GRNC Alert 06-23-14: Send H618 to the Floor for Restoration of 2A Rights

RESTORATION OF 2A RIGHTS

In 1995, loose wording in 14-415.1 caused non-violent offenders who had already paid their debt to society, kept their noses clean, and legitimately restored their Second Amendment rights via the state-prescribed process, to suddenly lose their rights once again–overnight. Their rights were originally suspended through legitimate due process, yet they were also restored through a legitimate state-sanctioned process. Some might say that once rights are restored, revoking them without due process, and when no further offense exists, is something that teeters between “ex post facto” and “double jeopardy.” However it is characterized, it’s definitely unjust.

Of course, there are others who have committed non-violent offenses after the enactment of 14-415.1, who should also be eligible to petition to have their rights fully restored, but because of this overreaching bill, they are not. This, too, is unjust.

Furthermore, there are too many non-violent offenses that are being classified as felonies, causing offenders to be permanently deprived of their Second Amendment rights. Reason tells us that these non-violent offenders should not be forever dispossessed of their gun rights because of a single mistake. After a long history of remaining law-abiding, they should be able to petition for the restoration of these rights. Sadly, they cannot. This is yet another injustice.

Thankfully, there is a simple remedy for all of these injustices. House Bill 618 (H618), which currently sits in the Senate’s Judiciary II Committee, would right these wrongs by once again affording non-violent offenders the opportunity to restore their Second Amendment rights. It would also remove certain non-violent offenses from the list of those for which gun rights can be permanently revoked. Below, you’ll learn about the simple action you can take to make sure the Senate’s Judiciary II Co-Chairmen, and your own state senator, know what you think about permanently depriving non-violent offenders of their Second Amendment rights. You can tell your senator that you strongly support H618, and you’d like to see it brought to the floor for a vote as soon as possible.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

• E-mail Senate Judiciary II Committee Co-Chairmen, Senators Austin Allran & Warren Daniel, in support of H618. Use the contact information and the copy/paste message below.
• E-mail your own state senator in support of H618. Use the information below to find your senator’s contact information, and use the copy/paste message to send your senator an e-mail.

CONTACT INFO

Copy/paste e-mail addresses for Senate Judiciary II Committee Co-Chairmen:

Austin.Allran@ncleg.net; Warren.Daniel@ncleg.net

Find your state senator’s contact information:

• If you know your state senator’s name:

  
  

  • Click here to go to the NCGA home page (or: http://www.ncleg.net/).
  • At the top-right of the page, click the arrow next to “View Member Info: Select a Member…” and click on your senator’s name.
  • Click the “Go” button.
  • On the senator’s Member Page, copy the e-mail address provided, and use it to deliver the message below.
• If you don’t know your state senator’s name:

  
  

  • Click here to go to the “Who Represents Me?” page (or: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx).
  • Scroll down to the “North Carolina Senate” map (the second map).
  • Type your address in the text box at the top-right of the senate map. This will present you with your Senate District number.
  • Click on the Senate District number, and then click on “Open Member Page.”

On the Senator’s Member Page, there will be an e-mail address. Copy the e-mail address, and use it to deliver the message below.

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

Suggested Subject: “Bring H618 to the Floor for a Vote“

Dear Senator:

It has been brought to my attention that many non-violent offenders in North Carolina are being permanently deprived of their Second Amendment rights. With this in mind, I am writing to strongly express my support for House Bill 618 (H618).

I understand that some relatively minor offenses are being classified as felonies and are being used as grounds to permanently deny offenders their Second Amendment rights. I’ve also learned that there are some non-violent offenders who had followed the state-sanctioned process to restore their rights, only to have them later revoked by the loose language in 14-415.1 (1995). Grouping minor offenders with violent felons is wrong. Denying non-violent offenders of any future opportunity to restore their rights is wrong. Retracting a citizen’s Second Amendment rights even after they had been legitimately restored via a state-prescribed process is wrong.

To right these wrongs, I ask that you work to bring H618 to the floor for a vote, and that you vote ‘yea’ on this bill. It’s time we started treating non-violent offenders, those who have since maintained long histories of being law-abiding, like they ought to be treated: as citizens.

I will be monitoring this issue via alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina.

Respectfully,

Additional Skills Needed for the GRNC Alert Team:

A person is needed to expand the GRNC alert team.  Good writing skills is a must along with the ability to coordinate with personnel at various levels.  Knowledge of HTML and ability to manipulate HTML style emails on the code level.  Strong understanding of desktop publishing concepts and Microsoft Office tools.  Person should be able to translate legal, political, technical and firearms jargon into layman’s terms and make the public care about the issue.  Familiarity of a mass emailing system like Constant Contact is a nice to have.

If interested, please contact GRNC via the following e-mail address:  alert@grnc.org

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