Those who track gun laws across the country are well-acquainted with just how active gun owners are in the State of Montana. Just in the last two years, activists were successful in passing the very first “Firearms Freedom Act.”
Unfortunately, in response to positive gains by gun rights activists in Montana, anti-gun forces within the state have begun to mass their own war chest to battle and combat pro-gun legislation within the legislature.
Earlier this year, the National Association for Gun Rights, working in conjunction with pro-freedom members in the Montana Legislature, launched a massive, grassroots effort to free gun owners in Montana from the shackles of the mandatory government permitting process by introducing “Constitutional Carry” legislation.
Montana grassroots gun rights supporters demand “Constitutional Carry”
This spring, scores of Montana gun rights activists took note of what was happening in their neighbor to the south, Wyoming. Seeing that NAGR staff worked so effectively with grassroots gun activists in Wyoming to pass “Constitutional Carry” there, the phones began ringing at NAGR headquarters to continue the push just North in Montana.
State Rep. Krayton Kerns’ “Constitutional Carry” Bill would have brought more freedom and more liberty to Montana’s citizens, offering them additional means of self-defense.
After drawing up a battle plan to pass “Constitutional Carry” in Montana, NAGR state legislative staff worked hand-in-hand with pro-gun Montana State Representative Krayton Kerns to craft legislation that would finally make the gun permitting process in Montana optional rather than mandatory.
Meanwhile, NAGR launched a state-level communication blitz aimed at mobilizing gun rights activists in every corner of the state.
Clean “Constitutional Carry” Bill passes Montana State House
Due to a massive outcry from National Association for Gun Rights activists throughout the state, Rep. Kerns was able to win a hard-fought battle to pass “Constitutional Carry” through the State House on April 12.
With Executive Director Dudley Brown on the ground at the State Capitol in Helena, NAGR continued the planned, massive grassroots mobilization campaign to pass a clean bill through the Senate.
Anti-freedom forces work to kill “Constitutional Carry”
Behind the massive lobbying effort to kill “Constitutional Carry” for gun owners in Montana were powerful Big Labor police union lobbyists who tried numerous parliamentary tricks to kill the legislation, including amending Rep. Kerns’ bill with a poison pill amendment to require mandatory training cards.
The National Association for Gun Rights turned on its grassroots email and phone network to convince members of the conference committee to strip out the poison pill amendment. Working with Rep. Kerns, NAGR legislative staff succeeded in returning the bill to its original, pro-freedom form.
However, Democrat Governor Brian Schweitzer, who has an “A” rating from the NRA, vetoed the bill on May 10, with only a couple of days left in the legislative session. With no time to override the Governor’s veto, “Constitutional Carry” died at the hands of the Governor.
Pro-gun forces will continue push for “Constitutional Carry”
Because Montana’s legislature only meets every two years, gun owners in Montana will have to wait until 2013 to have a chance to pass “Constitutional Carry.” The good news is that in 2012 Democrat Governor Schweitzer isn’t running for reelection. The National Association for Gun Rights will be sure that “Constitutional Carry” is a central issue for the next governor of Montana.
Brian Schweitzer, Montana NRA “A” rated and endorsed Governor, buckled to pressure from Big Labor police union lobbyists to kill landmark self-defense bill.
The lesson from Montana is that anti-gun forces, even in the Mountain West, are strong and well-funded. The only way to counter the millions of dollars from gun control forces is to mobilize gun activists and, most importantly, hold politicians accountable for their votes.
