• About Us
  • Activity
  • Advertising
  • Books
  • Business
  • Contact
  • Entertainment
  • feedback
  • Government
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • Members
  • National
  • Nevada
  • Nevada News and Views
  • Newsmax
  • NN&V Ads
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Polls
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Subscription Confirmation
  • Survey
  • Survey
  • Terms of Service
  • Today’s Top 10
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Welcome!
  • Yop Poll Archive
Nevada News and Views
  • Home
  • Muth’s Truths
  • Politics
  • Government
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Nevada
    • Opinion
    • Business
    • Travel
    • News
    • Sports
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Pinterest

  • RSS

Government

State politicians take aim at Clark County handgun registration

State politicians take aim at Clark County handgun registration
N&V Staff
November 18, 2010

(Kyle Gillis/NPRI) – Lawmakers have taken shots at the Clark County handgun registration program, but so far all of them have missed.

State politicians on both sides of the political aisle are critical of the Clark County’s firearm program that requires gun owners to register their handgun with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD). Clark County is the only county in the state requiring such registration.

“It’s a law nobody wants,” said State Senator John Lee (D-Clark). “It’s not cost effective and they [Sheriff’s department] just do it because they’ve always done it.”

In 1989, the Nevada Legislature passed Nevada Revised Statute 244.364, establishing a uniform state law for all firearms in the state. At that time, the pre-existing Clark County registration program was grandfathered into the statute.

According to the LVMPD’s website, Clark handgun owners living in the county for 60 days must register their handguns and purchasers must register their new handgun within 72 hours. Additionally, the registration program requires owners to submit to a background check.

State Assemblyman Ed Goedhart (R-Clark), who has submitted legislation regarding firearm possession in state parks, believes the Clark program violates not only the Nevada Constitution but the United States Constitution.

“Anything that infringes on the Second Amendment is wrong,” Goedhart said. “With the [registration] program, you’re guilty until proven innocent.”

Lee has challenged the program multiple times. During the 2007 legislative session, he introduced a Bill Draft Request (BDR) that would have eliminated the grandfather clause, and wrote a letter to the LVMPD requesting justification of the program. However, the proposal was never brought to vote and Lee’s letter was ignored.

“It’s a service with no service,” Lee said. “It’s turf building on the [LVMPD’s] part and we’ve never received back any financial data on the program.”

NPRI also struggled obtaining information from the LVMPD. After following up on an ignored public records request, NPRI was transferred between four departments before the LVMPD acknowledged receipt of the request.

In October, Clark County Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Rory Reid asked the Clark County Manager’s office to arrange an audit of the registration program. He requested information on program appropriations and objective data indicating the program’s success, among other items. As of the time of this report, the audit is on the “to-do” list of the county auditor.

According to Metro Sergeant Chuck Callaway, a quality assurance audit has not been performed on the registration program in years nor was an audit planned for the near future.

With or without an audit, some state lawmakers remain skeptical of the program and its effectiveness.

“It’s important to lessen restrictions on law-abiding citizens,” said former Assemblyman and State Senator James Settelmeyer (R-Capital). “Criminals who are irresponsible with guns aren’t going to register them anyway.”

Settelmeyer submitted a BDR for the upcoming legislative session regarding concealed firearms permits. And Goedhart says that, while budgeting will be a top item in the session, if citizens take enough active interest in gun laws, proposals such as his, Settelemeyer’s, and Lee’s may see light.

“At the end of the day, we’re all public servants,” Goedhart said. “If grassroots efforts generate a loud enough discussion, lawmakers will listen.”

(Kyle Gillis is an investigative reporter at the Nevada Policy Research Institute. For more information visit http://npri.org)

Prev postNext post

Related Items
Government
November 18, 2010
N&V Staff

Related Items

More in Government

Myth-Buster: Sugar Policy Misconception Debunked

N&V StaffFebruary 23, 2021
Read More

Cheat Sugar, Not Cheap Sugar, is the Problem

N&V StaffFebruary 16, 2021
Read More

India Battling Sugar Subsidy Addiction

N&V StaffJanuary 25, 2021
Read More

Sisolak’s Proposed Budget a Slap Across Nevada’s Face

N&V StaffJanuary 21, 2021
Read More

Katie Williams Predicts Return to Clark County Classrooms in February

N&V StaffJanuary 21, 2021
Read More

U.S. Supreme Court Restores In-Person Requirement for Chemical Abortions

N&V StaffJanuary 14, 2021
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Subscribe Free By Email

Looking for the best in breaking news and conservative views? Let Chuck do all the work for you! Subscribe to his FREE "Muth's Truths" e-newsletter.

* indicates required
Nevada News and Views
Nevada News & Views is an educational project of Citizen Outreach Foundation, a non-partisan IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organization. It is not associated or affiliated with any political party or group. Nevada News & Views is accessible by the public at no cost. It funds its operations through tax-deductible contributions from donors and supporters and does not accept government money or grants.

TAGS

Featured Article Nevada Politics Muth's Truths business government Government Opinion Obama News Donald Trump GOP Republicans Ron Knecht Adam Laxalt

Copyright © 2021 Citizen Outreach | Maintained by VirtualAlly

Citizen Threatened with $10,000 Fine for Declining a TSA Groping
Jacob: What Government Should do Instead of Porno-Scanners