant to curb homelessness and ease the state’s housing crisis, Republicans and some analysts caution that they could also drain the state’s coffers ahead of a possible economic recession and put Newsom in a tough spot during his first term. “Hopefully there are enough adults in the legislature to enforce some fiscal discipline,” Yaroslavsky said. “If the state goes broke, it cancels out any of the good that a program can do and the legislature won’t get blamed, it’ll be Newsom.” Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown, though, cautioned against presuming the supermajority will have a huge impact. He argued that many Democrats who won were more conservative-leaning, making a two-thirds vote difficult to cobble together on most issues. “I think the chances of getting the Legislature to vote by two-thirds on new taxes are very, very limited and unlikely,” Brown said, according to The Sacramento Bee.

https://apnews.com/6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved Tuesday to officially ban bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like automatic firearms, and has made them illegal to possess beginning in late March. The devices will be banned under a federal law that prohibits machine guns, according to a senior Justice Department official. Bump stocks became a focal point of the national gun control debate after they were used in October 2017 when a man opened fired from his Las Vegas hotel suite into a crowd at a country music concert below, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds more in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The regulation, which was signed by Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker on Tuesday morning, will go into effect 90 days after it is formally published in the Federal Register, which is expected to happen on Friday, the Justice Department official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly ahead of the regulation’s formal publication and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. In March, President Donald Trump said his administration would “ban” the devices, which he said “turn legal weapons into illegal machines.” Shortly after the president’s comments, the Justice Department announced that it had started the process to amend federal firearms regulations to define bump stocks as machine guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sought public comment on the proposal, drawing more than 35,000 comments. The amended regulations reverse a 2010 ATF decision that found bump stocks did not amount to machine guns and could not be regulated unless Congress changed existing firearms law or passed a new one. In the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting, there was a growing push by some members of Congress to ban bump stocks, but no legislation was passed. At least 10 states have sought their own restrictions on the devices. People who own bump stocks will be required to either surrender them to the ATF or destroy them by late March, the official said. The change has undergone a legal review and the Justice Department and ATF are ready to fight any legal challenge that may be brought, the official added. The amended rule was met almost immediately with resistance from gun rights advocates, including Gun Owners of America, which said it would file a lawsuit against the Justice Department and ATF in order to protect gun owners from the “unconstitutional regulations.” “These regulations implicate Second Amendment rights, and courts should be highly suspect when an agency changes its ‘interpretation’ of a statute in order to impair the exercise of enumerated constitutional rights,” the organization’s executive director, Erich Pratt, said. Police said the gunman in the Las Vegas massacre, Stephen Paddock, fired for more than 10 minutes using multiple weapons outfitted with target scopes and bump stocks. Paddock fatally shot himself after the shooting and there were 23 assault-style weapons, including 14 fitted with rapid-fire “bump stock” devices, strewn about the room near his body on the floor of his 32nd-floor hotel suite at the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel. The largest manufacturer of bump stocks, Slide Fire Solutions, announced in April that it was going to stop taking orders and shutting down its website. The remaining stock of the devices is now being sold by another company, RW Arms, based in Fort Worth, Texas.

https://d3uwh8jpzww49g.cloudfront.net/sharedmedia/1509466/atf-white-paper-options-to-reduce-or-modify.pdf https://www.nraila.org/media/20170210/pdf/atf-white-paper-pdf

https://www.alloutdoor.com/2018/11/26/even-batf-says-assault-weapons-fake-term/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=2018-12-02&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter "It's about scaring the public" A link to an Outdoor Life article recently found its way across my Facebook feed, and although it’s a bit of an oldie (Feb 2017), its content bears repeating… especially as the politicos of both Red and Blue varieties continue to steal away our firearms rights. The gist of it is the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATF)’s admission that “assault weapon” is a manufactured term designed to scare the public — something most gun owners have known all along. A Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) ‘white paper’ [authored by ATF second-in-command Ronald Turk] correctly identifies ‘assault weapons’ as a politically contrived term with no real meaning and recommends dramatic federal law revisions in how they are regulated. -+-+- Turk’s ‘white paper’ says the agency is interested in reforms that ‘promote commerce and defend the Second Amendment without significant negative impact on ATF’s mission to fight violent firearms crime and regulate the firearms industry.’ Turk wrote that the misleading ‘assault weapons’ term to describe AK-and-AR-style rifles should be replaced with a ‘modern sporting rifles,’ to reflect how the use and popularity of these firearms has grown. In fact, he noted, their use in ‘sport shooting’ has grown ‘exponentially’ and such guns ‘are now standard for hunting activities.’ The ATF official also argued in favor of changes in policy for the import of WWII-era military weapons, such as M1 Garand rifles. As I said, this isn’t earth-shattering news, except that it’s nice to see someone in government making sense. When even BATF says “assault weapons” is a phony label, any thinking person should sit up and take notice. Sadly, that omits many anti-gunners and most elected officials, both Republicans and Democrats.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-state-prosecutors-push-for-red-flag-gun-law-to-include-minors Published November 25, 2018 Fox News Prosecutors in Washington are demanding that minors be covered by the state's “red flag” law, which allows for guns to be seized with a court order, according to a report. State law is silent on whether a judge can issue an Extreme Risk Protection Order, or ERPO, in the case of a minor, but there is a move now to change that, KIRO-TV reports. Police and family can apply for the order to seize the guns of persons deemed a threat to themselves or others, even if no crime was committed. The orders are temporary. Eight states enacted red flag laws after the Parkland shooting in February. Red flag laws already existed in Washington and four other states before 2018. Domestic violence prosecutor Kimberly Wyatt in King County believes the red flag law should cover juveniles, the station reported. “We’ve had that issue come up multiple times, and we’ve been asked around the state by other law enforcement agencies that are struggling with the same issue. To date, I don’t know of any that have been filed yet against juveniles, but we have one particular case where we are making that recommendation to law enforcement right now,” Wyatt said. She said the case involves an 18-year-old charged with a crime whose father owns guns but who refuses to tell cops where they are still being kept in the home. “We would file the ERPO against the juvenile because the father has access to firearms in the home, and the father is not being cooperative with law enforcement to confirm that the firearms are out of the home,” Wyatt said. A task force recently recommended expanding Washington’s red flag law to include minors, KIRO reported. The panel of police, mental health experts, school shooting survivors, the ACLU, and others was created to develop strategies for preventing mass shootings. “There appears to be a legitimate question of whether or not ERPOs can be sought against a juvenile who does not have the legal right to own firearms under Washington law, but does have the right to access and possess firearms under certain circumstances,” the task force said.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/south-dakotans-may-soon-be-able-to-carry-concealed-handguns-without-a-permit After years of unsuccessful attempts, supporters of legislation that would allow people to carry concealed handguns without a permit in South Dakota anticipate revived prospects once GOP Gov.-elect Kristi Noem takes office in January. The legislation languished under retiring Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard, but Noem in her campaign offered support for a so-called constitutional carry law. GOP state Sen.-elect Lynne DiSanto, who as a member of the state House of Representatives sponsored a permitless concealed carry bill that Daugaard vetoed, said such legislation is likely in the upcoming session and she's optimistic about its prospects. "There are a lot of Republicans that are very excited to have a conservative governor," said DiSanto. "I think under a new governor it's very likely to pass." "There are a lot of Republicans that are very excited to have a conservative governor. I think under a new governor [concealed carry legislation is] very likely to pass." — South Dakota state Sen.-elect Lynne DiSanto Daugaard has said the state's current gun laws are reasonable. Right now, it's a misdemeanor for someone to carry a concealed pistol or to have one concealed in a vehicle without a permit. At the end of October, there were nearly 108,000 pistol permits in South Dakota, according to the secretary of state's office. Daugaard vetoed DiSanto's proposal in 2017 and also rejected a similar measure in 2012; constitutional carry legislation failed during the 2018 session after he issued a veto threat. Bill supporters have argued that getting a concealed pistol permit can be burdensome. Backers are likely to get a boost from Noem, who triumphed over Democratic state Sen. Billie Sutton in the Nov. 6 election. Noem in January urged passage of a permitless carry bill. At the time Noem didn't endorse a specific plan, though her campaign said she supported the policy "in principle." Transition team spokeswoman Kristin Wileman said in a statement this week that Noem won't commit to legislation until she can review its text, but said she's a strong 2nd Amendment supporter and thinks provisions like constitutional carry can "protect and even strengthen this right for South Dakotans." "The governor-elect will work to find a way that law enforcement and gun-right proponents can come together around a solution," Wileman said. Staci Ackerman, executive director of the South Dakota Sheriffs' Assn., said the group hasn't discussed 2019 legislation yet. But she said the organization supported a bill in the 2018 session that allowed permitless carry for state residents with a South Dakota driver's license or identification card; the measure didn't advance out of the Senate. The 2019 session is scheduled to run Jan. 8 to March 29. Republicans will control both houses of the Legislature as well as the governorship.