BY MICHAEL NOYES
HELENA – On Thursday, the president of a gun rights group blasted Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s veto of a bill that would have allowed people to carry concealed firearms without a permit inside Montana’s cities.
House Bill 271, sponsored by Rep. Krayton Kerns, R-Laurel, was vetoed by the Democratic governor because it would be a safety threat to law enforcement, according to a letter from Schweitzer announcing his veto.
“Obviously, this bill would greatly imperil the work and safety of Montana’s lawmen, including sheriffs and highway patrolmen,” Schweitzer wrote.
That claim is disputed in an open “letter to the editor” sent on Thursday by Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association.
“Schweitzer claimed that HB 271 would have adversely impacted officers of the Montana Highway Patrol and county sheriffs departments, yet these agencies operate primarily outside cities where permitless carry has been the uneventful norm for 20 years,” Marbut wrote.
Marbut also took issue with the governor’s letter stating that, “HB 271 would entirely remove the Sheriff’s authority and discretion to issue or deny concealed weapons permits.”

“Wrong again,” Marbut writes. “A plain reading of HB 271 shows that it does not touch upon the existing permit process, which leaves permits entirely in place for those wishing permits for out-of-state travel or instant gun buys.”
Both letters contain harsh words for opponents.
Schweitzer said the bill sponsors should “consider the absurdity of the standard set forth in HB 271.” If the same standard were applied in other cases then documents like driver’s licenses, building permits or hunting licenses wouldn’t be required.

“People would simply have to produce evidence they were ‘eligible’ to possess them,” Schweitzer writes.
Marbut accused the governor of not even reading the bill.

“It’s obvious that the Governor didn’t even read HB 271 before doing a quick draw with his staged branding iron and completely missing the target,” Marbut wrote. “Having been urged by both the NRA and MSSA to support HB 271, the Governor now wears a self-inflicted veto brand on his political foot from his quick-draw miss, yet another case of ready, fire, aim.”

UPDATE 5/12 – 4:37 p.m.: Kerns said late Thursday afternoon that he was disappointed but not surprised by the governor’s veto. “The reasons he gave for the veto are pretty much erroneous,” Kerns said. “We’ll make another go next time, and eventually we’ll get it through.”
To read the full bill click here.
To read the governor’s veto click here.
Marbut’s letter posted below:

May 12, 2011
Dear Editor,

Governor’s Schweitzer’s veto message for HB 271 is factually incorrect on several important counts.  These obvious inaccuracies do not commend the Governor for his knowledge, or for his choice of advisers on this issue.

HB 271 would have allowed concealed firearm carry (“permitless carry”) inside city limits in Montana, as has been the case outside city limits (99.4% of Montana) for two decades without any identifiable incidence of problems.

Schweitzer claimed that HB 271 would have adversely impacted officers of the Montana Highway Patrol and county sheriffs departments, yet these agencies operate primarily outside cities where permitless carry has been the uneventful norm for 20 years.

The Governor also claims that HB 271 would void the existing concealed weapon permit process.  Wrong again.  A plain reading of HB 271 shows that it does not touch upon the existing permit process, which leaves permits entirely in place for those wishing permits for out-of-state travel or instant gun buys.

It’s obvious that the Governor didn’t even read HB 271 before doing a quick draw with his staged branding iron and completely missing the target.  Having been urged by both the NRA and MSSA to support HB 271, the Governor now wears a self-inflicted veto brand on his political foot from his quick-draw miss, yet another case of ready, fire, aim.

Gary Marbut, president

Montana Shooting Sports Association