HCSHB109--BLAIR'SLAW
SPONSOR: Sharp(37)
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonEmergingIssuesbyavoteof13to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
109.
Thisbillestablishes"Blair'sLaw"whichstatesthataperson
commitstheoffenseofunlawfuldischargeofafirearmifthat
person,withcriminalnegligence,dischargesafirearmwithinor
intothelimitsofanymunicipality. Thisprovisiondoesnotapply
ifthepersondischargesafirearmasspecifiedinthebill.
Thisbillcontainsagraduatedpenaltyprovision.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1568(2022).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbilladdressestheneedless
tragedyfromindiscriminate gunfire,withthebillbearingitsname
fromBlairShanahanLane,ayounggirlkilledbyindiscriminate
gunfirein2011.Supportersciteotherincidentsofinnocent
peoplewhohavelosttheirlivestoindiscriminate orcelebratory
gunfire. Currentpenaltiesforsuchgunfireareinadequate,
equatingtonothingmorethanafine.Thereisnoreasonfor
dangerousindiscriminate gunfire. Thisbillattachesthe
appropriatepenaltyforsuchdangerousacts.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Sharp;Mo
ChamberofCommerce&Industry;andMicheleShanahanDemoss.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.