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March 2, 2005
Arizona Bill Would Allow Weapons in Schools - No Joke
The Phoenix Daily Star article begins:
PHOENIX - The House of Representatives voted Tuesday to let people carry weapons - including guns, grenades, rockets, mines and sawed-off shotguns - into schools, polling places and nuclear plants if they claim they're only trying to protect themselves.
And then things go down hill.
House Bill 2666 passed by a 30 to 16 margin but no one seemed to know what the bill said when they voted for it it. A constituent of its "author" Rep. Doug Quelland, R-Phoenix, wrote the bill.
He [Quelland] said he had no idea the legislation, crafted by constituents he wouldn't identify, was so broad that it would provide a catchall exemption in the state's weapons laws.
Like most state's laws Arizona law prohibits gun related activities such as carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and having a deadly weapon on school grounds, possessing certain weapons including bombs, grenades and automatic rifles.
HB 2666 would add a new exemption: any U.S. citizen "who carries a deadly weapon for personal protection or the protection of others." The exception also extends to those who are protecting "the state" as well as any home - whether or not the person lives there.
It appears from what Quelland said that he did not read the bill.
It was only later, when asked about the bill by Capitol Media Services, that Quelland admitted he had no idea the "defense" exemption in his legislation was so broad.
But how about the 29 others who voted for it? Did anyone read the bill?
The text of the bill, An Act Amending Section 13-3102, Arizona Revised Statutes; Relating To Weapons, is one line. And it is, if anything worse, than the Daily Star article would have you think. The amendment specifically exempts persons lacking "malicious intent" from the cancelled weapons permit requirement and "Possessing a deadly weapon on school grounds" or "entering a nuclear or hydroelectric generating station carrying a deadly weapon on his person or within the immediate control of any person," among other things.
As noted above, Article 5 adds the following to the existing law:
Any citizen of The United States who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a deadly weapon under Federal Law and who carries a deadly weapon for personal protection or the protection of others, the state or the sanctity of a dwelling unit, whether or not the person is a resident of that dwelling unit.
This means that, if you live in Arizona and I lack malicious intent, I can take my gun or hand grenade into your house at any time. But make sure you don't tick me off while I'm visiting.
This bill still needs to go to the Arizona Senate. I hope someone reads it there.
Via Think Progress , who asks "Shotguns At Show and Tell?"
Posted by Duane Smith at March 2, 2005 12:44 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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