Issue Position: Guns

Issue Position

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
--Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
There is a reason they put it in writing.
From the founding of our country, the framers of our government foresaw that the government would one day seek to restrict its citizens from carrying or even owning firearms. That's why they wisely guaranteed this right in our Constitution. As your state representative and a Patron member of the National Rifle Association, I will fight any attempt to weaken our Second Amendment rights.

Protecting Second Amendment Rights
I believe that the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right that we have a sacred duty to protect. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals - criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway.

Gun Manufacturer Liability
I oppose backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using a firearm. I will vote to protect gun manufacturers from such inappropriate liability aimed at bankrupting the entire gun industry, or any industry for that matter. We don't hold automobile manufacturers liable when people use their product in an inappropriate manner while committing a crime, e.g. drunk driving. Manufacturers of a legal product shall not be liable for criminal misuse of their product.

"Encoded Ammunition" / Bullet Serialization
A silly bill was proposed mandating "Bullet Serialization." I will stringently oppose legislation that calls for "Bullet Serialization." This is the process by which each individual round of ammunition is identified and marked with a tiny laser engraved serial number. Bullet serialization is a backdoor de facto ban on firarms ammunition because it will keep ordinary citizens from affording a constitutionally protected product.

It will literally take the ammunition manufacrurer four times as long to produce ammunition. If demand stays constant and supply is cut by 75%, the cost of ammunition will soar for police and private citizens alike. Costs associated with this "feel good" legislation would be better spent in more traditional ways, such as hiring and training law enforcement officers.

Criminal Background Checks
I support instant criminal background checks to help prohibit criminals from buying firearms and will vote to ensure they are conducted thoroughly, efficiently, and without infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens.

Background Checks at Gun Shows
Federal law requires licensed firearm sellers at gun shows to do an instant criminal background check on purchasers. Private firearm sellers at gun shows do not have to conduct such a check. I support protecting an individual's right to sell a private firearm at a gunshow, just as if the transaction took place at the private sellers house. It is a fundamental right to conduct a legal private transaction, irregardless of location.

The Confiscation of Firearms After an Emergency
I oppose the confiscation of firearms from private citizens, particularly during times of crisis or emergency.

Stiffer Penalties for Criminals Who Use a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime
I believe in strict, mandatory penalties for criminals who use a firearm in the commission of a crime or illegally possess a firearm. Vehemently enforcing the current laws on the books is the best way to deter crime.

Source