Willy Nilly on Life

I received this message from an assemblyman earlier today:

As a California State Assemblyman and a fellow Second Amendment supporter, I wanted to be sure and update you on a few Assembly Bills that have been introduced this session.

AB 613 (Hagman) - I introduced this bill to repeal several provisions of last year’s AB 962 that either impinge on the Second Amendment rights of California’s gun owners or create restrictions that make the sale of ammunition costly or impractical. Under AB 962, handgun ammunition vendors are required to obtain a thumbprint and other information from ammunition purchasers. Additionally this law provides that the delivery or transfer of ownership of handgun ammunition may only occur in a face-to-face transaction, with the deliverer being provided bona fide evidence of identity of the purchaser.

AB 962 places hardships on law-abiding citizens, increases small business costs, and creates a database of ammunition purchases that exposes personal information to identity theft and other misuses. An ammunition registry does not prevent crime, it only further restricts the rights of California’s responsible gun owners. Criminals who obtain ammunition illegally will continue to do so and now your local businessman will be stuck with the charge of a massive multi-million dollar record keeping system. We need to focus our limited resources on criminals, not our law-abiding citizens and small businesses.

Thank you for supporting AB 613 and my efforts to repeal AB 962.

AB 144 (Portantino) – This legislation would make it illegal to openly carry an unloaded handgun in specified public areas. Last session, we saw this same bill introduced under AB 1934, which failed to meet the required end of session deadline, but had majority support from both houses. This year, AB 144 has already passed out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee with a 5:2 vote.

AB 809 (Feuer) – This legislation would require California residents to register their shotguns and rifles in addition to their handguns. Again, we saw this same bill introduced last session under AB 1810 and it too failed to meet the required end of session deadline, but did receive support from both houses. So far this year, AB 809 has also already passed out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee with a 5:1 vote.

Both AB 144 and AB 809 are attacks on the Second Amendment which gives us the freedom and right to bear arms. It is outrageous that these kinds of bills are even being considered. We need to focus our efforts on strengthening the economy and creating jobs, not punishing and regulating law abiding citizens

I will not give up the fight to protect our basic rights and I hope you will also continue this cause. I urge you to contact your local Assembly representative and express your opinion on these bills. Thank you for your support.

It is an honor to serve you.

Sincerely,
Assemblyman Curt Hagman
District 60

Recently, I flew from Missoula, Montana to Fresno, California via Delta Airlines.  My journey was pleasant and, for the most part, uneventful.  The employees were all very polite and helpful and the worst that happened was them not getting one of my two checked bags back to me until the next day.  My first flight by myself and they misplace one of my checked bags.  Not a big deal, 'cause when I did get it back, all was in order and no complaint needed to be filed.  Not so for Dave Carroll.  Watch the video he created and follow his story.

I have had a wonderful time in Montana. Well, as wonderful a time as can be had while working with the bees.  I have managed to avoid being stung, accomplished by wearing a bee suit and deftly handling boxes and frames.  The weather has been mostly hot with a cool spell happening in the past 24 hours or so.  Will be glad to return to California tomorrow, on what will be my first time flying alone.  I will be walking through security, finding the gate, and changing planes, all by my lonesome.  Now, I know that for a 29-and-a-half year-old like myself to be saying this may sound weird and even a bit stupid to some people, I think it is a highlight of my life that I am able to do this on my own.  Not that I am in any way physically or mentally handicapped or the least bit stupid or retarded, I am just a normal male who realizes the enormity of the world and all its wondrous ways.  It should be noted for the record, that I am married and I am fully capable of living the good life if I weren't just so damn lazy and bored of life.  I attempt to find the fun, but it is hard and I like to make things easy and to do so while maintaining the highest quality is not so simple after all.  Am I just rambling, perhaps, but this all needs to be said.  I will sign off now, enjoy the day!