imported post
Last year, the State of Idaho passed a law that places the entire status of firearms under the States Legislature. The intent was to occupy the entire field of firearms regulation. Originally, the bill included even secondary educational (colleges and universities), but under pressure, amended this section such that these secondary schools could enforce their own firearms regulations.
Now, on the heels of this, there is Senate bill,
S1112, which adds a new section (18-3316A) to the Idaho Code that allow political subdivisions to regulate (ban) firearms at public meetings (section 1). In section 2, it allows public libraries to do the same.
History:
Last year, after a shooting in Moscow, the Mayor wanted to ban guns from all public buildings and meetings (the shooting had no impact on a public place, other than the church from which the perp was shooting). The Mayor was prevented by the Idaho AG, under existing law. This prompted the change, above.
There have been no adverse incidents to any public meetings, that would necessitate such an action. This is merely a response by a very select few Mayors to curtail the public from openly carrying into these meetings (more about this, below).
During the last year, a small group of folks from the Treasure Valley area (Boise, Nampa, Caldwell), have made it a practice to attend some few public meetings while openly carrying. This same group of people have also been targeting the libraries in the area.
Like the public meetings, there have been no adverse incidents (other than the open display of firearms) in our libraries.
This legislation is both a knee-jerk reaction of certain people to seeing firearms and a reaction to curtail this small group of people who are adamant in openly carrying, every chance they get.
The legislation above is a solution looking for a non-existent problem and you should contact your legislators in that regard. It is wholly inappropriate to occupy the field, one year, and in the next, begin to give concessions for non-existent problems.