Wednesday, February 18, 2004

The South Dakota Gun Owners are in disagreement with the NRA on another issue; carrying a firearm in your vehicle without permission.

From SDGO's alert on HB 1247:

"Current South Dakota law denies your right to arms by severely limiting your ability to carry a handgun for self-defense in any vehicle.
Only by securing a government permit can you legally defend yourself while in your car. If you carry a loaded, accessible handgun in any vehicle without a concealed pistol permit, you may be found guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by a year in jail and a $1000 fine. "


Of note is that they list the home phone numbers of the legislators so you can actually speak to them if their mailbox is turned off full. I doubt the NRA would approve, but I see nothing wrong with that approach.

So HB 1247 would have made carry in a vehicle permissable w/o a permit. You'd think that any pro-gun group would support it right?

Enter the NRA.

"But surprisingly, David Conway, lobbyist for NRA affiliated South Dakota Shooting Sports Association, opposed this pro-gun bill in committee, stating that he had a problem with repealing the permit requirement.

"If you’re going to carry in an enclosed motor vehicle, you better have a permit,' Mr. Conway stated. He then brought an amendment, supported by the NRA, which completely wiped out the pro-gun language of HB 1247 and replaced it with a minor adjustment to current law.
The only change the Conway amendment makes is to allow a handgun carried in a closed compartment to be loaded. Current law (SDCL 22-14-10) allows a person without a permit to carry only an unloaded handgun in a closed compartment or container too large to be concealed."


Now will someone please try to explain to me why the NRA is thought of as a pro-gun org?

Yet another example of the NRA arguing against a pro-gun position in favor of an anti-gun position. This isn't the first time the NRA has argued for registration & I doubt it will be the last.

If you're an NRA member, don't delude yourself into thinking that your helping gun owners.

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