Some states are letting locals carry concealed without a permit

Keeping HANDguns in the HANDS of responsible citizens

At iconcealed.com we believe in your right to carry concealed, but we also believe getting a proper permit to do so is an important step in gun safety and keeping HANDguns in the HANDS of the right folks.

Which is why we took notice when New Hampshire passed a law allowing residents to carry concealed without a permit, joining a growing number of states allowing residents to carry hidden weapons without a license.

According to the NRA, almost half a dozen states have passed laws authorizing it and 16 others have introduced legislation to follow suit, including Kentucky, Texas, Colorado and Indiana.

But some – including members of law enforcement, politicians and even gun rights advocates – say the bill goes too far.

Jennifer Baker, a spokeswoman for the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, disagrees, saying: “That’s kind of the next step in expanding law-abiding gun owners’ constitutional right to self-protection.”

Nationwide, the legislation has been controversial, even failing to catch on in states that are traditionally safe havens of gun rights.

Dubbed “permitless carry” or “constitutional carry,” the legislation is based on a belief that people have a constitutional right to carry a gun with as few restrictions as possible. Idaho, Mississippi and West Virginia passed laws last year that make concealed-carry permits unnecessary, allowing people to carry weapons without them.

In New Hampshire, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a law allowing anyone who has purchased a licensed pistol or revolver to carry it, loaded or unloaded, on him or herself or in a vehicle.

Needless to say, the voices for and against allowing permitless concealed carry have been loud and persistent.

“We have historically allowed people to openly carry a pistol. I don’t see why you have to get a second permit if you’re a law-abiding citizen and legally entitled to own a gun,” Jeb Bradley, the majority leader of the state Senate, said in an interview. Bradley and Sununu also said the law puts New Hampshire on equal footing with neighboring Vermont and Maine, which also do not require permits for the concealed carry of handguns.

The new law went into effect immediately.

Previously, gun owners had to apply for a concealed-carry permit with the local police chief. Bradley said that people were unfairly denied permits, but police chiefs testified that few applications were turned down.

“This bill will eliminate the state’s long-standing permitting system and prevent local law enforcement from making important determinations that help keep guns out of dangerous hands,” Portsmouth Police Commissioner Joseph Plaia said in a statement. And Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said the passage of such laws are an “anomaly” and occur in “legislatures that have been doing the NRA’s bidding.”

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill allowing for the carrying of concealed guns without a permit on Thursday. Bullock said in a veto letter that the state’s sheriffs may require safety training before granting a concealed-carry permit and can deny permits to people struggling with mental illness. He equated the bill to allowing people to drive cars, fly planes or erect buildings without determining if they are eligible and able to do so.

“While I will fiercely defend the 2nd Amendment rights of our citizens, I cannot support an absurd concept that threatens the safety of our communities by not providing for the basic fundamentals of gun safety or mental health screening,” Bullock wrote.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, a lifetime member of the NRA, has vowed to veto a bill that would establish permitless carry or “bad legislation” that could have many unintended consequences. South Dakota does not require a permit to purchase a gun and a concealed-carry permit costs just $10 and requires a background check.

In Missouri, lawmakers last year overrode Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto and passed gun legislation that established a “stand your ground” law and allowed people to carry concealed handguns without a permit. Concealed-carry permits were no longer necessary in the state starting Jan. 1.

The legislation sparked an outcry, with many concerned that it could put residents at risk and some public safety officials, including St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, and the city’s police chief, Sam Dotson, said it would make neighborhoods less safe and make it more difficult for police to do their jobs.

Heck — here at iconcealed.com we’re all about protecting your multi-state right to carry concealed, but when the chief of police at various local municipalities start to voice concerns, we listen!