Firearms Protection Amendment To Be Introduced This Legislative Session
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: January 23, 2013
Recent 5-4 decisions of the United States Supreme Court have threatened the sanctity
of the 2nd
Amendment to the United States Constitution. Alabamians have a
constitutional right to keep and
bear arms and the Alabama Constitution should, as strongly as possible,
protect that right. That's why in Alabama, we dare defend our right to
bear arms.
Today,
Freshman Representative Mike Jones (R-Andalusia) announced he will
carry the Alabama
Firearms Protection Amendment, or House Bill 8, a cornerstone piece of
legislation in the 2013 House Republican Agenda. Last week, Alabama
House Republicans announced their 2013 agenda, named after the state's
motto "We Dare Defend Our Rights."
"Given
the course that the federal government is taking, it is imperative that
we protect
our God-given right to defend our families, our homes, and ourselves,"
Rep Jones said. "If the federal government won't protect our right to
keep and bear arms, we're prepared to do it at the state level."
If
ratified, the Alabama Firearms Protection Amendment would alter Section
26 of the Alabama
Constitution, positioning Alabama to have the strongest gun ownership
safeguards of any state constitution in the country. While the Alabama
Supreme Court has said that Section 26 is subject to "reasonable
regulation by the state," this Amendment will eliminate
any doubt that firearms are a guaranteed right in Alabama.
"The
Alabama Firearms Protection Amendment adds language to our constitution
that requires
the highest level of scrutiny from the courts," Jones said. "Including
this language will cement Alabama's stance on the right to bear arms by
declaring it as 'fundamental.'"
This
level of scrutiny is the highest level available in the American
judicial system. Overcoming
strict scrutiny is difficult - if not impossible - which will protect
the right of Alabamians to bear arms more than ever before. This
Amendment will also provide that no international treaty or law shall
interfere with a citizen's right to bear arms.
For more information on the Alabama Firearms Protection Amendment, please visit www.alhousegop.com/wedaredefend.
The full text of the Amendment is attached.
