Texas lawmakers approve safe gun storage program despite NRA

[rickt]

So now Republican dominated legislatures in Florida and Texas have passed gun control laws over the last year or so. Will Ohio be next?

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lawmakers in gun-loving Texas have quietly gone around the National Rifle Association by slipping language into a massive spending bill that would fund a $1 million public safety campaign on gun storage.

The last-minute move late Sunday sets up a political test rarely seen in Texas for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who must decide whether to veto the spending or to ignore NRA opposition and approve the program.

https://www.apnews.com/b118f256955e439d8157743177765c0b

[JustaShooter]

I'm struggling to understand how a safe-storage public awareness campaign is a "gun control law", and for that matter why it would have been vigorously opposed by the NRA and other gun rights groups? Doesn't responsible gun ownership include safe storage? Shouldn't we be promoting responsible gun ownership? Someone help me out here...

[djthomas]

I'm struggling to understand how a safe-storage public awareness campaign is a "gun control law", and for that matter why it would have been vigorously opposed by the NRA and other gun rights groups? Doesn't responsible gun ownership include safe storage? Shouldn't we be promoting responsible gun ownership? Someone help me out here...

And Texas already has, and has had for a long time, a safe storage law with respect to access by minors.

[qmti]

I'm struggling to understand how a safe-storage public awareness campaign is a "gun control law", and for that matter why it would have been vigorously opposed by the NRA and other gun rights groups? Doesn't responsible gun ownership include safe storage? Shouldn't we be promoting responsible gun ownership? Someone help me out here...

I have practice safe storage years ago when I went from a glass/oak display cabinet to a safe. I have no kids at home, it's to keep the guns safe from burglars. I guess this is a form of gun control.

[Javelin Man]

Money spent on education is always a good thing provided it doesn't lead to laws on forcing safe storage.

[bignflnut]

I'm struggling to understand how a safe-storage public awareness campaign is a "gun control law", and for that matter why it would have been vigorously opposed by the NRA and other gun rights groups? Doesn't responsible gun ownership include safe storage? Shouldn't we be promoting responsible gun ownership? Someone help me out here...

I'll take the case! or I'm your huckleberry.

Gun ownership, of course, includes responsibly storing. Are they going to show us how to remove live rounds from the chamber and magazines, as well?
How did we go from seat belts being optional to a secondary offense to Click it or Ticket this weekend? State Propaganda.
See, it's all about "public safety" and not about the Liberties or Negative Rights that the men fought/died defending.

How do you think weapons will be portrayed by the State media "awareness campaign"? How do you think that it squares with "See Something, Say Something" and red flag ERPOs? Does Uncle Jordan ALWAYS keep his shotgun in a safe? You sure it's not in his truck right now?

Do you think that there will be a dark symphony playing in the background or something light and jovial as the gun isn't stored safely? How many young actors are going to "discover" guns, turn and shoot their sisters in the head, during this "campaign"?

Do you think that people will be more or less inclined to safely handle a weapon they find in an alley after this "awareness campaign"?

There I go again, agreeing with the vaunted NRA

The State should stay out of my bedroom, we're told, and yet, sex education is ubiquitous.
You see, there are some issues/lessons that should be left to the level of family governance.

It's a matter of trusting the teacher. #Homeschooling

[schmieg]

Personally, I think they should show how to safely remove a magazine and chambered rounds. That should be taught in school along with a lot of other things - student age should determine what is taught. Eddie Eagle is fine for the lower grades and more advanced topics included in the upper grades.

I recall junior officers, having been taught the manual of arms on the 1911 in officers' basic, being unable to safely unload a 1911.

[kcclark]

As several other witnesses and I explained, there are many private organizations doing a good job of promoting firearm safety and training. Our legislature shouldn’t demand our tax dollars for this project.

As I suspected, the witnesses who supported the bill made it clear that they want the public awareness campaign to communicate that safe storage means keeping guns locked up and completely inaccessible for any legitimate defensive use. They used phrases like, “If only the gun had been locked in a safe, maybe he would still be here today.”

Unfortunately, they fail to see the value of a firearm as a tool that can actually save lives.

https://gunowners.org/texasbudgetguncontrol/

[kcclark]

For those of you with Facebook, a post by someone who was on the front line.

https://www.facebook.com/rachel.malone. ... 5372495535

[rickt]

I guess my reading comprehension skills aren't what they used to be. I thought the article was about a mandatory gun storage bill.

[Javelin Man]

RickT, you're just looking into the future of this safe gun storage program.

[bignflnut]

Personally, I think they should show how to safely remove a magazine and chambered rounds. That should be taught in school along with a lot of other things - student age should determine what is taught. Eddie Eagle is fine for the lower grades and more advanced topics included in the upper grades.

I recall junior officers, having been taught the manual of arms on the 1911 in officers' basic, being unable to safely unload a 1911.

Oy. SMH.

On a positive note, because everyone enjoys them, public ranges are making some funding progress:

A bipartisan measure designed to boost the number of shooting ranges available on public land passed the U.S. Senate last week.

The proposal, S.94, was introduced in January by U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-WV and Michael Bennet, D-Colo. The bill, which was reported favorably from the Committee on Environment and Public Works in February, passed the chamber as a whole in a voice vote on April 10 and now goes to the House for consideration.

SNIP

As such, S.94 would modify the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. This 80-year-old law uses an excise tax levied on all firearms and ammunition sold or imported into the country to perform conservation-related tasks as varied as restoring elk habitat to funding safety programs and establishing public shooting ranges.

Paid for by manufacturers and producers, the fund has been pushed into overdrive in recent years because of a spike in gun and ammunition sales. Earlier this month, conservation officials announced over $670 million in Pittman-Robertson funds would be available to states this year alone.

Hopefully there will be a commensurate push by the ranges to get youth involved in targeting sports...

[WY_Not]

If it is stored in my home then it is stored safely. Regardless of whether it is in a closet, hanging above the mantle, or tucked in a corner. If someone breaks into MY home then THEY are the criminal not me.

If .gov wants to make suggestions of how to safely and securely store firearms, no problem. When they want to start dictating how I have to store firearms (or anything for that matter) in my own home with criminal consequences for failure to obey their dictates from on high, big problem. F' em.

[M-Quigley]

For those of you with Facebook, a post by someone who was on the front line.

https://www.facebook.com/rachel.malone. ... 5372495535

Thanks for that link, it was very informative, and I did not have to log onto Facebook to read it.

[bignflnut]

from the GOA article previously linked by kcclark (many thanks):

HB 316 purports to establish a statewide public awareness campaign for “safe gun storage and suicide prevention.” It uses taxpayer dollars (with $1 million in funding over the next two years) and is very open-ended by tasking the Department of Public Safety, the Department of State Health Services, “and other government agencies” with developing the program.

SNIP

As I suspected, the witnesses who supported the bill made it clear that they want the public awareness campaign to communicate that safe storage means keeping guns locked up and completely inaccessible for any legitimate defensive use. They used phrases like, “If only the gun had been locked in a safe, maybe he would still be here today.”

Unfortunately, they fail to see the value of a firearm as a tool that can actually save lives.

This is not the message that Texans need to hear — and not the message we want to be funding with our tax dollars.

Funny how the cries of "tinfoil!" have ceased...
Even the once great bulwark of Texas is being overrun with propaganda.