Wyoming House Approves Bills Exempting State From Federal Gun-Control Measures

File photo of a gun show. (credit: Guillaume Meyer/AFP/Getty Images)

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Faced with the prospect of new federal gun restrictions, the Wyoming House gave initial approval Wednesday to bills that sponsors say would exempt guns in the state from new regulations while possibly taking the fight to criminals who might choose to attack public schools.

The House voted in favor of a bill that would seek to block the federal government from restricting assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. It amended the bill to specify that federal officials who tried to enforce any ban would be subject to state misdemeanor charges instead of felony charges.

President Barack Obama has called for reinstituting a federal assault weapons ban following the massacre of 20 Connecticut first-graders by a gunman last month.

The House on Wednesday also gave preliminary approval to a bill that would allow citizens who hold concealed carry permits to carry guns on campuses of public schools, colleges and the University of Wyoming.

Rep. Kendell Kroeker, R-Evansville, sponsored the bill to exempt assault rifles and magazines from federal control. He said Wyoming should get its position on record before a new federal ban comes down.

“It is clearly a different case than trying to nullify something that’s already in existence,” Kroeker said.

Rep. Mary Throne, a Democrat and attorney in Cheyenne, said some states have tried such nullification laws in the past. She said such efforts were common in the years before the civil war and then during the civil rights movement, when some segregationist states tried to ignore federal law and practice nullification of federal laws.

“If we want to make a statement we can do it, but let’s not let’s not pretend that it’s consistent with the Constitution, because it’s not,” Throne said.

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Permalink Reply by Central Scrutinizer on January 31, 2013 at 8:43pm

Arizona follows suit

(credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

Ariz. Senate Panel Passes Bill Barring Enforcement Of Federal Gun Measures

PHOENIX — A Republican-sponsored bill barring enforcement of new federal guns laws sparked passionate debate in an Arizona Senate committee that ultimately passed the bill Wednesday.

The party-line vote moved the first of several anti-gun control bills introduced in the Legislature to the floor on the same day the U.S. Congress heard a plea from former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to pass new gun control laws.

The bill co-sponsored by state Sen. Don Shooter, four other senators and several members of the House of Representatives would bar enforcement of new federal laws affecting semi-automatic firearms or high-capacity magazines. It also makes any federal official trying to enforce such laws guilty of a felony and allows the state Attorney General to defend anyone prosecuted for violating federal gun laws if the gun was made in Arizona, among other provisions.

Wednesday’s Senate Public Safety Committee debate pitted minority Democrats who believe the bill is unconstitutional against Republicans opposed to what they call an overreaching federal government. An identical bill has been introduced in the House, which also has seen several other gun-related bills introduced since the session began Jan 14.REST OF IT

Permalink Reply by Tara on February 1, 2013 at 9:09am

I was just reading this article and almost posted it. More good news... gotta love it :)

Permalink Reply by Central Scrutinizer on February 3, 2013 at 11:28am

I disagree w/ this, I'm thinking these pricks unintentionally triggered a Public Awareness Alarm w/ this feeble attempt to shred the 2nd. Some things are still sacred apparently. People are taking names and fighting this one hard, I mean look @ all the Sheriffs and States making legislation to out right ban the federal pukes homemade BS Drac laws they're cramming down the collective throat of America. Nobody is going back to sleep on this one me thinks ;) There are watchdog groups already in motion to keep these pricks from going 100% mental. Ya know the watchers are being carefully watched now ;)

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