Politics Gun laws and news around the world

[muck]

Good Lord, what is that?! My palms seriously just filled with sweat.

 

[primer]

How many hunters are there in Germany?

 

[Junglejim]

The drafted bill was to exceed the requirements of the EU firearms directive by orders of magnitude. Luckily, it's been defeated in the legal committe.

The governmental majority in Germany's lower house of parliament has passed a toned-down version today; the upper house's consent is a mere matter of form at this point.
Interestingly enough, the left and the greens abstained from voting; the liberal democrats and the conservative right voted against it. The bill was carried entirely by parties supposedly of the political centre, which is quite bizarre.

Here are the bill's keystones.

• The regular background check is now to include a mandatory extremism database query. This database includes people suspected of having engaged in politically or religiously motivated crime beyond the boundaries of Germany's jurisdiction (e.g. in Syria) as well as known members of extremist organisations. (It's worth mentioning at this point this ominous predicate is not handed out arbitrarily; the status is similar to the United States' list of terrorist organisations. It is declared by a governmental resolution which can be contested in a court of law.) I don't mind this part much.
• The law already requires gun owners to produce a so called "proof of need"; in daily practice, a "proof of need" exists if the applicant provides documentation they're either an active hunter (*), a competitive shooter, a member of an association cultivating folklore or a weapons collector. The authorities have the right to validate the applicant's proof of need.
  • Under the new law, they're required to validate the applicant's proof of need. The rather draconian measure of annual validations for every gun owned has been dropped, though. Instead, a singular review is to be held after five years. Luckily, the method of demonstration remains unchanged, so the amount of red tape coming our way remains the same. Applicants who've held the proof of need for more than ten years will be made exempt from any further requirements. That's good news.
• Under the new law, the magazine size of semi-automatic weapons will be capped to twenty rounds of ammunition. A gun owner can apply for an exemption, though, which must be granted to competitive shooters and owners of firearms for which no other magazine sizes are sold. That's still better than an outright prohibition.
• The margin of discretion of the firearms authorities has not been widened, which was the most worrying aspect of the entire draft. Applicants who meet the legal requirements continue to have a right to be granted a licence.
• The new law orders the state to introduce a national firearms registry. This sounds way more problematic than it really is, as each federal state already maintains such a registry in all but name. The reform merely amalgamates the sixteen individual databases into one.
• The new law outlaws the carrying of knives (except items like multi-tools) in public zones designated by a municipial council, e.g. malls, nightlife districts or open-air events.

I will fully admit things have turned out better than expected (particularly for a friday the thirteenth). In fairness, they actually tried to meet gun owners half way and accomodate our concerns.

Maybe they felt embarassed. The committe hearings were very revealing in this regard; it became very clear a couple of times that the consequences of the draft had not been considered.

More good news comes from my home state of Bavaria, where an attempt to bring down a subset of special regulations was defeated in court today. Silencers are now not longer forbidden in these parts and can be purchased following the acquisition of a licence.

(*) I seem to remember someone asked me about this earlier. In order to hunt in Germany, you'll require a permit – a process which actually predates all gun control laws. It's acuired from a hunters confraternity, which will provide firearms proficiency training, legal schooling and (obviously) knowledge in the arts of hunting, traditional gamekeeping and forest tending.​

​

However, the country is densely populated hence divided into hunting grounds. A hunting ground can be bought by one or a group of hunters which thereby acquire ownership of all wildlife in that area. In other words, every head of deer and boar in this country belongs to somebody and even if you've got a permit you can't legally hunt without holding a hunting ground or being allowed access to someone else's. Only they make you an "active" hunter in the eye of the law.​

I would have to say the laws there are almost the same here, with the following differences:
- No limitations on magazine capacity and supressors.

 

[muck]

How many hunters are there in Germany?

About 350,000 active hunters and some 600,000 licenced ones.

 

[primer]

Dear Supporter,

With only five days left, the firearms buyback is turning into a total omnishambles.https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...um=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=2

Firearms buy-back collects only 28% of banned firearms

Yesterday we exposed that despite all of the media attention and advertising campaign by the Police, the firearms buyback has failed. We estimate, based on the Police’s own numbers, Custom’s records, and analysis of records from 11 firearms distributors that there are a total of 170,000 of the newly banned firearms in New Zealand. That means that the 47,486 Police report as having been handed in is only 28% of the total number.

It’s little wonder the Government has failed. The entire approach has been adversarial from the get-go with poor compensation, a ban on export (ruining the opportunity of selling up valuable collections), and Police destroying prized and historic firearms.https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...um=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=5

The Minister of Police and Prime Minister claim the ban was to remove military-style semi-automatics from circulation. Clearly though, they have failed. There is simply no way Police will collect over 100,000 more firearms this week, before the ban comes into force. https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...um=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=6

Yesterday, I joined Newstalk ZB to discuss the issue. Click here to listen on demand.https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...um=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=8

Arms Bill changes admission of deep flaws
Last week the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee which has been examining the Government’s Arms Legislation Bill reported back to Parliament. You can read the Committee's interim report here.

Despite the almost total opposition to the Bill in the public hearings, the Committee announced it intends to fix just three of the most glaring issues: allowing owners not to update a firearm registry if a change in location is less than 30 days, providing a 7 day notice period before Police can inspect where an owner is keeping a firearm, and excluding small and non-exclusive parts from a registry.

While we welcomed the changes to some of the practical issues with the draft law, the changes will have a flow-on effect to other parts of the Bill and require significant redrafting. The poor drafting illustrated a lack of understanding of practical implications for firearms owners trying to remain compliant, contributing to a breakdown in the relationship between Police and owners. We remain of the view, like most submitters, that the Bill should be abandoned.

More privacy breaches – this time by the Police and Customs
It seems the Police are not the only ones careless with firearms owners’ sensitive information. https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...m=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=10

As you’ll see from the images below, sent in by a supporter of our campaign, enveloped letters from NZ Police and Customs allow anyone handling the mail to identify the recipients as licenced firearms owners, without having to open it.https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...m=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=11

First, a letter sent to an importer by the Police:

And then this; a letter from Customs:

These examples show that even simple mistakes like misfolded contents in envelopes can undermine a “secure” database. https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...m=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=12

And the results could be devastating — such as thieves targeting the recipient to steal firearms, or using the information to make a fake firearm licence. This is why licenced firearms owners generally keep a low profile.

Human error, as well as technology failure, is why licenced firearm owners don’t trust the Government’s planned registry of all firearms.

Where's the Privacy Commissioner in all this?

Our lawyers have written to the Privacy Commissioner about the breach of the Police’s buyback database outlining the importance of privacy for firearms owner information and calling on him to investigate.

We have asked the Privacy Commission to inquire into the usefulness of the collection of the private and sensitive data proposed in the Bill and review sceptically the benefits and dangers of this register in light of the recent data breach.

You can read the letter on our website here. We’ll let you know once we hear back.https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz...m=email&utm_campaign=191216_omnishambles&n=15

Please keep the suggestions and tip-offs coming. We’ll be working over the summer period to keep highlighting the errors caused by the Government's rushed approach.

Thank you for your support.

ENDS

 

[muck]

Lol, anyone wanna hazard a guess how that came to pass? Some sort of office sitter must've seen this wasn't the brightest of ideas but since no one told them to use an adequate envelope they didn't want to take a risk and make an independent decision.

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

The Virginia National Guard released a statement:

We understand and respect the passion people feel for the U.S. Constitution and 2nd Amendment rights. We will not speculate about the possible use of the Virginia National Guard. I encourage everyone to be patient while we allow our elected officials to work through the legislative process.

We have not received any requests from the Governor, or anyone on his staff, about serving in a law enforcement role related to any proposed legislation.

I expect our Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force to be professional and respectful in their discussions about this subject. As private citizens, our personnel are free to express their opinions to their elected officials, but they should not engage in any political activity while in a uniformed status.

Virginia National Guard responds to Gov. Ralph Northam’s comments on Second Amendment sanctuaries

The Virginia National Guard is responding after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam stated that there could be consequences if laws aren't followed in localities that have recently become Second Amendment sanctuaries

www.wsls.com

Basically wait and see but also it’s causing a stir in the NG.

 

[Ivan le Fou]

Looks like Northam pulled a Beto move on that one...

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

Gun Law in Puerto Rico to Respect the Second Amendment as of 1 January, 2020

Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- On December 11, 2019, Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced signed Act No. 168. into law. The new law totally re-writes Puerto Rico firearms law. It is the most sweeping change in firearms law in the history of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico had one of the most restrictive firearms laws in the United States, arguably more restrictive than California, Hawaii, or New York. There were only about 225,000 legally owned firearms in Puerto Rico in 2016, giving it one of the lowest levels of legal firearm ownership in the United States, at about 6.6 legal firearms per 100 people.

Two things seem to have led to the massive reform of Puerto Rico firearms law.

• First, the actions of the United States Supreme Court in recognizing the Constitutional protections of the Second Amendment in the Heller and later, the McDonald, Supreme Court cases.
• Second, the utter failure of the extremely restrictive Puerto Rico gun control scheme.

While Puerto Rico has had extreme infringements on Second Amendment rights, it has had extreme crime and murder rates, far higher than any state in the United States. Puerto Rico's murder rate averages four times the murder rate of the United States as a whole.

