Bi-partisan Gun Control Proposal

Updated: Jan 3, 2013

I had a moment of inspiration and I am sharing it here in hopes of generating discussion that leads to a change in law. The following is what I sent to all of my representatives. I hope you will copy this and send it too.

This photo is of Emilie Parker, age 6. She was killed this Friday at Sandy Hook elementary. She, her classmates, her family, her community and our nation all need a change in law to limit these events that happen far too frequently. I am torn apart over her loss.

In light of the recent tragedy in Newtown Connecticut, I have a proposal for fixing some of the problem with regards to easy access to “assault weapons”. It is a bi-partisan compromise on both sides and I feel it can appeal to many except for the extreme right and left. This proposal is only part of a solution. I would also like to see improved background checks, prosecution of those who lie on the forms, periodic psychological evaluations, and “tie ins” to other government agencies’ databases for constant monitoring of gun owners. Together, we could greatly reduce gun crime in this country while allowing gun aficionados, hunters, and home owners retain their rights.

Policies:

1. I propose bi-annual safety courses, medical and background checks, and two week waiting periods shall be required with the purchase of any and all firearms whether new or used and whether purchased from a store or via private sale.
2. I propose all citizens who pass these requirements shall have the right to purchase and own any type of gun which is allowed by law for private citizen ownership.
3. I propose any legislation disallowing particular type of firearm ownership shall be regulated at the state level by popular vote every four years in conjunction with the national presidential election.
4. I propose all citizens who pass these requirements shall have the right to apply for a concealed carry license.
5. I propose non-citizens shall not own any firearms.
6. I propose the states’ legislatures shall regulate the requirements to grant concealed carry licenses.
7. I propose all firearms, save for those retained for home defense and/or concealed carry purposes, shall be retained at a facility approved for their storage by their local or county police department.
8. I propose each citizen who passes these requirements shall have the right to retain in total one firearm approved by the federal government for home defense purposes, for home defense and/or concealed carry purposes.
9. I propose every retained weapon shall be locked or stored with an approved gun lock or safe.
10. I propose local governments in combination with local and county police departments shall have the right to grant or revoke “private armory licenses”.
11. I propose enough “private armory licenses” to properly safeguard all local firearms shall be granted by the local government.
12. I propose all private armories shall not be government owned in part or in whole.
13. I propose if licenses are denied or revoked and there are not enough licenses to properly safeguard all local firearms, the local town in combination with their local police department shall provide the additional required storage facility.
14. I propose gun owners shall check their weapons out from their armory for use and return them within the allotted period of time as approved by the local armory management.
15. I propose if a gun owner does not return their checked out weapons within the allotted period of time, a warrant shall be issued by the local police department for the return of the weapons.
16. I propose no criminal action shall be pursued so long as the weapons are returned to proper storage and no crimes have been commit with them.
17. I propose a criminal investigation shall be performed for the loss or theft of any checked out weapon.
18. I propose there shall be a minimum penalty of three times the “street value” of all lost or stolen weapons.
19. I propose lying on a medical or background check form shall result in a criminal investigation with a minimum penalty for willful misrepresentation of oneself of one year in prison.
20. I propose all logs of check-ins and check-outs shall be retained indefinitely by both the armory and its local government and shared freely with state and federal agencies for use in criminal investigations.
21. I propose there shall be no limit on how many guns a person may own if they are stored in this manner.
22. I propose there shall be a two year grace period from the enacting of this into law to allow for the construction and certification of local storage facilities nationwide and for gun owners to properly store their weapons within facilities of their choosing.

Funding:

1. I propose the cost of the safety courses and background checks be paid by the applicant.
2. I propose the cost of the medical evaluation shall be paid by the applicant and their insurance agency.

I hope you consider my proposal and discuss it with your fellow representatives.

About me: I am a veteran ARMY infantryman. A few years back my old boss took me to his local range where I was privileged to fire several rounds through his Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle. I can appreciate a good gun and the exhilaration that comes from simply firing one. I would never want to take away another law abiding, mentally stable American’s right to bear arms. I think my proposal is a logical and balanced approach to gun control. It should appease the right for it allows gun lovers to own any kind of gun they are approved to own and doesn’t limit the number. It should appease the left for it severely limits access to the weapons by anyone not approved. It should reduce crime and allow law enforcement to pursue criminals much faster. I know my proposal needs to be tweaked. I am not a lawyer or law maker. I feel it is a solid platform to start a discussion on. I also have a 5 year old daughter.

Food for thought: I have had some ideas to further this proposal. Again, I am trying to write this as bi-partisan as possible. You may feel this doesn’t go far enough and I may agree with you. This is only a part of a solution.

Conservatives will probably find this proposal appealing as it would create a whole new type of private industry. Businesses tasked with the duty of safeguarding private citizens’ weapons. Of course the license to operate would be costly and regular inspections would be mandatory. Repeat violations or failed inspections would result in the termination of the license to operate.

It is a fact that gun-owners who now sell their weapons on the black-market often claim that they were lost or stolen from their houses. These criminals would lose any incentive as the punishment for losing your weapon when it was checked out could be to forfeit all your remaining weapons. This would cause gun-owners to safeguard their weapons much more closely too. Gun-owners not wanting to lose their other weapons would buy a safe to house their home defense pistol in. This would also reduce the number of accidental child deaths from firearms.

To safeguard citizens’ constitutional right to bear arms, counties and towns should not be allowed to simply not approve any locations for the safeguard of citizens’ weapons. I propose if no private locations are approved, the local police stations will be tasked with storing citizens weapons. The cost of doing so would be higher than most town’s would want to pay.