From the Heartland

This is my soap box, on these pages I publish my opinions on firearms and any other subject I feel like writing about.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Nebraska CCW Legislation Officially Labeled LB 454

The long awaited introduction of CCW legislation by By Senator Combs has been introduced in the Unicameral as LB 454. (ed... pdf file)

As expected this is nothing but a mirror of previous bills tendered by Senator Tyson, that have typically been loaded down with so many constrictive amendments that it would be meaningless if it were ever made law.

I have been withholding comment on the Combs bill until I had a chance to read it.

The truth that too many people that favor CCW in Nebraska fail to see is that the proposed legislation in it's unaltered form is already to restrictive to be of any use.

At this time without changes to the original bill, that I will try to address in the next weeks, I do not support this bill.

One very minor observation; The original of this bill requires the disclosure of an individuals Social Security number. That can simply be change with anamendment that mandates a line through the words Social Security.

Several of the other contentions I have with the bill can be addressed in the same manner. In that those considerations are addressed and there are not any amendments that further restrict the Act I could at some future date change my mind.

But don't hold your breath. I'm not. It is not good now and it will only get worse. If this passes it will, as has always been, be worse than the staus quo.

There are those that profess that something is better than nothing and/or this is a good start. In this case nothing should be the prefered choice to this bill and it's anticipated amendments.

The thought that what ever is wrong with it can be fixed in succeeding years is wishfull thinking. Consider that if it passes this year nothing can realistically be introduced to "fix" anything until 2007

The next session of the Unicameral (2006) will be a short session primarilay dedicated to cleaning up what ever is not completed this session. There is generally no new bills allowed to be introduced during a short session unless they are virtually assured of passage.

Remember anything the Unicameral passes this year you will have to live with for the better part of two years.

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