In 2016, the FBI Uniform Crime Report shows Puerto Rico with 19.9 murders per 100,000 population. Louisiana is the closest state with 11.8 murders per 100,000 population. The District of Columbia, as a federal territory, edges out Puerto Rico with 20.4 murders per 100,000. The District of Columbia is one of the few places in the United States that could claim, in 2016, to have more infringements on Second Amendment rights than Puerto Rico.

Perhaps this is why, when those pushing for a disarmed society compare gun control regimes and crime rates, they conspicuously ignore Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. 2016 is not an outlier. It is representative of the last 20 years, at least.

The reason for the passage of Act. No. 168 is stated as the necessity of bringing Puerto Rico law within the protections of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The most sweeping change in Act No. 168 is to eliminate the restrictive and burdensome requirements of the old law in obtaining a permit to purchase, own, or carry firearms. The new law enacts a shall-issue system that requires a permit to be issued if the applicant meets the legal requirements. The legal requirements are essentially the same as in the United States for firearms ownership; except for a uniform minimum age of 21. This was likely influenced by recent legislation in California, Washington, and Florida.

Read more: https://www.ammoland.com/2019/12/gu...amendment-as-of-1-january-2020/#ixzz68NQ4Vo00
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Follow us: @Ammoland on Twitter | Ammoland on Facebook

Awesome!

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

Uprising: 90% of Virginia counties become gun ‘sanctuaries,' expanding movement to nine states

Stirred awake by Democratic proposals to take, register, and possibly seize their legally obtained weapons, Virginia gun owners in just 43 days have pushed 90% of the state’s counties to become gun “sanctuaries,” the latest three on Monday night.


Since the Nov. 5 election that gave Democrats control of Richmond, an “organic,” pro-gun movement has prompted the governments of 86 of Virginia’s 95 counties, as well as 15 towns and cities, to adopt some type of sanctuary language, putting Gov. Ralph Northam and other liberals on notice that their gun control plans aren’t welcome.

“I did not think it would be that high of a number,” said sanctuary advocate and Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins.

Remarkably, the effort has not seen a big push from the National Rifle Association. Local groups, notably the Virginia Citizens Defense League, have led the campaign that has brought thousands of gun-rights advocates to county board meetings.

It has also become the national model for the movement that has now reached Illinois, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, New Jersey, Florida, and Tennessee. Illinois is credited with starting the movement.

Uprising: 90% of Virginia counties become gun ‘sanctuaries,’ expanding movement to nine states - Washington Examiner

Stirred awake by Democratic proposals to take, register, and possibly seize their legally obtained weapons, Virginia gun owners in just 43 days have pushed 90% of the state’s counties to become gun “sanctuaries,” the latest three on Monday night.Since the Nov. 5 election that gave Democrats...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here’s a map:

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[primer]

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Govt created 100,000 illegal firearm market.

 

[Jake84]

Interesting article about the situation in Virginia...

Thousands of cops, veterans, supporters pledge to join militia in Virginia to combat unconstitutional laws

Things are getting really bad in Virginia. But this group isn’t going down without a fight....

www.lawenforcementtoday.com

 

[primer]

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[primer]

Listening to Nash, has gone from "they are made for killing people" to "primarily killing people".
The statistic of ammunition fired from said "killing peoples", if a life time of even one barrel (and they can be rebarrel) connected to such inherant evil is say 2000 and there are apparently 150,000 out there = made to fire a few hundred at Aramoana and Christchurch / 300 million, x 100 = .00006%

Govt pest controllers have all applied for their "killing peoples" licenses.

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

Lawsuit challenges state police over new ‘ghost gun’ policy

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Businesses that manufacture frames that can be built into working firearms sued Pennsylvania’s attorney general on Friday, five days after he issued a legal opinion classifying the products as guns under state law.

The Commonwealth Court lawsuit asks a state judge to stop the state police from implementing any new policy, including background checks, based on the written opinion the agency received Monday from Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Shapiro told state police to treat unassembled “ghost guns,” gun frames also referred to as 80% receivers, as firearms. The plaintiffs said the opinion does not give fair notice to people regarding what is legal and what is not, said Joshua Prince, who filed the petition.

“What they are saying is, a hunk of metal, because it could be turned into a receiver, is a firearm,” Prince said. “There is absolutely no criteria provided.”

Shapiro welcomed the legal battle, tweeting from his official account: “Bring It! We’ll see you in court.”

“These powerful special interest groups are the same ones that are stunting real reform in Washington and Harrisburg,” he said in a statement. “I will continue to fight to ensure our legal opinion stands and to close this gaping loophole in the system that allows criminals to get their hands on untraceable, unserialized DIY firearms.”

