Tennessee: Act Now to Help Nullify Gun Control

While the State legislature has been fairly adamant in rejecting bills to nullify federal gun control laws, Senate Bill 795 takes a different approach to the same end goal – protecting your right to keep and bear arms.  And it does it in a way which eliminates the so-called problems with other bills which have been rejected, such as SB250.  Any committee member who voted NO on SB250, but claimed to be in support of the 2nd Amendment, will be outed as a fraud if they also reject SB795.  (more details below)

This is a VERY important bill.  A hearing and potential vote will happen this week and your calls are needed in support right now.

Senate Bill 795 reads, in part: “no public funds, personnel or property of this state or any political subdivision of this state shall be allocated to the implementation, regulation or enforcement of any federal law, executive order, rule or regulation, or any treaty signed by the United States, that becomes effective on or after January 1, 2013, that adversely affects a United States citizen’s ability to lawfully possess or carry firearms in this state.”

As Judge Andrew Napolitano has said recently, such widespread noncompliance can make a federal law “nearly impossible to enforce” (video here)

PLEASE ACT NOW TO SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS

A phone call will hold a much higher value than an email.  But take whatever action you’re able to.  Or do both – CALL and EMAIL

1. Contact the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Strongly urge him to vote YES on SB795.   Senator Kelsey was adamantly against SB250 which had penalties against any who enforced federal “laws” that infringed on the second amendment. However, SB795 relies on a different method, one that even his reasoning cannot dispute.  Noncompliance.  No state is required to enforce federal law.  (more details below)

Senator Kelsey: (615) 741-3036 or email: [email protected]

2. Please Contact the rest of the members of the Judiciary Committee. Strongly, but respectfully, let each of them know that you want them to vote YES on SB795

Sen. Doug Overbey (615) 741-0981, [email protected]
Sen. Stacey Campfield (615) 741-1766, [email protected]
Sen. Mike Bell (615) 741-1946, [email protected]
Sen. Lowe Finney (615) 741-1810, [email protected]
Sen. Ophelia Ford (615) 741-1767, [email protected]
Sen. Todd Gardenhire (615) 741-6682, [email protected]
Sen. Mark Green (615) 741-2374, [email protected]
Sen. John Stevens (615) 741-4576, [email protected]

3.  Report back with any responses or personal feedback you receive.  Post in the comments section below.  Or if you’re part of the TN 2nd Amendment Group on Facebook, share in detail there.  http://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndAmendmentTennessee/

ADDITIONAL BILL INFORMATION

Senate Bill 795 rests on strong Constitutional principles.  While the establishment in the political and legal community will argue against a state taking aggressive action against federal agents (such as charging them with a crime), there is absolutely ZERO serious dispute about the fact that the federal government cannot “commandeer” the states to carry out its laws.  None.

Even the Supreme Court has affirmed this multiple times.  Anyone disputing this fact is either ignorant or a liar.

In the 1992 case, New York v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress couldn’t require states to enact specified waste disposal regulations.

In the 1997 case, Printz v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could not command state law enforcement authorities to conduct background checks on prospective handgun purchasers.

In the 2012 case, National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, the Supreme Court ruled that a significant expansion of Medicaid was not a valid exercise of Congress’s spending power, as it would coerce states to either accept the expansion or risk losing existing Medicaid funding.

In each of these cases, the Supreme Court made is quite clear that their opinion is that the federal government cannot require the states to act, or even coerce them to act through a threat to lose funding.  Their opinion is correct.  If the feds pass a law, they can sure try to enforce it if they want.  But the states absolutely do NOT have to help them in any way.

MORE READING

Understanding the Supremacy Clause

The 2nd Amendment doesn’t “grant” you rights. You already had them.