Houses Passes Bill Making Concealed Carry Permits Valid Across State Lines
EmailBy a bipartisan vote of 272-154, the House passed a measure that will enable non-resident gun owners to carry a concealed firearm across state borders.
Forty-three Democrats joined 229 Republicans in supporting the measure, which had 245 co-sponsors. Just seven Republicans joined 147 Democrats in voting against the bill.
H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, allows gun owners with valid state-issued concealed firearm permits to carry a concealed firearm in other states that also allow concealed carry.
“The Second Amendment is a fundamental right to bear arms that should not be constrained by state boundary lines,” said the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. “This legislation enhances public safety and protects the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.”
Currently, Illinois is the only state that bans individuals from carrying concealed firearms, while 49 states allow concealed carry permits. Forty of those that do allow it extend some degree of reciprocity to permit holders from other states. This bill simply applies the states’ reciprocal agreements nationwide.
The bill is unlikely to pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where companion legislation has not yet been introduced.
Brian Malte, the federal legislation director for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said the bill would create a “race to the bottom,” where people would flock to states with the most lax requirements in order to obtain a concealed handgun license.
“This bill says, ‘Forget states rights, forget the ability of states to determine which states you want to have a reciprocal agreement with,’” Malte said. “It’s a one-size-fits-all that tramples states rights, that allows dangerous and untrained people to carry in any state.”
But under the bill, those non-resident permits would not be valid in the license-holder’s home state.
For example, if a Maine resident did not meet the permit requirements of his or her state, but could obtain a permit from, say, Florida, that person would be able to carry a concealed weapon under a Florida permit in every state except her home state home state of Maine – and Illinois, which does not allow concealed carry.
Lt. David Bowler of the Maine State Police Special Investigations Unit said he was concerned that people who would not be able to obtain a concealed handgun license in Maine would still be able to carry a concealed weapon in his state with a less-strict out-of-state permit.
“[The legislation] doesn’t necessarily worry me, but I do have concern that there may be people carrying concealed weapons in the state of Maine that do not meet our qualifications,” Bowler said. “If [other states] have less strict standards, we are going to have people in this state with handguns concealed that we probably would not normally have.”
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I’m surprised the Dems kept bringing up States Rights criticism since this is NOT a States Rights issue. The 9th & 10th Amendments state that the federal government has no power or authority in matters not directly addressed in the Constitution and that these issues are the business of the States and People respectively. So States Rights deal with extra-Constitutional issues. The 2nd Amendment is very clearly defined and therefor is not subject to each State to interpret as they see fit.
Posted by: Ed Finlay | November 16, 2011, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
PLEASE TELL LT DAVID BOWLER HE SHOULD WORRY MORE ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN LICENSED BY “ANY” STATE TO CARRY A WEAPON IN HIS STATE.I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT HIS STATE,BUT WILL NOT,BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HONOR OUR PROCESS.
Posted by: THOM WHEELER | November 16, 2011, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm
A lot of CHL holders have been waiting for this but our wait will be a bit longer. Sen Feinstein will make sure that the Senate will not pass such a bill. Even if they do pass it Obama will quickly veto it. Feinstein’s influence is too strong. After the next election we may see this or a similar bill signed into law but not before.
49 states now have some form of concealed carry permits. The blood bath predicted by Brady and Feinstein never happened. In fact the overall violent crime rate has decreased. We have seen the demise of a few criminals and more apprehended by armed citizens but law abiding citizens are safer now than they were before.
I have set a life goal to set foot in every state. Made fair progress. I am licenced to carry in most states, those are the states I’ve seen. My personal rule is not to go where my 1911 is not welcome. After National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity passes I can see the rest of the country. Eventually maybe even Illinois.
Posted by: oonogil7 | November 17, 2011, 12:58 am 12:58 am
Maybe the Democrats should also ban interstate drivers license usage too!!! A gun license issued in one state should be good in another state, just like a drivers license!!!
Posted by: RadioMan77 | November 17, 2011, 1:33 am 1:33 am
Make guns illegal and only criminals will have guns!
Posted by: looncraz | November 17, 2011, 1:51 am 1:51 am
I wish just once that Congress would pass a bill that I like. It has made it through one house, I just wish the Senate could get their act together.
Posted by: rocketscientist | November 17, 2011, 10:27 am 10:27 am
Why should the rights enumerated in the 2nd amendment be constrained by state borders when none of the others in the bill of rights are? Does your right to free speech stop at your state line? What about your protection from unreasonable search and seizure, or against self-incrimination? Why should your ability to carry be any different? Once you pass your background check and prove you aren’t a felon, or have been adjudicated as mentally incapable, or subject to a domestic violence order, then what difference should it make if you cross some invisible geographic boundary?
Posted by: Danshaw4 | November 17, 2011, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
A gun license issued in one state should be good in another state, just like a drivers license!!! Posted by: RadioMan77 | November 17, 2011, 1:33 am.
I absolutely agree. Just like a (gay) marriage license should be recognized in all states…………
Posted by: Searambler | November 18, 2011, 9:29 am 9:29 am
Speasking as a retired police supervisor who is also a firearms instructor I am in favor of all law abiding citizens being able to carry nation wide. Why should your gun permit rights end at certain state lines when traveling in such a mibile society. Please consieder the truckers who provide a huge service indutry to our way of life and should have every right to protection of having a handgun in the front of their truck when they sleepin their trucks in those isolated truck stops around the USA sometimes in extreme weather and in the middle of the night.Also families going on vacation from NYC to Florida cannot carry a handgun in their car. A family leaving NJ traveling to Georgia cannort carry a handgun in id car. All these CRAZY RESTRITIONS must go.
Posted by: Jack | November 18, 2011, 11:21 pm 11:21 pm
For all of you who want to see this bill pass the senate make your voice be heard.I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CONGRESSMAN AND STATE SENATOR. If enough people speak up maybe we can get this bill passed in the senate. If it passes the senate I think Obama will sign it. Compared to most Democrats Obama is a moderate on gun laws.
The second amendmen right to bear arms and protect yourself should not end at state lines.
Posted by: Jason | November 20, 2011, 9:12 am 9:12 am
Let’s also ban a traveler who have a charge in one state from getting on an airplane to another state. Or better yet we should ban senators from California, Illinois, New York, dc from making decisions for us Americans who live in other states across state lines. Let’s just wait until we have the 3 branches back, then we can all fire off a few celebratory rounds.
Posted by: stewart | November 22, 2011, 10:33 am 10:33 am
Congressman Ron Paul was not among the 245 cosponsors or 272 votes for H.R. 822 (National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act) on November 16. Where does he stand on H.R. 822?
He also was one of two U.S. Representatives who signed the pro-gun congressional amicus brief in the Heller case but did not do so in the McDonald case.
Finally, Dr. Paul was one of three Republican congressmen — joining anti-gun colleagues Mike Castle and Chris Shays — to vote twice against the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act which shut down frivolous lawsuits against the firearms industry that attempt to bankrupt them by holding them civilly liable for the criminal misuse of their products by others.
Posted by: Truth and Freedom | November 23, 2011, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm