A firearm pre-emption bill was debated yesterday in the Nebraska state Senate. Introduced by Sen. Laura Ebke, who wants to ensure that law-abiding gun owners can travel through the state without fear of breaking a local law, LB289 would standardize firearms laws across the state.
While fellow Sen. Mike Groene and others have voiced their support on constitutional grounds, the measure also has its detractors, such as Sen. Tanya Cook and Sen. Ernie Chambers, who claim it would eliminate laws essential to stopping gun crime in violent areas, such Omaha’s and Lincoln’s handgun registration ordinances.
Sen. Adam Morfeld, who backed the bill in committee, said that while he owns a gun and understands the worry about unknowingly breaking a law, he would like to find a compromise, perhaps allowing Lincoln and Omaha to keep their laws. But if those big-city laws haven’t stopped violent crime so far, why keep them?
