Regular Meeting: Assemblyman Andy Goodell guest speaker

Thursday, April 11, 2013: Regular meeting at the Clubhouse of the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club outside Mayville.
Business discussed:
• S.C.O.P.E. Chairman of the Board, Budd Schroeder, will be at the Southern Tier Tea Party Patriots meeting at the American Legion in Lakewood on April 23, 2013 to speak.
• Need to drive membership up. 75 might be a start, but the goal is 500 members in the county.
• The Chapter needs a co-chairperson and a Secretary. (Original Secretary getting transferred.)
• The Chautauqua County charter is on a one-year probation period.
• Who’s law takes precedent? New York State or Federal government?
• Paul Weatherlow was nominated for Secretary. Voted upon and approved by those present.
• Assemblyman, Andy Goodell, arrived at 7:25 to speak with the group.
• Two weeks ago the new law was revised to allow Law Enforcement an exemption for the handgun magazine restrictions.
• Statistics in New York State during 2012: (Further breakdown of the 76% was not recorded)
o 5 people killed with rifles
o 55 people killed on subways
o 24 people killed in New York City on bicycles
o 24% of murders were killed with handguns
o 76% of murders were killed with quite a variety of objects
• Groups must be organized and can change elections
• How to affect politicians?
o Unique e-mails, not so much for form letters
• Three best legal reasons to challenge the SAFE Act:
o 1) 2nd Amendment
o 2) kids cannot inherit rifle that may go back generations
o 3) 14th Amendment (equal protection under the law)
• With numbers comes power to effect politicians
• 28 million dollars for a rifle registration database
• 7 million for other stuff related to the law
• $500 rewards to squeal on neighbors, friends, and relatives who might have an unregistered gun
• Attorney General did not get a budget increase to handle the legal challenges or prosecutions
• New York State Division of Criminal Services is a source of statistics (www.criminaljustice.ny.gov)