AB 2096 before committee tomorrow (5/25)

[mikehaas]

AB 2096 is expected to appear before the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday, May 25, 2006. Please contact the committee and urge your support.

This bill would exempt from state taxes the gross receipts derived from the sale in this state of, and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, a firearm safety device, gun safe, or long-gun safe, as defined. In other words, you would not have to pay sales tax on "Firearms Safety Devices." This bill has always been written to mean that the tax exemption would take place at the point-of-purchase so no forms or records would be required or kept.

ONE-CLICK posted at:
http://calnra.com/legs.shtml?summary=ab2096

Mike

[6172crew]

Thanks again Mike! one click sent.

[the_quark]

ONE-CLICK posted at:
http://calnra.com/legs.shtml?summary=ab2096

Mike,

A totally honest question: How useful are these one-click emails? Do the Members pay attention to them? They seem too easy to be of any real use, but maybe I'm just cynical. I've been assuming if I want to have an impact, I need to call or write my Member. Is this a "sending a one click email is better than doing nothing" situation, or are these actually useful in an of themselves? Can I send a one-click email *instead* of calling?

Thanks!

-TQ

[chris]

do all of them. if they get enough calls and letters the staff will tell you if you ask them. it works most of the time. so send them lots of letters guys.

[mikehaas]

Mike,
A totally honest question: How useful are these one-click emails?...

Our direct feedback from lawmaker offices tells us VERY useful - as much so, in fact, as any other form of communication. I wouldn't set them up if NRA thought they weren't productive. (The whole idea of the legs page/ONE-CLICK system at http://calnra.com/legs.shtml is to have gun-ownrs NOT waste their time lobbying in ways that aren't effective or on issues that aren't "hot" at the moment.)

To the lawmaker, ONE-CLICK emails are received as an email directly from you (and if they reply, it goes to back to you, not us - once my code sends your ONE-CLICK, it gets out of the way). And of course, it is the easiest way one can possible address an entire committee or body - one message goes to all!

Each form of contact has it's advantages/disadvantages:

Emails are easy, but can be generated by machines - this is why I don't provide canned subject lines and message bodies. All the ONE-CLICK emails are different and unique, proving it is not some email bomber or campaign. It is real input from real Californians and Sacramento can tell the difference.

FAXes incur the cost of a phone call, but provide a paper document at the other end.

Phone calls obviously incur the same cost, but provide an interactive dialog with the staffer (and sometimes the lawmaker!) Some consider it an advantage (with anti-gun lawmaker offices) that this will occupy staffers on the phone, preventing them from doing other work, but that's not an advantage we tout.

Letters provide a paper document too, but are useless in a lot of lobbying because it's "VOTE IS TODAY/TOMMORROW" kind of thing - not enough time to get there.

ALL methods are valid, and we should use tham all as appropriate. And ESPECIALLY - don't get fooled that emails are somehow "second class" input. The legislature appreciates email just like everyone else. They WANT to know if a vote if going to get them in trouble (and probably less concerned about that a bill actually DOES), but no matter how you tell them, they provide a public email address for a reason - let's use it. (And staffers are not allowed - well, not supposed - to simply discard constituent input.)

And that's a totally honest answer! :-)

Mike

PS. Years ago, after first setting up the ONE-CLICK system, I was contacted by someone (direct phone call!) from the state's MIS department at the capitol, asking if our goal was to shutdown their email system. I assured them it was not and experience has backed me up. I believe ONE-CLICKs may have even garnered a bit of respect up there! :-)