Montana - Here's a bit of good news!

For some strange reason I just don't understand, two interesting developments in Montana haven't been getting a lot of press.

Two Montana legislative bills, HR 228 and HR 246, have been kicking around for quite some time. 246, in particular, has been talked about for months on the gun blogs because it's a tenth amendment states-rights challenge that goes far beyond toothless "resolutions." According to today's release from the Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA), which wrote the bill's wording,

HB 246 declares that any guns and ammunition made and retained in Montana are not subject to ANY federal regulation under the authority of Congress to regulate commerce “among the states.

The Montana legislature passed the bill, and - to my shock - the governor signed the thing today.

The bill becomes effective on October 1, and the MSSA release goes on to suggest that nobody rush right out to take advantage of it because there's no freaking way the feds are going to let this go by unchallenged. There's a big court circus in this law's future. Even so, Way To Go Montana!

(H/T to Bill St. Clair's End The War On Freedom)

The other, related Montana law is HB 228, which expands the legally-recognized right of self-defense and - if I'm reading this correctly - establishes Vermont/Alaska-style carry law to Montana where it damned sure belongs. I gather there's a fight in the legislature, adding and removing an amendment that would strip that part from the bill.

As I said, there's not a helluva lot of news available about this business, so I'm not sure about HB 228's status. (Can you believe I'm doing web research about a law? I think I need to go take my temperature.) I know I've got at least one Montana reader - can you fill me in?

Anyway, congratulations MSSA and Montana on sticking up for Montana-made guns and ammo! Here's hoping the rest of the fight goes well.

UPDATE: HB 228 has passed both houses, I'm told. Along the way it lost Alaska carry, alas, though it explicitly permits open carry and every other good thing in it is intact. It awaits the gov's signature, which apparently it will almost certainly get. Y'know, that place is getting more and more attractive - except for all that frigging winter.