Fallin vetoes another gun bill?

An amendment to Oklahoma’s concealed carry statute would have a chilling effect on Oklahoma’s ability to attract major events that help drive our state’s tourism and events industries.

Senate Bill 41 has passed the House and the Senate, but we urge legislators and the governor to consider the severe consequences before it goes through the entire legislative process and into effect. The state’s economy stands to lose millions of dollars, and organizers of popular events looking at Oklahoma City will turn to other cities instead. Specifically, Oklahoma City could lose a 20-year contract as the home of the biggest event in college softball: the Women’s College World Series. Fans of the NCAA basketball tournament might have to watch the tournament’s first and second rounds in another city.

The law also would affect our ability to host widely attended public events like the Oklahoma State Fair; horse shows and other events at State Fair Park, including the state high school basketball tournaments; Big 12 and NCAA sporting events; concerts at places like the Zoo Amphitheatre or possibly even Chesapeake Arena; OKC Fest; the Festival of the Arts and more.

With this rule change, fans would have to go to other cities to attend the events they love, and Oklahoma City would lose the ability to recruit and retain these events, which bring jobs here in addition to millions of dollars to the economy.

The unintended consequences of passing such a law are huge and devastating.

Ron Norick, Oklahoma City

Norick is former mayor of Oklahoma City.

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sanjuro893 said:

I'd rather we override the veto. I'm sick of these local pols telling me I need their permission to exercise my liberties and I certainly don't like the idea of curtailing our rights for more "tourism dollars" which MAY or MAY NOT come into the city. Their fears have been shown to be false time and time and time again and yet here we are, fighting this same old worn-out tired arguments cuz the city and the chamber of commerce are scared they'll lose potential revenue. They think their money is more important than my family's safety and I'm through with em.

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Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed a bill Monday that would have hindered the ability of businesses to ban guns at events held at parks, recreational areas and fairgrounds.

Sen. Jack Fry, R-Midwest City, author of Senate Bill 41, said he was not sure whether he would launch a veto override attempt.

“It would be futile to attempt it if there weren’t enough votes to begin with,” Fry said.

The bill passed the Senate, 39-7, and passed the House, 88-4. But that was before concerns arose in the business community that the bill could jeopardize events that pump millions of dollars into the economy.

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Senator Jack Fry
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 413A
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 521-5584
[email protected]
Executive Assistant: Denise Manek

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