Missoula, MT –-(Ammoland.com)- Representative Matthew Monforton, a gun-friendly attorney from Bozeman, has introduced HB 598.
This bill is for a statutory referendum, which will require only 50%+1 of each House and Senate to go on the ballot for a vote of the people.
HB 598 will accomplish two things: 1) require that any infringements on the fundamental right to keep and bear arms must pass the highest level of judicial scrutiny to survive, and 2) will award court costs and attorney fees to anyone who’s rights are infringed and who sues and wins the lawsuit.
This is really big! This bill is not on the MSSA Legislative Agenda for the 2015 session, but MSSA is adopting it. It’s a super idea that could have very positive consequences for the RKBA in Montana.
HB 598 has been scheduled for a public hearing before the House Judiciary Committee next Friday, 3/13. It’s not yet time to send messages to committee members asking for support. Soon – maybe Wednesday or Thursday.
There are two more bills on the MSSA legislative agenda that are yet to be introduced. I’ll let you know. Stay tuned …
Best wishes,
Gary Marbut, President
Montana Shooting Sports Association
Author, Gun Laws of Montana
https://www.MTPublish.com
About Montana Shooting Sports Association:MSSA is the primary political advocate for Montana gun owners. Visit: www.mtssa.org
This bill is a PRO Second Amendment bill! I wish my fellow gun owners would read the bill before they go off on tangents about these great bills!
HB 598 makes it HARDER for the govt to infringe on our RKBA. This legislation was not on the MSSA’s original legislative issues list for 2015, but has been adopted by the MSSA because it’s such a GREAT RKBA bill!
Please, friends, do your homework. Law abiding gun owners NEED this!
You guys have a basic misconception about the purpose and effect of this proposal. This does not “legalize” infringement, it makes it clear that the standard of proof that must be met for those supporting gun control laws is the most stringent possible – Strict Scrutiny. Under the provisions of this proposal, rather than government attorneys saying; “Guns are dangerous, so it’s in the public interest for us to limit magazine capacity, restrict ‘military features,’ ban bullets made out of steel, etc., to protect the public,” and a judge just saying; “Gee, sounds reasonable to me.” Under this proposal, the… Read more »
All this bill will do is “legalize” infringements. It’s already in the Constitution, the highest law of the land, that THE PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. So now, it’s ok to infringe, if the court says it is? Gee, people. Do you all have two brain cells to rub together? Yes? Then use them. This is ludicrous.
I made the same remark and got bashed because I supposedly didn’t know what I was talking about. Who ever it is that leaves comments representing MSSA was a real ahole, make the assoc. look bad.