In the News: February 16 2015 - Featuring Safe Private Ranges

The humane method of capital punishment, the death sentence, has been jeopardized because the European Union issued restrictions making it harder to obtain drugs used in lethal injections. It is part of the protest against capital punishment in the United States by members of the EU.

The Wyoming House of Representatives has found a way to counter the problem of obtaining the necessary drugs, that have come to be quite expensive, with a cheaper way – via ammunition. The ^th that would legalize firing squads as a means of state execution. Senate File 13 passed with a vote of 32-28 and only after an amendment was added to ensure that any death row inmates would be rendered unconscious before being shot.

Wyoming House passed a bill on February 12

Current laws dictate that if lethal injections are not available, executions will be conducted with lethal gas; but the state has no working gas chamber and the maintenance of one is too costly. Consideration of bringing back electrocution was also deemed too costly.

Wyoming state has not executed any inmate since 1976 and a federal judge overturned the death sentence for Wyoming's only death row inmate in November of 2014. A new death penalty hearing is planned. Those voting against the bill state that research has suggested that 5% of people executed are innocent. But the use of DNA evidence counters that research.

The state of Utah is following the lead of Wyoming for execution by firing squad. It passed the Utah House and is in the Senate for voting.

In the US Congress, the Senate Republicans have introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act that is designed to allow concealed carry permit holders to travel across state lines with their firearms. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) stated to The Hill:
This operates more or less like a driver’s license. So, for example, if you have a driver’s license in Texas, you can drive in New York, in Utah and other places, subject to the laws of those states.

The bill is based upon the fact that the articles and amendments of the US Constitution applies to all states of the Union; and, while states have defied constitutional law, they must comply if they are part of that Union. It is predicted that the bill will pass the Republican-controlled Senate. The NRA has already given support of the bill.

Arizona legislature is working on legislature, Senate Bill 1330 that declares “invalid and void” any gun law or regulation that violates the Second Amendment. Wyoming already has such a law as well as legislative approval in Montana, HB 203. Twenty seven states have attempted to pass such laws, which the 10^th Amendment allows state governments to do so. It is constitutional law that all states comply with articles and amendments of the US Constitution ratified by the states of the Union at the time they were approved for constitutional law. States joining the Union, after US Congress approval, after any article or amendment to the Constitution automatically ratified said laws when they became part of the Union of the United States. State governments create and apply laws as they deem necessary for the respect state, but their laws must be constitutional and not counter any constitutional law. For example, requirement to have a permit for concealed carry is lawful and it affords state governments to ensure that the person applying does not have a criminal background or mental issues. Previously, Montana attempted to pass such a law, but it was dismissed by a federal court in 2013. The new law changes the wording to apply to any regulation, mandate, or legislation that the federal government passes that is against the Second Amendment shall be ignored by that state and its law enforcement. It is sad that the seat of government responsible for protecting the Constitution has such a bad reputation that states would have to enact such laws in the first place. It is testament that the judiciary, legislative, and executive branches of the federal government, the officials charged with protecting the Constitution and sworn in their oath of office, are not doing the job they were elected, or appointed to do, as in the case of Supreme Court justices.

In Florida, a State Representative, Darryl Rouson (D), whose district includes parts of Manatee and Sarasota counties, filed a bill last week to ban discharging a firearm in Florida on any property that is zoned residential, which would include large-acreage ranches and farms, except properties approved for hunting. It is a means to curtail private target ranges on privately owned land. Presently, property owners in Florida can discharge firearms on their property, like a target range as long as it is safe and not “reckless” or “negligent”. It is important that private target ranges be set up so there are no stray bullets to injure anyone outside of that range. Berms are usually built with logs placed in front to stop bullets from going beyond the range limits. It is obvious why urban property cannot have outdoor ranges, even if the property lot is large. Rouson used an incident that occurred on Christmas Day 2013 when a 69-year-old man was killed by a stray bullet that a neighbor shot at a gun range on his property. Typical progressive, punishing everyone for one incident. The common sense thing to do would be to pass a regulation that required private shooting ranges to have the necessary safety measures, as described previously, to ensure that said ranges are safe in terms of stray bullets. Of course, that would then make a building permit and inspection by an official to ensure that it is safe, which means there will be a fee paid before a shooting range is constructed/set up to ensure compliance.

It is an age old problem – stupid people make it miserable for responsible folks.

Here is a video of one method for a properly constructed and safe private outdoor firing range:

The next video is a tour of the firing range of Hickock45 who shoots at mostly steel targets and demonstrates that a swinging/moving target that is hit by a bullet does not richochet.