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Procedures shoot down Oklahoma's open-carry gun proposal
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT The Oklahoman
Published: March 11, 2010
A proposal to allow unrestricted open carrying of weapons was shot down by legislative procedures Wednesday in the state House of Representatives.
But a proposal to allow those with permits to carry concealed weapons to also carry them out in the open is still alive and may be attached to another bill today, the last day House members can act on House-generated bills.
Both proposals were filed as amendments to House Bill 2538, which would have allowed a gun owner who has a permit to carry a concealed firearm to put a loaded weapon on the dashboard or seat of a vehicle. Oklahoma only allows concealed gun permits, and gun owners with permits must conceal the weapons in their vehicles.
Both efforts failed as Rep. Sue Tibbs, the author of HB 2538, eventually withdrew the measure after more than an hour of debate and legislative maneuvering.
Before withdrawing her bill, Tibbs, R-Tulsa, had accepted an amendment by Rep. David Derby, R-Owasso, which would allow those with concealed carry permits to carry the weapons in the open.
She also had accepted an amendment by Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, that would allow any person to carry a rifle, shotgun or pistol at any time if the person has a reasonable fear of bodily harm.
Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, and other supporters of his measure also were upset that Tibbs filed an amendment that took the title off the bill, which meant that it eventually would have to go through the committee process.
Reynolds wanted his amendment to be voted on in the House chamber with a recorded vote so gun-rights groups could see how legislators voted.
Reynolds actually spoke against his own amendment. If his amendment failed, then he could introduce a stronger open-carry measure, he said.
Before House members could vote, however, Tibbs accepted the amendment.
Reynolds asked that rules be suspended so he could file an amendment from the floor. Passage required 68 votes of the 101-member body; it passed 94-0.
Before Reynolds could present his proposed amendment, Rep. Jeff Hickman, presiding in the House, asked for a voice vote on Reynolds’ amendment. Most of the members voted for it and Hickman, R-Fairview, declared the amendment was adopted. Then he realized his error.
"We don’t have an amendment,” he said.
Hickman ruled the voice vote was improper. Before Reynolds could object, Hickman called on Tibbs to speak.
Tibbs, who held up her National Rifle Association card to members and said she has a concealed-carry permit, withdrew her bill.
"This is not an NRA bill,” she said. "It is not one of their priorities.”
Tibbs later said she will not bring her bill back up for consideration.
Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, said he would attempt to place Derby’s amendment into one of his measures, HB 3354, which deals with the carrying of weapons.
Amendments may be added to legislation if they have the same general subject matter.
Tim Gillespie, vice president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, said he is disappointed the open-carry measure failed "and so are my members.”
http://newsok.com/article/3445516
Procedures shoot down Oklahoma's open-carry gun proposal
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT The Oklahoman
Published: March 11, 2010
A proposal to allow unrestricted open carrying of weapons was shot down by legislative procedures Wednesday in the state House of Representatives.
But a proposal to allow those with permits to carry concealed weapons to also carry them out in the open is still alive and may be attached to another bill today, the last day House members can act on House-generated bills.
Both proposals were filed as amendments to House Bill 2538, which would have allowed a gun owner who has a permit to carry a concealed firearm to put a loaded weapon on the dashboard or seat of a vehicle. Oklahoma only allows concealed gun permits, and gun owners with permits must conceal the weapons in their vehicles.
Both efforts failed as Rep. Sue Tibbs, the author of HB 2538, eventually withdrew the measure after more than an hour of debate and legislative maneuvering.
Before withdrawing her bill, Tibbs, R-Tulsa, had accepted an amendment by Rep. David Derby, R-Owasso, which would allow those with concealed carry permits to carry the weapons in the open.
She also had accepted an amendment by Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, that would allow any person to carry a rifle, shotgun or pistol at any time if the person has a reasonable fear of bodily harm.
Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, and other supporters of his measure also were upset that Tibbs filed an amendment that took the title off the bill, which meant that it eventually would have to go through the committee process.
Reynolds wanted his amendment to be voted on in the House chamber with a recorded vote so gun-rights groups could see how legislators voted.
Reynolds actually spoke against his own amendment. If his amendment failed, then he could introduce a stronger open-carry measure, he said.
Before House members could vote, however, Tibbs accepted the amendment.
Reynolds asked that rules be suspended so he could file an amendment from the floor. Passage required 68 votes of the 101-member body; it passed 94-0.
Before Reynolds could present his proposed amendment, Rep. Jeff Hickman, presiding in the House, asked for a voice vote on Reynolds’ amendment. Most of the members voted for it and Hickman, R-Fairview, declared the amendment was adopted. Then he realized his error.
"We don’t have an amendment,” he said.
Hickman ruled the voice vote was improper. Before Reynolds could object, Hickman called on Tibbs to speak.
Tibbs, who held up her National Rifle Association card to members and said she has a concealed-carry permit, withdrew her bill.
"This is not an NRA bill,” she said. "It is not one of their priorities.”
Tibbs later said she will not bring her bill back up for consideration.
Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, said he would attempt to place Derby’s amendment into one of his measures, HB 3354, which deals with the carrying of weapons.
Amendments may be added to legislation if they have the same general subject matter.
Tim Gillespie, vice president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, said he is disappointed the open-carry measure failed "and so are my members.”
