Great news for gun owners everywhere! H.R. 38 passes! Read all about it…
SOURCE: NRA-ILA
In a resounding show of support for the Second Amendment, on December 7 the U.S. House of Representatives passed a legislative package that included H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, and H.R. 4477, the Fix NICS Act of 2017. The bipartisan vote of 231 to 198 advanced a measure that would allow law-abiding Americans who are eligible to carry a concealed handgun under the law of a state to do so in all other U.S. states and territories that recognize the right of their own residents to carry concealed. Without a doubt, this is the strongest piece of self-defense legislation to ever come before Congress. It would also help shore up the National Instant Criminal Background Check System used for licensing and retail firearm purchases by adding additional layers of transparency and accountability to the system.
With this vote, the U.S. Congress ratified the premise that firearms in the hands of law-abiding Americans are a force for good. This of course has been borne out again and again over the past three decades, as more and more Americans have embraced their right to bear arms for self-defense through concealed carry. The nation’s violent crime rate has fallen to historic lows during this time, and concealed carry licensees have proven themselves one of the most law-abiding populations in America.
Today, all 50 states have laws under which residents may carry or apply to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia broadly recognize a right to do so. The remaining eight states, however, have laws that allow even the most qualified applicants to be denied a license unless they can show an extraordinary “reason” for having one.
This results in an arbitrary and unconstitutional system where people are denied their right to carry not because they’re a public safety risk but because licensing officials simply don’t believe that “ordinary” people should have the right. Meanwhile, favoritism and corruption are permitted to flourish, with licenses handed out to celebrities, rich political donors, and sometimes even applicants with disqualifying backgrounds who can afford to bribe the right people.
H.R. 38 would end this two-tiered system and ensure that no upstanding American would be denied an effective means of self-defense while traveling from state to state.
Needless to say, antigun forces will be marshalling an all-out effort to try to block concealed carry reciprocity in the Senate. The same people who insist that Congress has essentially unlimited authority to pass nationwide gun control that would undermine the pro-gun polices of most states are hypocritically citing “states’ rights” as a reason to oppose concealed carry reciprocity.
Yet under H.R. 38, states would maintain complete control of the standards by which they issue their own concealed carry licenses. And property owners, whether public or private, would maintain discretion over the carrying of firearms on their own premises. The primary effect of the bill would be that a handful of anti-gun states could no longer arrest and prosecute travelers simply for crossing into their territory with an otherwise lawfully carried concealed handgun. Any criminal behavior committed with that firearm, of course, would still be subject to the full force of local law.
Opponents of H.R. 38 argued against the bill by citing statistics concerning firearm-related crime and suicide. They did and could not, however, establish that lawful concealed carriers are the driving force of these incidents. Indeed, violent crime and criminals who recognize no restrictions on their own actions are the very reason law-abiding people wish to have their own means of self-protection. Concealed carry reciprocity simply helps even the playing field between law-abiding Americans and predatory criminals.
If the Senate is to send the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to President Trump for his long-promised signature, American gun owners will have to make their voices heard as never before in the nation’s history.
This vote was a huge step forward for the right of law-abiding Americans to carry a firearm for self-protection, but the fight is not over yet.
This bill on the surface may make sense, but there should be some sort of certification process that requires that someone wanting to carry their pistol under their license to another state has to show that they have taken an approved course in firearms safety and security, such as that provided by NRA. Would you like to be in a restaurant with your family in your state and have a bonehead like Roy Moore sitting at the next table, pulling out his gun and waving it around? He has been known to do that, if you recall his stupidity at a rally.
Most states require a safety course to be issued a carry permit. Some states allow constitutional carry, which you only are required to not be PROHIBITED from owning/possessing a firearm. It would be possible to also take a class of further skills testing to get a permit from those states, and i would also be relieved to have that as a requirement to be an acceptable rule to be recognized in let’s say…California or Hawaii or Jersey.
