Free Republic

The Oklahoma Second Amendment Association will hold a 2nd Amendment Day rally Monday, March 26th. Be at the Oklahoma State Capitol for the rally of the year. We will meet at noon on the 4th floor Rotunda to let our legislators know we want our rights back that should have NEVER been taken away. We will meet at noon on the 4th floor Rotunda to let our legislators know we want our rights back that should have NEVER been taken away. Remember, we must speak to these legislators respectfully. We can be assertive and respectful at the same time. Raising...

House Republicans are trying to kill HJR1009, OK2A's proposed amendment to the state constitution that would strengthen the right to keep and bear arms at the state level. This right has been weakened to the point that the state courts would uphold almost any restriction on the right. It is critical that Oklahomans have a second layer of defense (through the state courts) because the federal courts are unlikely to overturn restrictions such as magazine capacity limit laws, etc. If passed, HJR1009 would go to a vote of the people on the November 2016 General Election ballot. These Republicans are...

SB1142 by Senator Dahm will be heard in the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee this week. SB1142 is an OK2A requested bill that mirrors HB2859, which would restrict Game Wardens from entering private property without a warrant or probable cause. We have already discussed some of the misinformation about the issue last week (click here to read more). Those opposed to the bill have tried to make the discussion about poaching. This bill will not keep Game Wardens from catching poachers. They've tried to play the class warfare card. Never mind the fact this will apply to far more middle...

Republican State Representative Randy Grau, at the request of the District Attorney's Council, has authored a bill that would greatly weaken Oklahoma's "Stand Your Ground" law. Currently, when a judge rules that the protections of the Stand Your Ground law apply in a case, the prosecutors cannot appeal that ruling. Rep. Grau's bill, HB2521, would allow prosecutors to appeal that ruling. After heated opposition from Rep. Kevin Calvey (the original author of the Stand Your Ground law) and OK2A-Action during last week's Judiciary Committee meeting, Rep. Grau laid the bill over in order to keep it from being voted down....

OK2A-Action has uncovered an attempt by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce to effectively outlaw gun shows at public venues statewide through one of the many bills filed for the upcoming Legislature. Considering that last year the Chamber of Commerce lobbied heavily against SB41 - an OK2A requested bill that would have closed a loophole some cities were using to restrict the lawful carry of a firearms at city festivals - the Chamber apparently is quite comfortable in the company of other anti-gunners like President Obama, Michael Bloomberg, David Boren, and the Brady Campaign. Senate Bill 1347 was filed...

CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. —The fight to let Oklahomans carry their guns to the Norman Music Festival is over. A judge decided that licensed gun owners will be allowed to carry their guns to this year’s music festival without fear of being asked to leave, or being ticketed, and that the city of Norman cannot enforce their "no guns" request. "It’s really disappointing," Peaches Amspacher said. "I worry about what’s going to happen to the Norman Music Fest now.” Amspacher came to the courthouse Friday in hopes that she would see guns banned from the Norman Music Festival. But now, for...

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ classification of pistol grip only firearms with 14” barrels that fire shotgun shells and are over 26” in overall length as neither “shotguns” nor National Firearms Act “Destructive Devices” or “Any Other Weapons” has created a situation wherein the agency must either quietly save face or have it exposed that untold numbers of good faith gun owners currently legally possess firearms problematic for the government to allow. In order for that status quo to continue, ATF, in conjunction with certain members of Congress and lobbying interests, is working at “tweaking” its definition...

Senator Robert Menendez (D., N.J.) was a vocal critic both of President Obama’s executive-action opening to Cuba and his nuclear non-proliferation talks with Iran. In the midst of his loud opposition, he found himself suddenly the target of renewed federal charges that had aired much earlier without consequence. I think the message was not that the administration was worried over appearances, but rather that it wished to remind all of Washington that it actually welcomed the appearance of not being worried over the idea of federal prosecutorial power being used for tit-for-tat vendettas. Malice is a valuable political tool for...

<p>A state lawmaker says anyone with a license to carry a handgun in Oklahoma should be allowed to bring the weapon into the state Capitol building.</p> <p>Republican Rep. John Bennett of Sallisaw has authored a bill allowing those with a permit to carry a weapon into what he calls "the people's Capitol."</p>

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives filed a motion Monday morning in the United States District Court, Southern District of California, in opposition to Ares Armor’s motion for temporary restraining order, adding to a developing story that unfolded dramatically over the weekend with raids on the gun parts distributor’s facilities. The initial TRO was ordered last Tuesday. The government justifies its position claiming they are “conducting a lawful criminal investigation of the illegal manufacture, distribution, sale and possession of AK-15 [sic] variant lower receivers, which are considered firearms under the Firearms Control Act...” Such an assumption is not...

Can Handguns Be Banned In Oklahoma? Okay; before you accuse me of being crazy or of trying to over-sensationalize the subject, hear me out because the answer to this question, according to the state courts, is yes. Before I get into what the courts said, let’s start with the Oklahoma Constitution. One concern is the problematic wording of Article 2, Section 26 of the Oklahoma Constitution (our state version of the Second Amendment). It says, “The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power,...

Second Amendment Day at the (Oklahoma) Capitol is fast approaching. We look forward to seeing you there on Monday, February 10. Registration begins at 10:00 am. At registration, flyers will be available for distributing to your Representative and Senator. The rally will begin at 12:10 PM. Lee Matthews, KTOK’s afternoon host, will MC the rally. Other speakers include Representative Sally Kern, Senator Kyle Loveless, Steve Russell, and Craig Roberts. Anyone able to stay after the rally will be formed into groups to visit some key legislators, such as committee chairpersons, to encourage them to schedule some key bills for votes.

Senator Don Barrington (R-Lawton), Chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, is the consummate politician. He's very good at keeping you at bay when you want to know his intentions with the bills assigned to his committee. He smiles and is quite personable as he tells you he'll "take a look at it." We've heard "I'll take a look at it" quite a bit. It is becoming clear, though, that the Senator is not interested in furthering the rights of gun owners. Oh, sure, he does just enough so he can tell his constituents he is pro-gun, but is he...

Legislative Update: Week of February 17 The following bills are expected to be heard in committee this week.  Please take time to email or call committee members and ask them to support them.House Rules Committee (Tuesday at 3:00 pm in Room 432A):HB1558 (Rep Wesselhoft) - will allow SDA permit holders to carry on a bus. HB2221 (Rep Newell) - provides immunity from liability for businesses who allow open and concealed carry.Rules Committee members: Chair: Representative Todd Russ - 405-557-7312 - todd.russ@okhouse.gov Vice Chair: Representive Marian Cooksey - 405-557-7342 - mariancooksey@okhouse.gov Representative Joe Dorman - 405-557-7342 - joedorman@okhouse.gov Representative Weldon Watson...