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Wilson County News • 1012 C St • Floresville • TX • 78114 • Ph: 830-216-4519 • Fax: 830-393-3219 • Email:
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2010
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County commissioners, judge oppose firearms legislation

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Wilson County News
March 17, 2009 | 22 comments

FLORESVILLE -- During the Wilson County Commissioners Court meeting March 9, commissioners voted unanimously to support a resolution in opposition to H.R. 45, introduced to Congress Jan. 6. The resolution was initiated by County Judge Marvin Quinney after a few concerned citizens had approached him on the subject of the bill.

Known as Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, H.R. 45, in its current form, would prohibit a person from owning or possessing a “qualifying firearm” unless that person had a special license.

Under the proposed bill, all handguns, not just semiautomatics, and any rifle, shotgun, or other firearm capable of accepting a detachable magazine would be considered a “qualifying firearm” and would therefore be subject to the licensing restriction.

The bill requires that an application must be submitted to the attorney general, along with any applicable fees. Along with the application, those seeking a license will also need to provide a passport photo; name and address; the date and place of the applicant’s birth; a list of any other names by which the applicant was ever known; a thumbprint, which must be given in the presence of the “licensing entity”; and a statement from the applicant’s state of residence indicating they are not prohibited from obtaining a firearm.

In addition, there are several other requirements. An applicant must also provide certification that they will keep all firearms stored away from children; an authorization for the attorney general and/or his staff to look into an applicant’s mental-health history; and a certificate of completion for a written firearms exam, testing the applicant’s knowledge of safe-storage practices, safe-firearms handling, use of firearms in the home, the legal responsibilities of firearms ownership, to include federal, state, and local laws; and any other subject the Attorney General “determines to be appropriate.”

If H.R. 45 becomes law, the special license will be required to buy any “qualifying firearm” from any dealer. It will also prevent the sale of firearms from one private citizen to another, without processing the transaction through a licensed dealer, who will be required to check that the person buying the firearm holds the proper license.

In addition, H.R. 45 reads that “it shall be unlawful” for any person to fail to report a firearm loss or theft to the attorney general within 72 hours; fail to report a change of address within 60 days; or keep a loaded firearm or unloaded firearm and ammunition, knowing a child could get hold of the firearm and cause death or injury.

Although the signing of the resolution in commissioners court March 9 can’t prevent the passage of H.R. 45, it should send a clear message to Texas representatives in Washington about where Wilson County stands on the issue. Quinney said his office sent a copy of the resolution to other counties, and he hopes they follow suit.

“This is a scary time for our nation,” Quinney said during a telephone interview March 12. “There is the saying that ‘guns don’t kill people, people do.’ We need to think about focusing on the criminals and criminal activites, not on the honest citizens.”
 


Your Opinions and Comments
 
calvin  
stockdale, tex  
August 5, 2009 6:04pm
 
 
looks like the federal gov. is trying to take our constitutional rights , all of them, away from us. if they do Texas should succees from the united states, which they have ... Read More Read More
 
 
David Pickford  
Australia  
August 5, 2009 12:57am
 
 
Way to go people, as an avid shooter and handgunner in particular and law enforcement officer (Federal and State)I have seen first hand the effects of gun bans etc. I will ... Read More Read More
 
 
Bubba  
March 21, 2009 10:13am
 
 
Steve

I don't agree with your statement that the union is sacred. However, going to far does not mean the absolving of the union, but may be the only way to ... Read More Read More
 
 
Bubba  
March 20, 2009 7:30pm
 
 
Oh, and it kinda makes you wonder who's hiding under the oval office desk these days.
 
 
Bubba  
March 20, 2009 7:27pm
 
 
Thank you Commissioners for standing up for what is right.

Once again, Obama's administration has lied. During the campaign, Biden said that he was a gun owner and the ... Read More Read More
 
 
Joe  
Floresville  
March 20, 2009 1:45pm
 
 
Way to go commissionars. Everybody should contact their representatives about how they feel, too. Thank you for your stand. We back you up 100%.
Joe
 
 
Rachelle Ehlert  
Floresville  
March 19, 2009 12:12pm
 
 
I just returned from Virginia and the sites where the revolutionary war was fought.... It is frightening to see our government trying to take away rights that so many have ... Read More Read More
 
 
David  
Orlando, Florida  
March 18, 2009 5:52pm
 
 
BAM! Stop them right on their tracks. One NO here and a HELL NO over there and little bi little their going to get the point. WE ARE ALL TOGETHER ON THIS.I appreciate that ... Read More Read More
 
 
Myron Zawoiski  
Blackwood New Jersey  
March 18, 2009 3:33pm
 
 
I am form Pa. and I own property I New Jersey: I gotta hats off to you for doing this; because in New Jersey you proberly would get arrested because of the strict gun laws ... Read More Read More
 
 
Rabble Rouser Extraordinaire  
Adkins, TX  
March 18, 2009 2:35pm
 
 
Becky, the DOD has since recinded thier salvaging/shredding of used brass, see notice at www.georgia-arms.com
 

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