On February 22, a new law took effect that applied state firearms laws to national parks and wildlife refuges across America.

The implementation of the new law, which the National Park Service (NPS) has planned for since passage of H.R. 627 last May, has so far been without major problems. NPS management reports that it has worked with the 493 individual parks, promoting a consistent message on several key points:

Under the new law, every park is subject to all the firearms laws of the state (or states) where the park is located.

Park visitors must know and obey state laws, including knowing which state laws apply in parks (such as Yellowstone) that cross state boundaries. (For information on state laws, go to http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/.)

The new law affects firearms possession, not use. Laws regarding hunting, poaching, target shooting or any unlawful discharge remain unchanged.

It will remain unlawful to carry in certain locations, under a separate law that prohibits possession of any firearm in a “federal facility.”

In common english, you can now carry a gun in a National Park just like you have been able to carry in a National Forest subject to the laws of the state where you are located. That means in a National Park you can carry concealed weapons if that is legal in that state. For example, in California, it is general illegal to carry a concealed weapon but you can carry a weapon in a holster for all to see – the same rule would be in effect for Yosemite National Park.

If you check the NPS website for the particular park you are going to visit, you can read their rule which will refer you to state law. Two important things; 1.)You have to know the state laws. The park will not post them or interpret them and 2.) Make sure you know what a federal facility is. The park will have those posted.

I knew members of Congress were exempt from many of the laws they pass, can draw retirement pay after serving just one term, and do not use the Social Security system. I did not know, until recently, that they were exempt from the new health care system.

It is past time to make some changes. Among others, we should limit terms in Congress. If it is good to limit the President, then it should be good to limit Congress. Two terms in either the House and/or Senate. That would give someone who wants to serve their country an opportunity to spend 16 years in Congress serving the people.

Most importantly we need legislation that keeps Congress grounded in reality. We don’t need an elite group whose mission in life is to take care of the poor plebians. We need a 28th Amendment to the our Constitution.

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.

NO to heath care in its current form. We can’t afford it.

NO to giving money to 3rd world countries to fight climate change. We can’t afford it.

NO to extending the TARP funding deadline to spend more money. What we have already spent didn’t really help and we can’t afford it.

NO more foreign steel. Bring back our jobs.

NO more textile imports. Bring back our jobs.

NO more importing foreign engineers, computer scientists, support and sales people. We can’t afford it. Bring back our jobs.

NO professional politicians. Politics should not be a career. We can’t afford it.

NO corporate bribery (lobbying). We can’t afford it.

NO, NO, NO. Just stop it!

If you don’t the people eventually will.

House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, pictured standing, far  right, speaks while colleagues Rep. Barbara Lambert, D-Milford and Rep. Jack F. Hennessy, D-Bridgeport, play solitaire Monday night as the House convened to vote on a new budget. (AP)

The guy sitting in the row in front of these two is on Facebook, and the guy behind Hennessy is checking out the baseball scores.

California’s Governor Schwarzengger announced yesterday that no state parks will be shut down because of California’s budget crisis.

We have successfully found a way to avoid closing parks this year. This is fantastic news for all Californians.”

Remember how to tell if a politician is lying? If their lips move. The parks are open but Californians will have . . .

• shorter hours (in some cases shorter weeks)
• shorter seasons
• less maintenance  (i.e. dirtier campsites, restrooms, etc.)

And this deal is only good until next June when the parks deficit jumps and the shortage will be $22.2 million. Part of the solution was to putting off maintenance for park vehicles and waiting to buy new ones. That isn’t really saving money. The liability is still there. Eventually you are going to have to do that oil change. That’s like saying, “I’ll put off my house payments a couple of months to save some money.”

We are still relying on the economy to improve to give us more tax revenues. That means we will be here again before you know it.

Is your state cutting park budgets? I heard some were closing rest areas. You can comment on what actions your state is taking that will effect camping and travel.