by Sarah Thompson, M.D.
Director, Utah Gun Owners Alliance (UTGOA)

January 23, 2002

UTGOA.ORG -- GUN BILL HEARING THURSDAY!

SB 121, Concealed Firearm Permit Amendments, sponsored by Senator Scott Jenkins, will be considered by the Senate Transportation and Public Safety Committee on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 9 AM in Room 403 at the Capitol. You can read the bill by going to http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2002/bills/sbillint/sb0121.htm

SB 121 proposes to eliminate the training requirement for a concealed carry permit. This would greatly decrease the time and expense involved in getting a permit. This would especially help someone who has been threatened, needs to start carrying a firearm immediately, and can't wait several weeks until a class is open.

Several people, as well as Utah Gun Owners Alliance, have asked Sen. Jenkins also to eliminate the letters of reference, the work history and the residential history. These are all outdated requirements from before 1995, when people had to "prove" to the government that they could be trusted with a gun. Now that we have a "shall issue" law, the government has to issue a permit, regardless of anyone's residential or work history. And we're sure that even someone like Charles Manson could get two letters of reference.

All these requirements do is make it more difficult and time-consuming for people who want to exercise their right to carry a firearm for self defense. They also waste the time of the staff at BCI who have to process the applications. Eliminating these obsolete requirements would save time and money for everyone.

Sen. Jenkins is still unsure about doing this. If you would like to see the unnecessary requirements for letters of reference, work history and/or residential history removed, please contact Sen. Jenkins and encourage him to amend his bill. You can reach him at 801-538-1035 (Capitol) or 801-731-5120 (home).

Please remember to be polite and to thank him for sponsoring pro-gun legislation. This is only his second year as a legislator and the first time he's been willing to sponsor a gun bill, so it's important to encourage him to be a gun rights hero.

The Senate Transportation and Public Safety Committee is not a particularly gun-friendly committee. It is therefore very important that you contact members of the committee and insist that they vote YES on HB 121. If you contact them by email or fax, please request a written response telling you how they intend to vote.

Members of the committee are:
David Steele (R), Chair 801-825-3033
Dan Eastman (R) 801-295-5133
Karen Hale (D) 801-485-6642
Bill Hickman (R) 435-673-2671
Ed Mayne (D) 801-968-7756
Mike Waddoups (R) 801-967-0225

You can email any of them by going to http://www.UtahSenate.org and clicking on "Roster".

The Senate phone number is: 801-538-1035
Fax numbers are: 801-538-1414 (R) and 538-1449 (D)

If possible, please plan to ATTEND the committee hearing on Thursday. If you would like to speak, plan on no more than 1-2 minutes. Please remember to dress and behave appropriately.

We need YOUR help to get this very important bill passed!

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Sample letter:

Dear Senator _______________

I am writing to ask you to vote YES on HB 121, Concealed Firearms Permit Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Scott Jenkins. This bill eliminates the training requirement for concealed carry permits.

Currently a woman who is being threatened by an ex-spouse cannot carry a concealed firearm for her own protection without first waiting for a class to be available, completing the class, and obtaining a permit. In many cases, this can require a wait of weeks or months until a class is offered. This obviously puts her life and the lives of her children at great risk.

Many Utahns grow up with firearms and have no need to sit through a class on handling firearms. Others take classes in safe firearms use and handling voluntarily simply because they are responsible people. Utah's firearms laws are readily available online and there's an excellent book available that reviews them in detail. Thus, there is no need for mandatory training.

In addition, it is wrong to force someone to pass a test to exercise a right. We don't ask people to pass tests to vote, or distribute literature, or attend a church, and we shouldn't force them to pass a test in order to defend themselves.

Making it more convenient to obtain a permit will encourage more people to carry concealed firearms, which in turn will decrease violent crime for all Utahns.

Please vote YES on SB 121. And please respond and let me know how you intend to vote. You can reach me at (insert your email, phone number or however you would like a response).

Thank you.

YOUR NAME
Your address

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Copyright 2002, Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc. and Sarah Thompson
PO Box 1185
Sandy, UT 84091
801-566-1625
http://www.utgoa.org
Director@utgoa.org

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