ACTION ITEM - GUN SHOW BILL & 1-GUN-A-MONTH BILL

[Charles L. Cotton]

Please call and/or fax your House Representative and ask them to oppose Rep. Davis’ HB594 (Gun show killer bill) and HB595 (1-gun-a-month/gun registration bill).

The Brady Campaign has generated a bunch of calls to the members of the House Law Enforcement Committee and we need to show them there is far more opposition to these bills than there is support. Please call or fax the members of the Law Enforcement Committee and ask them not to support HB594 and HB595 and also ask that they not even hold public hearings on the bills. (The Brady Campaign calls are pressuring for a hearing.) This is a very gun-friendly committee, with some exceptions! (Chairman Driver is the author of the Castle Doctrine Bill.) Please be respectful and non-threatening!

House Law Enforcement Committee:

Rep. Joe Driver - Chairman

Rep. Thomas Latham - Vice-Chairman

Rep. Alma Allen

Rep. Stephen Frost

Rep. Soloman Ortiz, Jr.

Rep. Hubert Vo

Resp. George “Buddy� West

[seamusTX]

Faxes sent to the following representatives:
Mr. Frost - (512) 463-0902
Mr. Ortiz - (512) 463-7834
Mr. Vo - (512) 463-0548
Mr. West - (512) 463-8067
Mr. Driver - (512) 463-1481
Dr. Allen - (512) 463-5896

All went through.

- Jim

[jrosto]

Representative ;

As a member of the House Law Enforcement Committee, you represent all citizens of this great state of Texas, and that is the context in which I am writing this evening.

Gun shows are a part of American culture, they are a place to meet and interact with other like minded individuals, to learn about new products, and enjoy a bit of history. Most folks that attend a gun show don't even purchase a firearm.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics performed a study in 2001 that determined that less than 1% of firearms owned by criminals were purchased at gun shows. Of the ones that were purchased at the gun shows, the majority were not purchased by the criminal, but by a friend or relative (straw purchases, already against the law). Gun shows are not major sources of firearms for criminals.

Knowing this, it would seem that HB 594 is a waste of taxpayers money and your time. HB 594 does not deserve debate or a public hearing.

HB 595 is another piece of legislation that will do absolutely nothing to reduce violent crime and would burden DPS with unnecessary paperwork. The cost of HB 595 would be astronomical and do nothing to keep firearms out of the hands of violent criminals.

I am asking you to please not waste any more of the taxpayers time or money on this bill. HB 595 should not leave the committee.

Thank you very much for your time.

[stevie_d_64]

[Liberty]

I got out the faxes
Thanks Charles for letting us know,
Thanks Seamus for digging up the fax numbers
Thanks jrosto for giving us a template to work with..

You guys make it real easy :)

[Commander]

Charles, by following the links you provided back to the representative's home page, one can send them an email. You suggested a phone call or fax, would an email work or is it not as effective at getting to the right person?

[Charles L. Cotton]

Charles, by following the links you provided back to the representative's home page, one can send them an email. You suggested a phone call or fax, would an email work or is it not as effective at getting to the right person?

I don't want to discourage emails, but they are the least effective way to communicate with a Rep. or Senator. I get buried in emails and I get to them when I can, which varies with my schedule. A telephone call or a fax are much harder to put off until later, as someone on staff will take the call, listen to the voicemail, or at least scan the fax.

Chas.

[stevie_d_64]

Charles, by following the links you provided back to the representative's home page, one can send them an email. You suggested a phone call or fax, would an email work or is it not as effective at getting to the right person?

I don't want to discourage emails, but they are the least effective way to communicate with a Rep. or Senator. I get buried in emails and I get to them when I can, which varies with my schedule. A telephone call or a fax are much harder to put off until later, as someone on staff will take the call, listen to the voicemail, or at least scan the fax.

Chas.

I'll put up what I believe to be a good priority list as far as what gets the attention first...But, to also state that the lower methods are ok, and maybe better for an informal follow up...YMMV...

1 - call to the main office
1 - fax to the main office
1 - letter (snailmail) to main office
2 - call to the district office (if available)
2 - fax to the district office (if available)
3 - email to office (followup only)

With the phonecalls, I usually follow up with a fax or letter thanking them for taking the call, and briefly re-stating this constituents position...

I usually don't do emails (followup) unless I know (and they have communicated back to me) the elected official well enough to get through the staff and other filters...This takes time, and even the officials that I do not agree with, emails are usually last resort...

Politics to me, has always been a serious (second job) to strive to get to know the folks you support, and to also work with the folks that are diametrically opposed to my political philosophy...Regardless of party or other affiliations...

Sometimes its like preaching to the choir to some of them, and the ones you may not agree with usually turn out to be some of the most accessable people to communicate with...

One of the first things I learned with all of this is to try and find a few "good" things to discuss, and blend that into the things that concern you...This is not patronizing or hiding agendas and the like, it reflects a well-rounded approach to elected officials that I feel is recieved well, adn is refreshing to them...And you and your message is better remembered in these cases...

I am in no way an expert, but I do believe its effective when it really has to count...

[jrosto]

I finally bit the bullet and signed up for an internet fax service. It is just as easy as email and fairly inexpensive.

[k5dmb]

Faxes Sent!

Thanks Charles (and Jim for the fax numbers)

David

[Venus Pax]

Here's a quick reference in case you want to bookmark it.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/ ... ?Chamber=H

[tsteven1]

Thanks to all. I'll get TSRA notecards written today, Sunday, and get that phone hot tomorrow.

[ScubaSigGuy]

I will call tomorrw. Thanks for the info.

[Geister]

This bill will just put a bunch of gun dealers out of business.

[cjlandry]

I checked the status on this bill today, online, and it shows still in committee. So I faxed the committee members today.