Official: More gun bills than ever

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Several bills being debated by the Nebraska legislature this session pertain to gun regulations and according to Sen. Mark Christensen they appear to be gaining more traction than usual.

"There is a chance we will get more gun bills out this year than we've ever seen," Sen. Christensen said this morning, during the weekly McCook Area Chamber of Commerce legislative conference call at the Keystone Business Center.

Sen. Christensen said the Judiciary Committee usually limits gun bills to one passed per year, this year 11 gun related bills were introduced and as many as five of those bills had the potential to pass this session.

Sen. Christensen said his gun bill that intended to change the Governor's power pertaining to restricting firearms and ammunition during an emergency or natural disaster, LB 390, has an agreement in place that will result in it successfully coming out of committee. The agreement narrows the bill to preventing the Governor from controlling the sale or transportation of firearms during an emergency, according to Sen. Christensen.

Sen. Christensen wasn't as confident that a second gun bill he introduced, LB 335, would make it out of committee, but he said clarifications being made to it gave it a better chance.

The bill provides guidelines for the transportation and storage of firearms in private vehicles, specifically those parked in public parking lots. According to its statement of intent it seeks to bring balance between the property rights of employers and the property rights of employees and the general public.

The clarifications being added to the bill intended to specify that it did not pertain to private home businesses that utilized parking lots not open to the public.

Sen. Ernie Chambers argued against LB 602, a bill introduced by Sen. Dave Bloomfield that intends to reaffirm the rights of Nebraska under the U.S. Constitution and specify that any firearm or ammunition manufactured in Nebraska is not subject to federal law or regulation.

According to Sen. Christensen, Sen. Chambers repeatedly mentioned the Federal Supremacy Clause and asked legislators if Nebraska law enforcement members would attempt to arrest federal representatives, if there was a conflict. Sen. Christensen said supporters of the bill testified that "the feds don't come in with surprise attacks," and explained that if there was a dispute, local and federal law enforcement representatives would settle it and determine who had authority before it ever became an issue.

Sen. Christensen said LB 171 was another interesting gun bill. The bill, introduced by Sen. Dave Bloomfield, seeks to expedite the concealed carry permit process for victims of domestic violence. Sen. Christensen said the expedited application must come with a recommendation from a peace officer and speeds up the process from 45 days down to five days, without skipping any of the training processs. Sen. Christensen said it used to be a 90 day process and was trimmed down to 45 days. He said he wasn't confident that five days was even an option, given how high demand currently was for the required training course for the permit.

"Imperial had 60 some people since the first of the year apply for a concealed carry permit, with two-thirds of them women, and they are trying to schedule yet another course out there," said Sen. Christensen.

LB 392 introduced by Sen. Steve Lathrop is another gun bill that Sen. Christensen said had a good chance of making it out of committee. The bill eliminates certain firearm provisions no longer authorized by federal law, specifically repealing section 28-1211 of Nebraska statute.

A bill introduced by Sen. Amanda McGill, LB 319, intends to clarify language pertaining to concealed handgun permit holders violations. A 2012 bill states an individual's permit can be revoked for first time offenses that occur on property owned by the state and McGill's bill will amend the phrase to specify occurring on property owned or leased by the state.