AzCDL Alert

 

The legislature is hitting it hard in this second week of the 2022 session. AzCDL is supporting a number of pro-freedom bills this session, including: HB 2119, calls for automatic restoration of civil rights for non-felons. HB 2166, exempts firearms and related safety equipment from sales and use taxes. HB 2316, exempts CCW permit holders from prohibitions on concealed carry at public venues. SB 1037, removes muffling devices from the definition of "prohibited weapon." SB 1057, requires the provision of due process to AZ residents before placing them on a "no fly" list. Here are some of the anti-freedom bills we are working to defeat: HB 2365, STOP orders are back! HB 2193, removes the requirement for the Attorney General to investigate cities and counties that violate state law or the state Constitution. HB 2361, imposes a waiting period on firearm purchases. HB 2362, requires firearms dealers to prevent straw purchases and those made by ineligible purchasers. HB 2363, requires DPS to maintain a web portal allowing verification of CCW permit status. HB 2364, requires doctors to provide gun safety information to parents. HB 2367, mandates locked storage at home for firearms and ammunition. We need YOU. AzCDL's  lobbying effectiveness at the Capitol is dependent upon you contacting legislators, letting them know that as a voting constituent you are watching what they are doing, expecting them to vote for bills you support and against bills you don’t support. The first two bills that AzCDL is tracking will be heard in committee meetings this week. On January 20th, the Senate Judiciary committee will hear SB 1123 [Rogers]. The bill would prohibit the governing board of a university, college or community college from enacting or enforcing policies to prohibit possession of a concealed weapon by the holder of a valid CCW permit. It would also block prohibitions on the transportation or storage of firearms. The Senate Judiciary committee will also be hearing SB 1177 [Gowan], which would require the Department of Public Safety to send renewal notices to CCW holders at least 60 days before their permit expires.   Your RTS “vote” supporting these bills must be entered before the January 20th hearing. To voice your opinion on these bills, visit the AZ Legislature Applications page, sign into your RTS account, click on the big blue “Request to Speak” icon in the middle of the page, then click on the “New Request” tab on the left side of the page. Note:  If you do not see the “New Request” tab, it means your RTS account was not created or activated at an official RTS terminal at the Capitol.  If that’s the case, we can help.  Let us know in a reply to this message.   A new window will open up.  In the “Search Phrase” line, enter the bill number without HB or SB (i.e., 1123, 1177, etc.) and click on the blue “Search” button below the Search Phrase.    Your search results will appear below the “Search” button as in the example below.    Click on the blue “Add Request” button on the right side of your search results to bring up your voting page.  For these bills we ask that you click on the “For” (thumbs up) button.  Unless you plan on attending and testifying at the hearing, always answer “No” to the “Do you wish to speak?” question.   About RTS AzCDL does not control the RTS system  Several years ago, the Legislature set up the RTS system.  With the automation of RTS a feature was added to allow citizens with RTS accounts to state their positions about a bill online, without having to testify.  However, to access this feature, RTS accounts must first be created at dedicated computer terminals at the Capitol in Phoenix or the state offices in Tucson. Please do NOT be tempted to create an RTS account online.  It is essentially useless and cannot be used to comment to committees on legislation unless it is activated at an official RTS terminal. If you are a current AzCDL member and do not have an existing RTS account, we will be happy to assist you in setting up an account.  Simply reply to this message and request our help. If you have ever created an existing RTS account, a duplicate account cannot be created.  You must use your existing account.  If you log in and receive a message that your RTS account must be “activated”, that too must be done at an official RTS terminal. We can also assist you with that.  Those who want to disarm you understand the importance of RTS.  Their followers are flooding RTS with demands to committee members to defeat the same bills we are asking you to support.  Their goal is to have every peaceful Arizona gun owner tagged, tracked and targeted for registration and confiscation.  You can defeat them by using your RTS account to tell committee members to support good legislation and to prevent bad bills from progressing. Committee hearings will be a priority in the coming weeks.  The deadline for bills to be heard in committees in their originating chamber (House or Senate) is Friday, February 19.   As important bills are scheduled for committee hearings, we will notify you via these alerts. We encourage you to share this and all AzCDL emails with anyone you know who is interested in protecting their right to keep and bear arms in Arizona. A list of firearms related bills we are monitoring this session can be found on AzCDL’s Bill Tracking Page. We encourage you to share this and all AzCDL emails with anyone you know who is interested in protecting their right to keep and bear arms in Arizona.  They can click here to subscribe to AzCDL email broadcasts. These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), an all-volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization.  AzCDL – Protecting Your Freedom.  Copyright © 2021 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved.