By Phil Kabler, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.a. — A bill that would have required state and local law officers to refuse to assist federal authorities in enforcing federal gun laws stricter than state law was dramatically changed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
House Bill 2694, as amended by the committee, would now prevent federal authorities from commandeering local law officers for federal activities.
In a rare and lengthy explanation of the strike-and-insert amendment, committee Chairman Charlie Trump, R-Morgan, said the House version of the bill goes too far, effectively giving state and local authorities the ability to refuse to cooperate with federal counterparts on legal matters going beyond firearms laws.
“It’s a complete anti-cooperation law,” Trump said of the House version. “It’s not about preventing the federal government from taking over our police. It’s about making sure there’s no cooperation between the state and local police and federal authorities.” …
