For those concealed carry practitioners in the 21 states that don’t yet have a constitutional, or “permitless,” carry law on the books, help could be on the way at the federal level.
On Wednesday, Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced the National Constitutional Carry Act. HR 9534 would remove permitting requirements for Americans to carry firearms throughout the nation.
“Today, I introduce HR 9534, the National Constitutional Carry Act,” Massie posted on X, formerly Twitter. “No one should have to beg the government to exercise a constitutionally protected right anywhere in the country.”
The legislation states: “Certain states and localities have enacted gun control laws that are not consistent with the text of the Second Amendment or this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. The criminalization of peaceable, public firearms carry is repugnant to the original meaning of the Second Amendment.
The measure is made up of two provisions limiting what states can do in relation to concealed carry permitting.
“No State or political subdivision of a State may impose a criminal or civil penalty on, or otherwise indirectly dissuade the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by residents or nonresidents of that State who are citizens of the United States and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law,” the measure states.
The second provision states: ‘‘Any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of a State or a political subdivision of a State that criminalizes, penalizes, or otherwise indirectly dissuades the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by any resident or non-resident who is a United States citizen and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law, shall have no force or effect.”
At least one gun-rights group—the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR)—has already expressed support for the measure.
“This is the only bill that will ensure all law-abiding Americans can enjoy Real Constitutional Carry without being subjected to outrageous New York-style permit regulations, expensive fees, or ATF intervention on the right to carry,” NAGR President Dudley Brown said in a press release about the proposal. “Thomas Massie is a gun rights champion, and we support the Real Constitutional Carry bill 100 percent.”
Of course, the fate of the measure rests largely on voters in November’s election. Should Donald Trump be elected to a second term and Republicans win the majority in both houses of Congress, chances will increase. Still, passage could be blocked by a filibuster, which requires a supermajority to override.
Several Republican congressmen have signed on as co-sponsors of the measure, including Reps. Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Michael Cloud, Nathan Moran, Chip Roy and Randy Weber of Texas, Mike Collins and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Bob Good of Virginia, Andy Harris of Maryland, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Mary Miller of Illinois, Barry Moore of Alabama, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, and Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin.
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