Why aren't we rallying in Annapolis on Monday?

Seems to me that we will lose more ground this session.

Why aren't we rallying to show our lawmakers our opposition?

just curious.

Is the MGA in session on Monday? It's a holiday.

The General Assembly will have at least a pro forma floor session on Monday, but there are almost never hearings scheduled that day.


As far as "rallies" are concerned:

1. There is no space. Lawyers Mall is closed for the ongoing steam pipe project. Bladen street is closed in one direction for contractor parking/equipment storage related to the steam pipe project.
2. The bill hearings are being staggered, likely coordinated on purpose to dilute our ability to be there. The D's know that most of our side of the fence work and won't or can't take off multiple days off to testify while the Bloomberg groups will astro-turf to get people there anytime, any way.
3. It would be used as nothing more than a rallying cry for the D's - claiming either race issues or simply labeling us as extremists (heard in testimony on HB4) or terrorists (heard from one of the "Man Moms" in the hallway outside of House Judiciary while the "opposition" testified).

I'll be brutally honest here, from the MSRPA perspective:

1. I need people testifying and talking face to face with their Delegates and Senators / office staff of the same, not standing in the cold. Especially given the physical limitations present in Annapolis right now.
2. I need to focus my completely voluntary time to preparing testimony for my organization to fight these bills.
3. I realize there are others on these fora that want to use "Alinsky" tactics - that is their 1A-protected right, but I won't participate or condone such actions.

MJD438 said:

The General Assembly will have at least a pro forma floor session on Monday, but there are almost never hearings scheduled that day.


As far as "rallies" are concerned:

1. There is no space. Lawyers Mall is closed for the ongoing steam pipe project. Bladen street is closed in one direction for contractor parking/equipment storage related to the steam pipe project.
2. The bill hearings are being staggered, likely coordinated on purpose to dilute our ability to be there. The D's know that most of our side of the fence work and won't or can't take off multiple days off to testify while the Bloomberg groups will astro-turf to get people there anytime, any way.
3. It would be used as nothing more than a rallying cry for the D's - claiming either race issues or simply labeling us as extremists (heard in testimony on HB4) or terrorists (heard from one of the "Man Moms" in the hallway outside of House Judiciary while the "opposition" testified).

I'll be brutally honest here, from the MSRPA perspective:

1. I need people testifying and talking face to face with their Delegates and Senators / office staff of the same, not standing in the cold. Especially given the physical limitations present in Annapolis right now.
2. I need to focus my completely voluntary time to preparing testimony for my organization to fight these bills.
3. I realize there are others on these fora that want to use "Alinsky" tactics - that is their 1A-protected right, but I won't participate or condone such actions.

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No offense but you say that like it is a bad thing.

dblas said:

No offense but you say that like it is a bad thing.

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Sorry you couldn't make it on Wed. We definitely missed your voice!

dblas said:

No offense but you say that like it is a bad thing.

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Nope, just stating it is not a tactic I will use.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

MJD438 said:

Nope, just stating it is not a tactic I will use.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Understood.

MJD438 said:

The General Assembly will have at least a pro forma floor session on Monday, but there are almost never hearings scheduled that day.


As far as "rallies" are concerned:

1. There is no space. Lawyers Mall is closed for the ongoing steam pipe project. Bladen street is closed in one direction for contractor parking/equipment storage related to the steam pipe project.
2. The bill hearings are being staggered, likely coordinated on purpose to dilute our ability to be there. The D's know that most of our side of the fence work and won't or can't take off multiple days off to testify while the Bloomberg groups will astro-turf to get people there anytime, any way.
3. It would be used as nothing more than a rallying cry for the D's - claiming either race issues or simply labeling us as extremists (heard in testimony on HB4) or terrorists (heard from one of the "Man Moms" in the hallway outside of House Judiciary while the "opposition" testified).

I'll be brutally honest here, from the MSRPA perspective:

1. I need people testifying and talking face to face with their Delegates and Senators / office staff of the same, not standing in the cold. Especially given the physical limitations present in Annapolis right now.
2. I need to focus my completely voluntary time to preparing testimony for my organization to fight these bills.
3. I realize there are others on these fora that want to use "Alinsky" tactics - that is their 1A-protected right, but I won't participate or condone such actions.

Click to expand...

MSI is in complete accord with MSRPA on all of these points. Particularly important IMHO is having folks sit in the offices of their Delegates and Senators civilly requesting an opportunity to speak with them. If not Annapolis, then in the district offices over the weekend. Find your representatives here:
https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/ap... many thousands, standing in the cold is not.

