December 6th, 2017

House of Representatives Considers Carry Reciprocity Legislation

H.R. 38 HR38 concealed carry reciprocity

UPDATE (12/7/17): The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 6th passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (H.R. 38) in a 231-198 vote. The legislation will next proceed to the U.S. Senate. If a joint version of the bill is approved by both houses, the law would then go to the President for signature.

“This vote marks a watershed moment for Second Amendment rights,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action. “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is the culmination of a 30-year movement recognizing the right of all law-abiding Americans to defend themselves, and their loved ones, including when they cross state lines.”

Vote on H.R. 38 in House of Representatives
The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (H.R. 38) goes up for a vote in Congress today. The bill is scheduled for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 6. The NRA-ILA has pushed for passage of this legislation: “Your fundamental right to keep and bear arms should not end at the state line. This bill would ensure that law-abiding citizens do not lose the ability to protect themselves when they travel from state to state. And it would ensure that anti-gun jurisdictions do not harass travelers for exercising their constitutional rights.”

While the bill allows recognition of concealed firearms permits from one state to the next (reciprocity), it does NOT create a federal licensing or registration system or establish national standards for concealed carry. Moreover, H.R. 38 will NOT override current state laws governing the time, place, and manner of carrying concealed weapons.

Summary of H.R. 38 — Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017
This bill amends the Federal criminal code to allow a qualified individual to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. A qualified individual must: (1) be eligible to possess, transport, or receive a firearm under federal law; (2) carry a valid photo identification document; and (3) carry a valid concealed carry permit issued by, or be eligible to carry a concealed firearm in, his or her state of residence.

Additionally, the bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state: (1) is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone; and (2) may carry or possess the concealed handgun in Federally-owned lands that are open to the public.

Trends in Exercise of Concealed Carry Rights
The NRA-ILA states: “The last 30 years have seen a continual expansion of the right to carry concealed handguns for self-defense within the United States, even as the nationwide violent crime rate has plummeted during the same period. Every U.S. state now has a legal mechanism whereby its residents may carry concealed handguns, and 42 states and the District of Columbia broadly recognize a right of law-abiding citizens to do so.

The remaining eight states, however, treat the right to carry for self-defense as a privilege reserved for the elite, the connected, or those who can “prove” extraordinary circumstances to the licensing officials.”

Similar Posts:

Share the post "House of Representatives Considers Carry Reciprocity Legislation"