Support For HR218

Hello America, I have started this petition because I feel that it is very important to every citizen in the great United States of America. We need your support because are senator Richard Durbin from (ILLINOIS) has tried to add Persons/Groups to this bill. Please sign this petition in support and if you are in senator Durbins voting area ILLINOIS Please state that so he knows that we need this bill signed now and not with all these persons/groups added on. H. R. 218


To amend title 18, United States Code, to exempt qualified current and former law enforcement officers from State laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 3, 2001
Mr. CUNNINGHAM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to exempt qualified current and former law enforcement officers from State laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Community Protection Act of 2001'.SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF QUALIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM STATE LAWS PROHIBITING THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED FIREARMS.

(a) IN GENERAL- Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 926A the following:`Sec. 926B. Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement officers`(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the law of any State or any political subdivision thereof, an individual who is a qualified law enforcement officer and who is carrying the identification required by subsection (d) may carry a concealed firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, subject to subsection (b).`(b) This section shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any State that--`(1) permit private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their property; or`(2) prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on any State or local government property, installation, building, base, or park.`(c) As used in this section, the term `qualified law enforcement officer' means an employee of a governmental agency who--`(1) is authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and has statutory powers of arrest;`(2) is authorized by the agency to carry a firearm;`(3) is not the subject of any disciplinary action by the agency; and`(4) meets standards, if any, established by the agency which require the employee to regularly qualify in the use of a firearm.`(d) The identification required by this subsection is the photographic identification issued by the governmental agency for which the individual is, or was, employed as a law enforcement officer.'.(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections for such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 926A the following:`926B. Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement officers.'.SEC. 3. EXEMPTION OF QUALIFIED RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FROM STATE LAWS PROHIBITING THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED FIREARMS.
The Community Protection Act provides three benefits to our police and to our country.
First, it effectively provides thousands more trained cops on the beat--at zero taxpayer cost.
Second, it enables current and former law enforcement officers to protect themselves and their families from criminals. When a criminal completes his or her sentence, that criminal can find where their arresting officer lives, where their corrections officer travels, and other information about our brave law enforcement personnel and their families.
And, third, it helps keep our communities safer from criminals. to way it down. This is on Durbins website. Fighting Crime & Increasing Public Safety
But while we can take heart in the progress we've made, there is still much, much more work to do. A violent crime occurs every 21 seconds in the United States. A person is murdered every 30 minutes, and a child is killed by gun violence every 2 hours. These figures are not just numbers, they represent someone's father, mother, sister, brother, or child. I believe that each and every one of us has a job to do in helping to combat crime. Here in Congress, that means passing legislation that gives our law enforcement officers the resources and tools they need to do their jobs. In our communities, it means setting up tenant councils and neighborhood patrols. In schools, we must support prevention programs for troubled youth. And as parents, we must send a clear message that crime and violence will not be tolerated. Below is a summary of some of the work I'm doing in Washington to increase the safety of our communities.