The President of the Montana Shooting Sports Association said following the close of the legislative session on Tuesday that he was both encouraged and disappointed with the reaction to bills he helped to author and guide through the legislature.

Over the years, Gary Marbut has authored many of the present gun laws on the books in Montana, and the 2015 session was no exception.

"With every session the report is partly sunny and partly cloudy," Marbut said from his office in Missoula. "We had some frustration with some of the supposed conservatives in the legislature who are more typically voting with the liberals, and we lost some bills because of that."

One of the bills Marbut authored that did not make it through the legislature was the 'permitless-carry' bill.

"This bill would have made things the same inside the city limits as they have been outside city limits," he said. "We were disappointed because the people outside the city limits are not getting in trouble carrying concealed firearms without permits, and we think their city cousins are just as good people and deserve the same privilege, but the legislature did not agree this session."

One bill that did reach the governor's desk was structured to be a jobs creator.

"Our flagship bill (SB 122) was one that would encourage the manufacture of ammunition components here in Montana," Marbut said. "That's a jobs bill and has gone to the governor's desk. We have hopes that the governor will sign that bill and hopefully bring some jobs to Montana."

The Montana Shooting Sports Association is asking its members to contact the governor's office and urge him to sign SB 122, the bill to encourage the manufacture ammunition in Montana.

 

 

 

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