The lawsuit called the 80% receivers “non-firearm objects” and said the state police have already posted a notice on the background check website saying partially manufactured frames, receivers and kits now require background checks to purchase but the check system is not yet ready to accommodate them.

The plaintiffs said federal regulators have not defined the frames as firearms.

“Overnight the lawful conduct that Pennsylvanians had engaged in was now criminal, subjecting Pennsylvanians to fines and potential incarceration depending on which applicable section their conduct now purportedly fit into,” the lawsuit said.

Prince said the gun parts can be used to make firearm replicas.

“Many people use them as paperweights,” he said.

Lawsuit challenges state police over new 'ghost gun' policy

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Businesses that manufacture frames that can be built into working firearms sued Pennsylvania's attorney general on Friday, five days after he issued a legal opinion classifying the products as guns under state law.

apnews.com

Basically, PA's AG said that blocks of metal are now considered to be firearms.

Yes, he is in fact mentally challenged.

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

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Govt created 100,000 illegal firearm market.

NZ's authorities are now gloating and saying that Kiwiland is now safer because 50,000 evil guns have been turned in, never mind the compliant rate for this confiscation is around 30% and the criminals have told the cops to piss off.

Canada is also trying the same thing:

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[riderboy]

Getting serious in Virginia. The boogaloo may indeed start there...

 

[colin traveller]

I read on the Blaze site that a father whose son was shot dead along with his 2 friends after breaking into house ..the owner shot them all dead . And the father is complaining because the HO had a AR15 he is claiming they had no chance and it was unfair advantage ...


More like the HO was faster on the Draw

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

I read on the Blaze site that a father whose son was shot dead along with his 2 friends after breaking into house ..the owner shot them all dead . And the father is complaining because the HO had a AR15 he is claiming they had no chance and it was unfair advantage ...


More like the HO was faster on the Draw

Yeah I remember that story.

It was the grandfather bitching that his 17 year old grandson broke into a house with his two friends armed with brass knuckles and all three got turned into meatbags.

Dumbass! His pissant grandson and his dirtbag friends were criminals who were ready to use deadly weapons to commit their crimes.

Self-defense in your home against multiple armed opponents is NOT a chivalrous competition. Even Germany has self-defense laws in your own home where you are allowed to use deadly force if circumstances dictate it (followed by the necessary verbal warnings).

Getting serious in Virginia. The boogaloo may indeed start there...

It does seem like that, doesn't it?

Governor Blackface is planning on increasing the state's prison budget:

VA’s Northam Wants To Increase Prison Spending For Gun Owners

As if Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s wholesale attack on law-abiding gun owners wasn’t enough, the disgraced public official and his Michael Bloomberg-bought allies in the General Assembly now want the state’s hard-working taxpayers to foot the bill for their unconstitutional schemes. The budget bill (HB30) includes an appropriation of a quarter million dollars to carry out a host of gun control measures that Northam and his anti-gun allies hope to enact.

The $250,000 is appropriated to the Corrections Special Reserve Fund in order to provide for the “increase in the operating cost of adult correctional facilities resulting from the enactment” of Northam’s gun control measures. Among the enumerated laws that this allocation is meant to fund is a ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms, the criminalization of private firearms transfers, and gun confiscation orders issued without due process.

Aside from the insult of forcing law-abiding Virginia taxpayers to pay for the diminution of their rights, the gun control allocation is a severe waste of resources. Northam’s Bloomberg-backed gun control measures will not make Virginia safer.

VA's Northam Wants To Increase Prison Spending For Gun Owners

bearingarms.com

Fun fact about corrections: The average cost of an inmate in the VA state correctional system is $21,000, so basically this fund would imprison 12 more people. To put matters into perspective, there were solid hundreds to thousands of people in each of Virginia's 85 sanctuary counties that demanded their representatives pass 2A protection acts.

So simply take a low ball figure of 500 per 85 counties and you end up with 42,500 people who were pissed enough to protest and likely armed with rifles that Northam wants banned.

Virginia's correctional system would collapse if even 1/10 of these people were arrested, charged, and sentenced unless the VA Democrats decide to hike up taxes in which case even the incompetent VA GOP will win a landslide against them.

The Democrats in Virginia backed themselves in a corner, if they don't carry out their plans, they will seem weak. If they do, they risk civil and not-so-civil uprisings.

Also Gun Owners of America and the Virginia Citizens Defense League issued a statement in regards to the AG Herrings' threats and intimidation:

https://gunowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/GOA-VCDL-Response-to-Herring-AO-December-26-2019.pdf

It's a pretty damn good legal smackdown highlighting the hypocrisy of the Governor and AG in terms of the laws THEY said they would not enforce.

 

[riderboy]