1. VICTORY! Brady Members, eActivists, and Chapters Stop Shoot First Dead in Its Tracks
2. VICTORY! Law Enforcement Joins Jim and Sarah Brady and StoptheNRA eActivists in Keeping Dangerous Bill from Passing in Delaware
3. VICTORY! Twelve States Hold off NRA Attempts to Bring Guns into our Workplaces
4. FIGHTING BACK! Brady Campaign Fights to Save Child-Safety Locks
5. FIGHTING BACK! California Million Mom March Chapters Stand with Attorney General Lockyer Calling for Action on Illegal Guns
6. FIGHTING BACK! In Pennsylvania, PATH Calls for One-Handgun-A-Month, but Is Given a New Task Force Instead

In twelve states across the country, StoptheNRA eActivists, together with local Million Mom March Chapters and other gun violence prevention groups, collectively dealt a huge blow to the NRA when they persuaded their state legislatures not to pass the NRA's dangerous "Shoot First" legislation. "Shoot First" bills are so insidious because they eliminate a citizen's duty to avoid a threat, by walking away or seeking refuge in a safe place, instead, allowing the gun user to "shoot first" to eliminate the threat.

The following states rejected the NRA's efforts and chose to side with public safety: Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

When the Delaware legislature adjourned last month, they let die a terrible bill that would have forced our local courts and police to allow virtually anyone to carry loaded, hidden guns into public spaces. HB 359, a dangerous NRA-backed piece of legislation, was strongly opposed by law enforcement and Delaware residents Jim and Sarah Brady, who testified against the bill. StoptheNRA eActivists sent hundreds of emails to their legislators urging them to oppose the legislation. The hard work of our Law Enforcement Relations department brought out a strong response by law enforcement that caused many legislators to rethink their position on a bill that proponents originally thought would just sail through. This is a tremendous victory for sensible gun laws!

Thanks to the efforts of local gun violence prevention activists and strong opposition from the business community, twelve state legislatures across the country managed to hold of one of the NRA's top legislative priorities: "Guns in the Workplace" legislation that would force businesses to allow guns on their privately held, business-owned property, whether they want to or not.

This dangerous legislation would have required all businesses to allow virtually anyone to bring guns, including deadly assault weapons, onto their privately-owned business property and, would have threatened to put business leaders in jail should they choose to keep their workplaces safe by prohibiting guns. These twelve state legislatures took a stand and chose workplace safety over the special interest gun lobby. Special thanks to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin legislators for standing strong for sensible gun laws.

This is a tremendous victory and shows that the NRA's dangerous agenda can be stopped!

Last month, in a late-night amendment offered by Representative Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), the U.S. House voted to bar enforcement of a new law that requires child-safety locks to be sold with new handguns.

It is hard to believe that the House thinks that requiring child-safety locks is a bad idea, but they are obviously bowing to pressure from the extreme fringe of the gun lobby. Why have many of the House Members sunk this low? Because they are throwing "red meat" issues like this one to their loyal base: the gun extremists. They are doing it now to whip up their base and, frankly, they are concerned about a change in power after the November elections.

Fortunately, this won't become law unless the Senate takes it up -- and we will be asking for your help this fall to make sure the Senate doesn't pass this harmful amendment. Stay tuned.

Attorney General, Bill Lockyer, joined the California Million Mom March Chapters in highlighting the problem of illegal gun trafficking with a press conference held in front of Trader Sports, one of one of the five worst gun dealers in America,. The press conference highlighted a package of positive gun control measures that have been introduced at the state level, including a ballistics micro-stamping bill (AB 352), and also announced opposition to two federal bills (HR 5005 and HR 5092). The San Leandro, California press event was one of 15 held across the country to bring greater public awareness to the trafficking of illegal guns. "We cannot rely on the federal government to enact responsible legislation that will prevent criminals from possessing and using guns", Lockyer stated. "In order to create safer streets and neighborhoods in California, we must act now to stop illegal gun trafficking at its source."

The member groups of the Pennsylvanians Against Trafficking Handguns (PATH) Coalition have been mounting pressure for the state legislature to do something to curb the problem of gun violence and gun trafficking in Pennsylvania. Specifically, PATH has called for the passage of a one-handgun-a-month bill. But in lieu of action on this critical bill, the legislature has instead created a task force to stop illegal guns and slotted five million dollars to fund it. While this is a testament to the tenacity and success that advocates have had publicizing the issue of illegal guns and trafficking in Pennsylvania, it is no substitute for real action. Some have suggested that it is instead an attempt to derail the momentum for legislation in Pennsylvania. See www.pathcoalition.org for details.

In addition, and thanks in large part to grassroots and media pressure, the State Senate Judiciary Committee has agreed to hold hearings this summer to consider a wide range of strategies to combat gun violence. The meetings will be held in locations across the state, and advocates are busy preparing to hammer home our efforts to limit bulk buying of handguns.