Daily Archives: March 15, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY Many Missouri lawmakers want to protect gun owners from any threat of workplace discrimination, just as state residents currently are protected for race, religion and gender.

Legislation that would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against people because they own or use guns overwhelmingly passed the Missouri House before lawmakers left for spring break.

For bill sponsor Wanda Brown, a Republican from Lincoln, the goal is simple: "We would never consider giving up our First Amendment (free speech) rights for a job. Why should we give up our Second Amendment rights?"

The National Rifle Association is pushing similar gun owner discrimination bills in other states, including Alabama and Tennessee, where the proposal has put lawmakers in a crossfire between gun activists and some of the state's largest employers. Some of the state's largest corporations, including FedEx, Bridgestone and Volkswagen, testified against the legislation and companion gun bills earlier this month.

They argued that it could make companies more vulnerable to discrimination lawsuits and could hurt the state's job creation efforts.

In Missouri, some lawmakers have questioned whether the legislation is needed. No one has provided examples of an employee facing discrimination over gun ownership.

"Does a person carrying a gun really qualify as a class that needs to be protected against discrimination in housing or employment?" said Rep. Mary Nichols, D-Maryland Heights.

Missouri currently prohibits discrimination based on "race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability or age."

Some lawmakers said it's more important to add protections based on sexual orientation than gun ownership.

"The Missouri House thinks it's more important to protect the right to own a gun than take on real discrimination," said Rep. Mike Colona, a Democrat from St. Louis who is gay. "I could get fired tomorrow because of the person I've spent the past 18 years of my life with."

Read the rest here:
Bill to bar employer bias against gun owners gets OK

Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I,-Pulaski) said including language that would govern gun manufacturers in a budget bill is ludicrous. This is a stand-alone issue, Barclay said. Barclay opposes microstamping because it would put unnecessary burdens on gun manufacturers and has not proven to be successful.

The Assembly budget bill A9055C is 73 pages long and includes topics ranging from disaster preparedness and state contracting, as well as microstamping.

Microstamping does not have a place in a budget bill. Last year, I voted against a similar measure in the Assembly when it was brought to the floor as a stand-alone bill. This is yet another attempt by New York City special interests to restrict our constitutional rights, said Barclay. Microstamping is nothing but a costly hindrance to Upstate manufacturers and has proven to be ineffective.

Microstamping has been a controversial issue in New York for many years. It would force manufacturers to produce a unique alpha-numeric or geometric code on the firing pin identifying the make, model, and serial number of the pistol. Manufacturers would bear the cost of implementing this new regulation. The success of this technology is unproven.

Gun manufacturers have yet to devise technology that can ensure the make, model, and serial number of the pistol is coded into an expended cartridge. Further, it could force firearms manufacturers out of New York, said Barclay.

Last year, the Assembly passed this measure but the Senate did not.

I have voted against this measure in the past. If there is going to be anti-gun legislation then it should crack down on possession of illegal firearms and crack down on the criminals who use them, not on the law-abiding citizens of New York and the gun manufacturers, said Barclay. Further, including this in a budget bill is politics at its best in the Assembly Democratic majority. These all-encompassing budget bills force lawmakers to vote yes or no on a whole slew of items that should be addressed individually.

There will be an annual sportsmen Day in Albany on March 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Barclay invites anyone interested in protecting Second Amendment Rights to join him in Albany that day.

For more information, call (315) 598-5185.

The rest is here:
Barclay Defends New Yorkers’ Second Amendment Rights