But most folks that carry, practice and often, and wouldn’t pull their weapon out just to show off, as you say Roy Moore did. Only if there is a threat. If I pull my weapon, it will be fired. Because I would ONLY pull it if my or a loved one’s life was in danger. Have a good one, and hope we get this passed.
Sounds reasonable until you understand who makes the ‘reasonable rules’. You MUST show proficiency to carry. So, in order to show proficiency, you must shoot 3 shots inside a two inch circle from 25 feet within 30 seconds. Does that sound reasonable to you? Well, I’m the government and thats the way it is. Too bad you’re not proficient.
As evidenced by the many bystanders who are shot when police fire their weapons, and my observations in a liftime of shooting, very few police could demonstrate that proficiency.
I personally don’t know of a state that doesn’t require a class to get a permit. I, however, don’t believe a permit should be a prerequisite to using ones rights laid out in the Constitution. But, these are the times we live in.
Georgia. Go to Probate Court, pay the fee and show your Georgia DL (and/or whatever the County requests) and get your permit.
Not quite that simple, you left out a few pertinent details:
(c) Fingerprinting. Following completion of the application for a weapons carry license, the judge of the probate court shall require the applicant to proceed to an appropriate law enforcement agency in the county or to any vendor approved by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for fingerprint submission services with the completed application so that such agency or vendor can capture the fingerprints of the applicant. The law enforcement agency shall be entitled to a fee of $5.00 from the applicant for its services in connection with fingerprinting and processing of an application. Fingerprinting shall not be required for applicants seeking temporary renewal licenses or renewal licenses.
(d) Investigation of applicant; issuance of weapons carry license; renewal.
(1) (A) For weapons carry license applications, the judge of the probate court shall within five business days following the receipt of the application or request direct the law enforcement agency to request a fingerprint based criminal history records check from the Georgia Crime Information Center and Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of determining the suitability of the applicant and return an appropriate report to the judge of the probate court. Fingerprints shall be in such form and of such quality as prescribed by the Georgia Crime Information Center and under standards adopted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation may charge such fee as is necessary to cover the cost of the records search.
(B) For requests for license renewals, the presentation of a weapons carry license issued by any probate judge in this state shall be evidence to the judge of the probate court to whom a request for license renewal is made that the fingerprints of the weapons carry license holder are on file with the judge of the probate court who issued the weapons carry license, and the judge of the probate court to whom a request for license renewal is made shall, within five business days following the receipt of the request, direct the law enforcement agency to request a nonfingerprint based criminal history records check from the Georgia Crime Information Center and Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of determining the suitability of the applicant and return an appropriate report to the judge of the probate court to whom a request for license renewal is made.
(2) For both weapons carry license applications and requests for license renewals, the judge of the probate court shall within five business days following the receipt of the application or request also direct the law enforcement agency, in the same manner as provided for in subparagraph (d)(1)(B) of this subsection, to conduct a background check using the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System and return an appropriate report to the probate judge.
(3) When a person who is not a United States citizen applies for a weapons carry license or renewal of a license under this Code section, the judge of the probate court shall direct the law enforcement agency to conduct a search of the records maintained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and return an appropriate report to the probate judge. As a condition to the issuance of a license or the renewal of a license, an applicant who is in nonimmigrant status shall provide proof of his or her qualifications for an exception to the federal firearm prohibition pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 922(y).
(4) The law enforcement agency shall report to the judge of the probate court within 30 days, by telephone and in writing, of any findings relating to the applicant which may bear on his or her eligibility for a weapons carry license or renewal license under the terms of this Code section. When no derogatory information is found on the applicant bearing on his or her eligibility to obtain a license or renewal license, a report shall not be required. The law enforcement agency shall return the application directly to the judge of the probate court within such time period. Not later than ten days after the judge of the probate court receives the report from the law enforcement agency concerning the suitability of the applicant for a license, the judge of the probate court shall issue such applicant a license or renewal license to carry any weapon unless facts establishing ineligibility have been reported or unless the judge determines such applicant has not met all the qualifications, is not of good moral character, or has failed to comply with any of the requirements contained in this Code section. The judge of the probate court shall date stamp the report from the law enforcement agency to show the date on which the report was received by the judge of the probate court.
