Augusta - A Maine legislator is proposing legislation to make information on concealed-weapons permits confidential.
Republican Corey Wilson, of Augusta, says his bill was prompted by a New York newspaper's decision to publish the names and addresses of concealed-weapons permit holders and maps showing where they live in suburbs outside of New York City. Wilson's bill would also make it illegal for the media and others to disseminate the information if they have access to it. "In New York they used Geocoding and overlaid it over a Google map so you had a nice Google map of where everyone who had a concealed weapons permit was located," Wilson said. "The result of that is you had people who were threatened. Their lives their families lives were threatened. That to me is unacceptable and we need to prevent that from happening in the state of Maine."
Wilson has more than 60 co-sponsors for the bill, including both Democrats and Republicans.
The Maine Press Association's executive director said it's likely the association will oppose the bill because it chips away at access to public information.
Same in Montana. Thus far (in the process) the majority--heavy majority--of votes are in favor.
We have several firearm related bills up right now. I wait and watch and hope the overall trend is in the direction I favor.
Well here they go. Bangor Daily News has requested names, etc from Maine LE agencies of CWP holders. Interesting timing as law makers in Augusta talk of making this info confidential as stated in the OP. Very dissapointing.
Governor LePage appears to have weighed in on the debate over making public the list of people carrying concealed weapons permits. This photo was tweeted by his office today (2/14/13) with the statement: "If newspapers want to know who has concealed weapons permits, they should know I do. "
I wonder the motive as well. Their reason in the paper seemed hokey and watered down. I'm VERY pleased with the Gov and the bipartisan support on the emergency legislation. Hopefully Maine won't ever have to worry about this again.
I wonder the motive as well. Their reason in the paper seemed hokey and watered down. I'm VERY pleased with the Gov and the bipartisan support on the emergency legislation. Hopefully Maine won't ever have to worry about this again.
The ONLY time when rights should be restricted is for demonstrated public safety (ie, even with freedom of speech, yelling fire in a crowded theater is against the law, justifiably so).
In the case of the BDN request, the governor, along with legislative leaders, said that making this information public would cause and spread public fear. Those who fear guns would become fearful of their neighbors with guns, and those with guns would feel exposed both to the possibility of theft and public derision. I think that there is a very strong case to be made to keep this information private.
The lib-o-rat media and other morons only cite the law and the US Constitution when it will advance their agenda. Other wise they do not like anything that limits them from doing what they please. I have gotten so I can not stand to put up with their double standards. If it will advance their agenda they will cite the law, the Bible and the US Constitution and demand everyone obey it. But if any of them gets in their way they dismiss them.