Rep. Staback Named 2007 Legislator of the Year
by National Association of Firearms Retailers

LAS VEGAS -- Pennsylvania State Representative Edward G. Staback (D-115, Lackawanna and Wayne counties) was named the 2007 Legislator of the Year by the National Association of Firearms Retailers (NAFR), the nation's largest organization representing federally licensed firearms retailers. Staback received the award at the firearms industry's annual trade show, the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, which is put on by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) -- the trade association of the firearms industry. NAFR is a division of the NSSF.

"Mr. Staback's leadership in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has helped to protect the livelihood of law-abiding firearms retailers throughout Pennsylvania," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. "The NAFR is pleased to honor Representative Staback as the 2007 Legislator of the Year and looks forward to continuing a constructive dialogue with him on public policy matters affecting Pennsylvania's firearms retailers."

As chair of the Game and Fisheries Committee, in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Mr. Staback demonstrated his support for the state's firearms retailers by playing a key role in the debate over one-gun-a-month legislation (HB 22) and working to resolve the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) shutdown -- during the opening of the hunting (dove) season -- which threatened the livelihood of retailers throughout the Keystone State.

Representative Staback's leadership and influence was also critical in the fight to secure preemption legislation. Earlier last year, legislation was introduced that would have invalidated Pennsylvania's preemption laws -- laws that prevent localities from passing their own gun-control regulations. Without the wherewithal of Representative Staback, the right of law-abiding Pennsylvanians to purchase firearms and ammunition would vary greatly depending on where they happen to live, and Pennsylvania would have ended up with thousands of new gun-control laws and regulations affecting gun owners from one local jurisdiction to another.

Mr. Staback, a strong and vocal advocate of Sunday hunting, currently prohibited by Pennsylvania "blue laws," is considered to be a steadfast supporter of hunters, sportsmen and the Second Amendment. "By fighting to allow Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania, Representative Staback has not only represented sportsmen well, but he has stayed true to the commonwealth's strong hunting heritage," said NSSF Director of Government Relations Jake McGuigan.

"Thanks to the hard work and political leadership of Representative Staback, he is the first Pennsylvania legislator to receive this award," concluded Keane.

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Formed in 1961, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is the trade association for the firearms industry. For more information, visit www.nssf.org. The National Association of Firearms Retailers (NAFR) is an affiliated organization falling under the NSSF.