Arizona legislators promote new gun rights and safety bills

By Dave Mason
The Center Square

Women supporting gun rights and safety – self-described “warrior women” – spoke in favor of three new Arizona bills Thursday morning during a news conference in Phoenix.

“I want to be very, very clear. The Second Amendment is not a suggestion. It is a promise carved in stone: The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” state Sen. Janae Shamp, R-Surprise, told reporters as she discussed Senate Bill 1012, her legislation to remove unnecessary notification requirements for gun owners.

Shamp and the bill’s supporters say those requirements treat gun owners like suspects. The legislation allows people with a concealed handgun to bring it into restaurants and other businesses, but Shamp noted it does not extend that right to bars and nightclubs.

Besides SB 1012, the new bills include House Bill 2076, which creates the Save Our Children Safety Program to provide employee training, crisis preparedness and optional certification for designated staff to carry guns on campus to protect students. The third bill is Senate Bill 1424, which requires schools to provide firearms safety instruction to prevent accidents without discouraging firearm ownership.

Shamp noted the Arizona Constitution stresses gun rights in language even stronger than that of the U.S. Constitution and said the right to bear arms is crucial to keeping families safe.

“Criminals do not disarm at the door. Threats don’t wait for dessert,” Shamp said. “Your children’s safety does not end at the restaurant door.”

She said her bill doesn’t expand where guns are allowed and doesn’t do away with the requirement of a conceal-carry permit.

After Shamp spoke, Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, stressed the importance of her legislation, Senate Bill 1424, which emphasizes firearms safety training in schools.

“Most accidental shootings involving children happen – where? – at home,” Rogers, chair of the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee, told reporters. “Firearms are one of the leading causes of death to children and teens in this country.

“SB 1424, my bill, takes a very straightforward approach,” Rogers said. “They require schools to provide age-appropriate firearms safety instruction focused on accident prevention and personal safety. …

“Students are taught what to do if they encounter a firearm,” Rogers said. “They’re told not to touch it, are told to leave the area and to tell a trusted adult. This is a 1, 2, 3 memory item. This is clear guidance that a child can remember and act on.”

Another speaker was state Rep. Selina Bliss, R-Prescott, who authored House Bill 2076 and chairs the House Health and Human Services Committee. Bliss presented a proclamation for gun rights to Cheryl Todd, president of Women For Gun Rights. Todd stood at the podium with other women and her granddaughters as she discussed three generations of her family who believe in gun rights and safety.

“We believe in something very simple,” the Arizona resident told reporters as she talked about her organization’s support for the three bills. “Education is the key to safety.”

The Center Square reached out to gun control organizations but did not get a response by press time.