Not quiet. If you do not already have a permit you will be required to fill out a application and they do a background check.
Washington is one.
Alabama does not require a class, just apply and do background check. It is a God given right, not governments to give. By the way, constitutional carry passed the house in Al. last year and run out of time in legislative year before vote in senent.
We let Illegal immigrants who can’t read streets signs drove cars all over AMERICA.
And we should have some sort of certification system for people to exercise thier free speech, too. Otherwise you have some bonehead like Diane Feinstein sitting at the next table calling for the confiscation of semiautomatic firearms. She has been known to do that. And while we are at it. And while we are at it we should have some sort of certification for religion. Otherwise, some guy in a funny costume in a city in Europe may be telling people things about God that aren’t necessarily true. And there should be some sort of certification for the press. Because they may become biased in favor of a political party. They have been known to do that. And maybe we need some sort of certification process for people who want to peacefully assemble. Because they may get triggered or provoked by the authorities or counter assemblies and turn violent. They have been known to do that. And we definitely need some sort of certification process for voting. Otherwise voters might vote irresponsibly. They have been known to do that.
You are a wise man. You should include all these things in your letter to your senators when you write them to school them with your constitutional wisdom.
Well, I can agree with the need for certification for voting, and praise to the wise and “certified” voters in Alabama! We in the “blue states” love you! Now make sure you issue CCW licenses to people who know what they are doing and are not careless with their firearm and a threat to those in other states they travel to.
And — Anyone employed by the government at any level should be certified; and have a physiological examination.
You’re an idiot, in order to get your character she’ll license you have to go through the proper training submit your paperwork to the proper authorities and only then are you approved for a carry concealed license.
MY first ” Pistol Permit ” , a concealed carry license, the only type issued at that time , did not require any training. However if you had possession open or concealed where prohibited, there was a good chance you would not see the thing again IT would disappear!
At a private function attended by upper middle class Alabama gun owners, no one cared. It wasn’t arrested development neo-liberal NY, IL or CA. Bonehead.
I’m glad I live in a state where someone who is licensed to carry a firearm and takes it out and waves it around would be arrested and would lose that license. I can’t believe that such an intelligent person like you would be okay with Roy Moore sitting next to you and your family in a restaurant and taking out his revolver and waving it around!
That is an idiotic idea. DO NOT REQUIRE MORE REGULATION. PERIOD. I don’t know of ANY state that issues a permit that doesn’t have some type of training or verification of competency skills already required. There are already laws on the books governing those types of actions (“waiving it around”) that you describe. Also, how long have you personally known Roy Moore to pronounce him a “bonehead”. Based on your comments I would peg you as a sheep in wolf’s clothing standing on the left side of the field fence.
Actions such as those would likely already be illegal as brandishing.
Your ignorance showeth!
Mr Cooper….what a stupid question/scenario?!?!
Such brandishing is outlawed in every state I know about, no matter what license the bad actor has, even military or law enforcement.
When has something being outlawed stopped stupid people from doing it anyway? That’s why we have all these accidental shootings by otherwise law-abiding and peaceable gun owners, as the NRA likes to describe us. Training in firearms handling, safety and storage is very important, and I hope you agree with the NRA on this.
Very true. And, it doesn’t have to be a handgun. A knife, baseball bat or frying-pan can be considered brandishing and an assault weapon.
You are an idiot.
You will still have to carry a State approved handgun in 8 States and D.C. 10 round magazine limit, no JHP in New Jersey.
I doubt it will pass the Senate as long as it is tied to “Fix NICS”.
Adding more laws to the books when the highest law of the land already covers “national reciprocity” under both the 2nd Amendment and Article IV, section 1 of the U.S. Constitution seems stupid and disingenuous to me. “Bear arms” means carry. If it is a “right” one shouldn’t have to request permission through a permitting system. Enforce existing laws, stop making new ones. People who think either of these bills are a good idea are the type of idiots who think the prince in Nigeria will give them money.