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/gun-purchasers-may-need-to-submit-social-media-history-under-proposed-new-york-legislation Published November 22, 2018 Fox News Those looking to buy a gun in New York may need to submit their social media profiles and search history prior to purchase if new firearm legislation in the state becomes law. Under the legislation drafted by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and State Senator Kevin Parker, both Democrats, up to three years’ worth of search history on social media would be able to be reviewed, ABC Action News reported. Senate Bill 9191, according to WHAM, mandates "social media and search engine reviews prior to the approval of an application or renewal of a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver; requires a person applying for a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver or a renewal of such license to consent to having his or her social media accounts and search engine history reviewed and investigated for certain posts and/or searches over a period of 1-3 years prior to the approval of such application or renewal; defines terms." Under the proposed legislation, law enforcement officials could investigate "commonly known profane slurs used or biased language used to describe race, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, disability or sexual orientation; threatening health or safety of another person, or an act of terrorism." "There should be more restrictions on how guns are purchased. We should have more background checks," Paul McQuillen, director of the Buffalo chapter of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said. "We’ve obviously seen some of the mass shooters have a social media history that should have sent red flags," he said. The bill could be troublesome to push through as critics argue it violates multiple constitutional rights. The legislation is currently in committee and no vote is scheduled.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-police-chief-says-he-wont-enforce-stricter-gun-laws-that-infringe-citizens-rights Published November 16, 2018 Republic Police Chief Loren Culp says he wont enforce stricter gun laws passed statewide because they “infringe” on the second amendment. A local police chief in Washington state says he won’t enforce newly passed gun regulations that he claims “infringe” on the second amendment. Washington now has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation after new regulations were passed by nearly 60 percent of the state this month, KXLY reported. Under initiative 1639, the age to purchase certain guns has gone up, enhanced background checks are now required to buy a semi-automatic rifle and criminal charges can be brought against any gun owner who violates the safe storage provision. But one local law enforcement official says he won’t be the one enforcing these laws. Republic Police Chief Loren Culp took to Facebook to tell the citizens of his city, who voted overwhelmingly against the initiative, that he has no plans to implement the rules. “I’ve taken 3 public oaths, one in the US Army and Two as a police officer. All of them included upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States of America,” Culp wrote. “As long as I am Chief of Police, no Republic Police Officer will infringe on a citizens right to keep and Bear Arms, PERIOD!” Culp told KXLY that he feels the ordinance “completely flies in the face of both the U.S. and State constitution.” In another Facebook post, the department proposed its own legislation that would stop the state and the federal government from “infringement of the right to keep and bear arms." The Republic city clerk told KXLY that the ordinance would be presented to council members next week but Culp says he doesn’t need approval to carry out his new policy.

https://wreg.com/2018/11/12/veteran-died-with-no-family-so-other-vets-showed-up-for-funeral/ NASHVILLE — The Tennessee community came together Friday to make sure an unclaimed veteran would not be forgotten, according to WTVF. Large crowds turned out on a rainy morning to pay their respects to Leo Stokley, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He died Sunday at the Waters of Cheatham in Ashland City. He was 69 years old. Stokley served in the United States Marine Corps and did a tour of duty in Vietnam. After his passing, he had no family to attend his funeral. That’s when the community stepped in to make sure he wouldn’t be buried alone. Hundreds of veterans and their friends and family showed up to show respect for Stokley. The push for help started among veterans groups on social media and was quickly shared during the week before the funeral. “It’s very heartwarming to see this many veterans and friends of veterans that show up here on a cold, rainy day, a weekday, to send him off in style. I’m proud for that. I’m proud for these guys that did that.” said Bob Counter, an Air Force veteran. He was laid to rest at the Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery in Nashville.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cuomos-campaign-to-bankrupt-nra-by-targeting-insurance-program-spreads-to-more-states Published October 23, 2018 Fox News New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is finding new allies in his campaign to “bankrupt” the National Rifle Association, as three additional states follow his call to take legal action against the gun-rights group’s insurance program. And an ethics watchdog anticipates more states could join. “It is troubling that we have seen the government targeting individuals and organizations to silence them based on their political positions,” Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), told Fox News. She cited similarities to the 2016 discovery that state AGs were cooperating to target skeptics of climate change. In the latest case, FACT has filed freedom of information requests with 21 states including the four publicly targeting the NRA – New York, New Jersey, California and Washington state – in search of evidence that might show such coordination here. The requests seek communications with “any other Attorney General, Governor, or state insurance official … that mention the ‘National Rifle Association’ … or ‘Carry Guard Insurance.’” “Carry Guard” is an NRA-sponsored insurance policy for gun owners who use a firearm in self-defense but face civil or criminal liability expenses. State officials have specifically targeted the Overland Park, Kansas-based Lockton Affinity and the Chicago-based Illinois Union, a member of the Chubb group, which were involved in marketing and selling the NRA insurance plans. The New York Department of Financial Services in May levied a combined fine of more than $8 million against the two companies. On Aug. 4, Cuomo said: “I am calling on states across the country to join New York to outlaw this absurd program that insures intentional criminal conduct. … If the NRA goes bankrupt because of the State of New York, they'll be in my thoughts and prayers.” The Democratic governor followed up in a letter to fellow governors requesting action against the NRA. Cuomo is up for re-election in November, facing Republican opponent Marcus Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive. Among his allies in this cause, Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler commenced an investigation after issuing a cease-and-desist order in April against the NRA concerning Carry Guard. “The Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) was in touch with the New York state Department of Financial Services after it sent a letter on Aug. 7 to our commissioner, Mike Kreidler,” Steve Valandra, a spokesman for the insurance commissioner, told Fox News in an email. “We found the policies sold by the NRA Carry Guard program were done without an insurance producer license, a violation of Washington insurance law,” Valandra said. “That investigation began in 2017 following a consumer complaint. Our current investigation – following the cease-and-desist order – was prompted by concerns about whether the NRA Carry Guard program may have other consumer issues.” Last month, the California Department of Insurance also issued a cease-and-desist order against the NRA insurance, alleging the NRA marketed the product without a license to do so in the state. “The Department of Insurance is not working with any other authority regarding the NRA’s compliance issues with the sale of Carry Guard,” California Department of Insurance spokeswoman Nancy Kincaid told Fox News. She said the state “insists on full compliance with the California law that requires persons who solicit the purchase of insurance in California must be appropriately licensed to do so.” Kincaid said the NRA has not complied with that requirement, which “led to the administrative action to address the illegal conduct in California.” The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance also is investigating the NRA, a probe that began in August after Cuomo’s invitation to other states. A spokesperson from the New Jersey department did not respond to inquiries from Fox News. NRA lawyer William Brewer pushed back on the state claims, though, telling Fox News the NRA conducted reviews to ensure compliance with state laws where Carry Guard is sold. The NRA filed a First Amendment lawsuit against New York state that claims the policy restricting financial activity with pro-gun organizations amounts to viewpoint discrimination. A U.S. Northern District of New York judge is mulling a motion to dismiss by the Cuomo administration. For now, the NRA is not focused on any other litigation beyond New York, Brewer said. “Any state that makes an inquiry into the Carry Guard program, the NRA will be quick to provide information as required, unless we see the NRA’s constitutional rights being violated,” Brewer said. Both the NRA and FACT, the ethics watchdog, want to see whether New York and other states have made a concerted effort to target NRA finances. “We are interested in going into discovery in our case,” Brewer said. “You don’t have to look far to see Gov. Cuomo reaching out to other states asking them to take action against the NRA.”

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/seattle-gun-storage-law-eminently-reasonable-judge-says-in-tossing-nra-gun-groups-lawsuit Published October 21, 2018 Fox News A Seattle judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the National Rifle Association and a local gun rights group against a law that will require gun owners to lock up their firearms when not carrying or using them. King County Superior Court Judge Barbara Linde tossed the suit after the city argued that the plaintiffs lacked standing because the group could encourage its members to practice safe storage and that the law hadn't even taken effect yet, the Seattle Times reported. “It seems the NRA jumped the gun in filing their lawsuit against this eminently reasonable legislation meant to protect children and the vulnerable,” Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said in a statement. Alan Gottlieb, president of the Bellvue, Wash.-based Second Amendment Foundation, who filed the suit with the NRA, suggested they would appeal the decision. “It is frustrating when judges refuse to address the merits of a case and duck by saying the law is not yet in effect and plaintiffs have not proven that they will be arrested if they violate the law,” Gottlieb said in an email. “We will continue this litigation and force a judge to rule that the law is illegal.” “It is frustrating when judges refuse to address the merits of a case ... We will continue this litigation and force a judge to rule that the law is illegal.” — Alan Gottlieb, president, Second Amendment Foundation The NRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday morning. The storage law is set to take effect in February. A gun owner can be fined up to $500 if a firearm is not locked up. The fines jump up to $10,000 if someone uses the firearm to commit a crime. Two Seattle residents, Omar Abdul Alim and Michael Thyng, filed the suit almost immediately after Mayor Jenny Durkan signed the law. They claimed the storage requirement violated Washington state law and cited a fear of home invasions for wanting to keep their firearms unlocked. The dispute comes as voters will decide on a state-wide gun-control measure that includes a more stringent storage provision.