National Concealed Carry Bill

[xsubsailor]

 I hope this grows some legs.

 

A gun owner crossing state lines with a legally registered firearm can land in prison under what critics say is a “patchwork” of laws that have little to do with public safety.

A bill working its way to President Trump’s desk could change that, by allowing gun owners who are allowed to carry concealed guns in their home states to exercise the rights in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry.

“Our Second Amendment right doesn’t disappear when we cross state lines,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said last month when he introduced a Senate bill that closely tracks one introduced in the House.

Cornyn’s Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 is aimed at allowing legal gun owners to carry concealed firearms “freely between states without worrying about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits,” he said.

The National Rifle Association said confusing and conflicting state laws can ensnare law-abiding gun owners.

“The current patchwork of state and local gun laws is confusing and can cause the most conscientious and law-abiding gun owner to run afoul of the law when they are traveling or temporarily living away from home,” said Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA-ILA.

The proposed law would not supersede state laws or establish national standards for concealed carry, advocates assure. A companion bill in the House of Representatives was introduced by Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C.

Some 40 states already offer some form of reciprocity with other states.

Critics claim reciprocity laws will undercut states that believe public safety is linked to strict gun control.

“Reciprocity would have a profound impact on state public safety, making the state with the weakest standards into the law of the land, and letting criminals and other dangerous people carry concealed guns in every state in the country,” the gun control group Every Town for Gun Safety said in a statement.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/22/conceal-carry-gun-bill-would-allow-states-to-cross-honor-permits.html

[Oh Shoot]

Again rehashing old topic, but if it passes, there will almost certainly be a judicial stay within a week or two in response to suits filed by any number of states.  Gawd knows how much longer for a final judgement. 

Unless SCOTUS incorporates at least a minimal right to bear arms in the general public in addition to merely owning them, I'd imagine it will fail on the basis of states' rights on this one.

- OS

Edited March 22, 2017 by Oh Shoot

[xsubsailor]

 At least they took the first step, so they can say they tried 

[Garufa]

National reciprocity on the federal level would be a nightmare.

Does anyone really think differently?

[Oh Shoot]

4 minutes ago, Garufa said:

National reciprocity on the federal level would be a nightmare.

Does anyone really think differently?

Yeah, federal firearm laws have always worked out so well for us and all like that there.

- OS

[Just2Honor]

Next step is a registry from each state that other states can check to see if the permit is legit or a bogus copy.  Sounds like a national registry down the road to me.

[JAB]

18 hours ago, Garufa said:

National reciprocity on the federal level would be a nightmare.

Does anyone really think differently?

I think we do not need the federal government getting their foot in the door on an issue that is and should remain a state's rights issue no matter how much we (mistakenly) think it will benefit us.  A fedgov that can say you can carry everywhere can turn around and say you can't carry anywhere.  It would also open the door to states like TN possibly having to accept California and New York style (federal) carry regulations (just like many of the emissions laws for cars started in California.)  All to do what?  This would only allow carry by permit holders in any state that allows concealed carry.  It would not allow carry in states that do not allow carry, at all (and you can bet that states like California and New York would find loopholes to not allow anyone except for the 'elite' who hold permits to carry in their state - maybe by making all of their state's permit holders 'special deputies' or something.)  Further, the laws of each state would still be in effect so carrying in, say, New York would probably be more trouble than it is worth and would likely constitute little more than a legal trap for carriers from outside that state.  As TN already has reciprocity with most states that currently allow carry in practice and not just in theory - which I imagine is the case with most states - this bill would really accomplish nothing but making things more complicated, opening a door for more restrictive regulations and allowing the fedgov access to an issue where they have no business being involved.  No, thanks.

Edited March 23, 2017 by JAB

[300winmag]

As far as guns, the genie was let out of the bottle with the LEOSA ten years ago allowing local and state level police to carry off duty across the country without the need of a license or state law allowing them to carry outside their respective states.

If nationwide carry with a license is unconstitutional then LEOSA would be just as unconstitutional.

 

I personally think that as long as LEOSA is on the books then we should have national concealed carry.  If LEOSA didn't exist I might think differently.

[DaveTN]

Quote

The proposed law would not supersede state laws or establish national standards for concealed carry, advocates assure.

I don't see how that statement can be true. 

[Chucktshoes]

29 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

I don't see how that statement can be true. 

Because it isn't. 

[Oh Shoot]

1 hour ago, 300winmag said:

....

If nationwide carry with a license is unconstitutional then LEOSA would be just as unconstitutional.

AFAIK, LEOSA has never been tested in court system, so might well be found to be so.

- OS

[300winmag]

I think it is important to note that the feds already basically mandate other laws that should be just decided by the states.  All the states and most of the US territories have the drinking age set at 21.    All the states now have at most a DWI limit of 0.08 instead of what used to be in a lot of places BAC of 0.10 .  Aren't the feds trying to force Tennessee to outlaw passengers drinking in cars by withholding road funding?    A lot of states used to not allow off duty police from out of state carry in their states. I sure can't carry in New York on my TN handgun carry permit but a TN LEO is legal there.  To me you can't have a federal law allowing one group to carry but not another group.  I'm not saying LEOSA is a bad law but I think we all should be legal carrying in any state.

Edited March 24, 2017 by 300winmag

[JAB]

15 hours ago, DaveTN said:

I don't see how that statement can be true. 

No way it could be.

[DaveTN]

18 hours ago, 300winmag said:

To me you can't have a federal law allowing one group to carry but not another group. 

Sure you can. It’s a crime to carry a loaded gun in Tennessee. You and I are part of a “Special Group” so we can carry. The FEDS decided LEO’s are a “Special Group”; so they can carry.

I don’t believe my right to carry comes from the 2nd amendment and I am a firm believer in States Rights. The Feds can’t tell you that you can carry in another state unless that state agrees. If you believe they can; then they can tell you that you can’t carry at all.

The SCOTUS has recently ruled you have a right to keep arms. They haven’t ruled that you have a right to bear arms, but they have indicated the direction they would go. Until the SCOTUS rules everyone in the country can strap on a gun and walk down the street; the Feds need to stay out of it.