I agree that we should enforce the laws we already have about firearms and handling them. So why wasn’t Roy Moore arrested when he was at that rally and took out his revolver and waved it around, putting people in danger? He would have been where I live.
Do you mean like the news anchor that brought an illegal rifle magazine on his T.V. show? Oh,,,that’s right,,,no, he wasn’t arrested either.
Cooper:
Photos or it didn’t happen
The reciprocity bill that just went to the Senate Judiciary Committee is an abomination with “fix nics” attached. More restrictions on a Constitutional right that Will Not keep criminals from doing evil with firearms. The goal of gun grabbers is t make gun ownership so difficult people will over time quit using this right.
The entire states’ rights issue aside, and the fact that the 2A ought to be _everyone’s_ CCW, national reciprocity only benefits those who already have a permit, and will protect them when crossing state lines, such as a 6- or 22-state road trip, such as we have taken. For those who don’t have sufficient bribe money to obtain a permit (CA), national reciprocity is meaningless, but it does allow other states’ residents to carry here. In my home state. But I can’t. Can you say, “Poke in the eye?”
From what I’ve seen of the irresponsible voting habits, the perverts and deviates in California, I’m glad they can’t carry.
Still hoping for that San Andreas Fault to go so we are rid of the Liberal Idiots before it spreads nation wide and we are done with them once and for all.
Who here thinks giving more power to the federal government is a good thing. Leave it to the states. This bill is merely opening a door for authoritarian control. It’s going to become a cluster. It is NOT going to be for the rights of Americans. It will be adulterated, just like every other government program.
I have had national reciprocity for a number of years now as a retired law enforcement person with an NYPD CCW, but I would have to demonstrate that I had qualified with my weapon even though I am retired. So maybe the same should apply to CCW holders who are not retired law enforcement people in order to travel to another state armed. Or maybe the requirement for us retired law enforcement people should be eliminated. We seem to be treated to a higher standard here. Any thoughts? This is a hot topic, and it’s good to see such interest and debate on it, but that is what we are all about in the USA.
How about this:
Federal issued “ license” to be issued per second amendment with these provisions, to all no matter what state they live in ;
NRA safety course
NICS check
Must carry conceled
I am a staunch 2nd Amendment supporter, live in Alabama and am active in the shooter community through weekly handgun competitions. While I am pro-gun, I must admit that I question the wisdom of allowing individuals to buy a gun, get a concealed carry permit and start carrying a firearm with little or no training and little or no knowledge of state laws. It scares me to think some people actually carry a gun and think they know what they are doing having only shot 100-200 rounds per year. In Alabama, you can even open carry your firearm without a license. I must admit that I cringe when I see someone who is not law enforcement and who is open carrying. While it is the individual’s right to do so, I believe it hurts the pro-gun community look like bunch of fanatical nuts. When I carry, I do so discreetly, and my wife who does not like guns is unaware that I am doing so.
I hope they pass the reciprocity law. Some individuals, while they should have been more aware, have run afoul of state laws and have suffered severe life changing consequences. Why should a normally law-abiding citizen be convicted of a felony for forgetting to remove a firearm when passing through a state that outlaws it? Yes they should have known better, but if it is legal in your state and you are driving through a state where it is illegal and are stopped, is a felony conviction justified? I make it a point to review state laws when traveling and will put my gun in the car trunk in an attempt to comply with some state laws. I am fairly well versed in the various state gun laws but could easily make a mistake as others have done in the past. Bottom-line: I hope the Senate will pass the reciprocity law, but requiring all states to have some sort of minimum training would not be a bad idea. Without getting into the constitutional debate, people are required to pass a driving test before we turn them loose on the highway, shouldn’t the same be expected for carrying a gun concealed?
Thanks to senate rinos and a dishonest media this is as far as it will get.