Monday, February 20, 2012

Minnesota gun and self-defense laws could see major changes: "Minnesota gun and self-defense laws could be set for some major changes if Bill 1467 is signed into law. It's an attempt to enhance the rights of homeowners during an intrusion, and broaden permit-to-carry law. Bill 1467 states: An individual taking defensive action may use all force and means, including deadly force. It presumes a person using deadly force has reasonable belief that imminent harm exists. The bill also redefines a "dwelling" to include front and back yards as well as motor vehicles. The bill also includes articles that would recognize permit-to-carry licenses from every other state and restrict peace-officers from taking firearms during a time of public emergency. The bill already passed the Minnesota House last spring. Making only minor changes to the bill, it passed the Senate Finance Committee by a vote of 10 - 5."


Possible progress in CA: "Judges have routinely held that denying permits to carry loaded firearms in public does not infringe on gun owners' right to keep and bear arms. But now, some gun owners hope that courts will soon reverse course and find that they have a right to secretly tote their weapons in public. Ironically, their optimism stems from a piece of gun control legislation that took effect last month and bans them from openly carrying even unloaded handguns. Courts have upheld local law enforcement officials' authority to deny concealed weapons permits in part because "you had the opportunity to openly carry an unloaded weapon and in the event of an emergency you can quickly load and defend yourself," said Adam Winkler, a UCLA law professor and author of "Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America." "Now that option has been taken off the table."

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