MykR0k said:

Would you care to give some guidance and tactics for doing this?

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I'll jump in. This is from an email we sent out:

If you are testifying, remember to be respectful before the lawmakers. Educate them. Speak from your personal experiences and knowledge. They need to be aware that these bills would make criminals of you and countless other Marylanders.

If you're unable to be there personally, there will be other opportunities this session to testify. We are very early in session and more bills will be submitted over the next month. Additionally, you can schedule a meeting with your legislators, either in Annapolis or in their district offices, to make them aware of your concerns. Writing letters and making phone calls to them is also effective. You can find your representatives by plugging in your address HERE. Please make every effort to contact your Senator and Delegates and let them know you you feel about these bills. In particular, if you are a constituent of any of these sponsors, you should make a special effort to communicate your views to them. Sitting on the sidelines will simply make it easier for these bills to become law.

For further details on these bills, and all those coming this session, be sure to bookmark and share tinyurl.com/guns2020. MSI will post its testimony as it becomes available.
We welcome you, your friends, your family, and any and all 2nd Amendment and self-defense rights supporters to testify before the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis. As current or potential gun owners, it's in everyone's interest to keep an eye on what our lawmakers are doing. We all know the effect atrocious gun laws have on us and the best way to prepare for what may be on the horizon is to read the bills and act!

Tips for your Testimony in the Maryland General Assembly

Committee hearings set the tone for how a bill may (or may not) progress. Your voice is urgently needed here as the bills are more easily amended or sometimes squashed in committee. Testimony stays as a part of each bill for all time and committee members do remember how these hearings go. Some lawmakers have a vision of gun owners not based in reality. Educate them. Help them understand. Your testimony may very well make or break a given bill.

All current gun-related legislation is being tracked on our website with URL, tinyurl.com/guns2020. You can read the entire text of a bill, who introduced it, our position and testimony, and current bill status. Audio/Video streams and recordings are available for committee hearings there as well.

Getting to Annapolis
When coming down to Annapolis, pay attention to traffic and try to arrive early. I-97 can be finicky and parking availability is limited. Car pool with some friends if you can. Organize with your fellow supporters on social media and in forums. The more voices, the better!

The Legislative Complex Addresses:
House Office Building
6 Bladen St
Annapolis, MD 21401

Miller Senate Office Building
11 Bladen St
Annapolis, MD 21401

Paid parking is available in garages and a short walk away in downtown Annapolis, or at the nearby Navy-Marine Corp Memorial Stadium. It is truly in your best interest to arrive early as the parking garages fill quickly. You can take a bus from the stadium into downtown for $2 cash (have exact change!). The Calvert Street Garage is free to use after 6pm. Information on the State Shuttle can be found here.

Upon entering each building of the Legislative Complex, you must pass thru a security checkpoint and a metal detector. This is very similar to a TSA checkpoint at an airport. DO NOT FORGET to remove and secure any of your knives, guns and other tools long before entering or getting anywhere close to the buildings. Make sure any bag you bring in is free of objects you wouldn't try bringing on an airplane. There is an x-ray machine and they will have you put your belongings thru it. You’ll also need to present a photo ID to the security staff when getting screened. They’ll also give you a sticker to wear. Make sure to keep it on throughout your stay.

Visiting the Committees
Most gun-related bills are introduced into the Judiciary committees of each chamber. In the House, there's the House Judiciary Committee (JUD) and in the Senate, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR). Judiciary is located in room 100 of the House Office Building and Judicial Proceedings in 2 East in the Miller Senate Office Building. Currently, the JUD is Chaired by Delegate Luke Clippinger (D) and Vice-Chaired by Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (D). Senator William Smith (D) Chairs the JPR and Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D) serves as the Vice-Chair. Sometimes gun-related bills find their ways into other committees. You can see all of those here by toggling between the Senate/House tabs on the left side of the page. Each committee has their own rules for the submission of testimony and whomever is chairing each committee decides the procedures for what bills are called, the order they're called in, when and who may testify, for how long, and any other conditions they deem necessary.

In the hallways close to the committee rooms, you’ll find touchscreens attached to the walls. Enter all of the requested personal information, including e-mail address and then select the bills you’re testifying on and whether or not you have a Favorable, Opposing, Favorable with Amendment, or Information Only position and whether or not you have Oral, Written, or no testimony on each bill that matters to you. If you have no testimony, you can still choose whether or not to support or oppose bills. Take your time here and be deliberate with your choices. Review your choices before hitting Submit. Once you’ve submitted, you’re all set. Stay close to the chamber door to make sure you get a good seat after they open up (usually within 10-15 minutes of the hearing start time). Be aware that you may not wear hats, bring in signs, or consume any food or drink inside of the committee rooms.

Oral Testimony
As stated, each committee has their own rules for how testimony will play out. Generally (but not always), a bill or series of bills will be announced. The sponsor of the bill (Senator or Delegate) will give a description of the bill and testify on why it’s needed. They may bring up witnesses they’ve selected to speak in support of the bill. Once they’ve finished, the chair of the committee will usually call upon expert witness panels: one to testify in support and one against the bill(s). After they finish, the chair will start calling upon everyone else who has signed up to testify, usually in alphabetical order of each witness's last name -- but not always. The witness will be given a set time to testify (anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes) on the bill or bills before them. Reading what you’ve submitted as written testimony is generally frowned upon. Instead here are some tips to help you along:

Remember that whether you like it or not, you're an ambassador for the supporters of the 2nd Amendment and self-defense rights supporters sitting behind you and the rest of us. Do everyone proud!
Respectfully speak your mind.
Drive it home on how the bill personally affects you.
Use your personal experiences and expertise to argue from points of strength.
Make or further a point that has not been stated yet by someone else.
Be sincere and concise.

Committee members may ask questions of you, so be ready to think on your feet. When the committee is finished hearing you, they’ll call the next name and so on and so forth. If you’re called upon and someone has already covered your points, it doesn’t hurt to simply say “Support” or “Oppose” and cede your time (the Chair likes that). Even a cheeky "Ditto!" can do.

Other bills may be heard before the gun-related bills come up, so be prepared to wait some time to speak. These hearings can last quite a while and sometimes very late into the evening (and sometimes longer!).

Written Testimony
Written testimony is an excellent option for those that cannot stay for the entirety of the hearing. You're also not limited by time like you are when speaking and are free to be as descriptive as you please. Testimony must be submitted in PDF format from a USB flashdrive you provide in-person. Likely the best method for submission is to prepare a blank drive and then load it with exclusively with your PDF testimony. You must also bring at least one printed hard copy in case of an issue with the flashdrive.

These rules are brand new, so it's best to defer directly to the committee's site for reference on the procedures for this:

House Judiciary Committee Rules: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/pubs-current/current-jud-faqs.pdf
Senate Judicial Proceedings Rules: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/pubs-current/current-jpr-faqs.pdf

Find the rest of the committees, using the left tab to toggle between House/Senate: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Committees/Charts

Wrapping Up

As always, you can reach out to Maryland Shall Issue from our website, social media, or at info@marylandshallissue.org for any other questions and help you may need. Joining MSI will ensure that you are kept up-to-date on the happenings in Annapolis and supporting what we're doing to protect, promote, and restore the self defense rights of Marylanders. Again, you can follow all of the bills this session by bookmarking and checking tinyurl.com/guns2020.

Other resources:
Virtual Map of Annapolis
The Legislative Process
The Constitution of Maryland and the United States of America
General Assembly Department of Legislative Services

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esqappellate said:

MSI is in complete accord with MSRPA on all of these points. Particularly important IMHO is having folks sit in the offices of their Delegates and Senators civilly requesting an opportunity to speak with them. If not Annapolis, then in the district offices over the weekend. That's effective in MD. Unless we turn out many thousands, standing in the cold is not.

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Following up on my last question, would you care to give some guidance on this. I'm great sitting in front of a decision maker, one on one (or even one on ten) and making a case. However, you folks seem to know best how to get these meetings, agenda items to discuss and which actions to request or the goal of the meeting. As comfortable and good as I am in these situations, I would not want to do this without guidance first. You folks have obviously already gone through the trial and errors so how do you pass on this knowledge to those that want to help?

MykR0k said:

Following up on my last question, would you care to give some guidance on this. I'm great sitting in front of a decision maker, one on one (or even one on ten) and making a case. However, you folks seem to know best how to get these meetings, agenda items to discuss and which actions to request or the goal of the meeting. As comfortable and good as I am in these situations, I would not want to do this without guidance first. You folks have obviously already gone through the trial and errors so how do you pass on this knowledge to those that want to help?

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Sorry, you beat me to it!