Senator John N. Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) in introducing the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. The bill would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home states to exercise those rights in any other state that allows concealed carry, so long as one exercises those rights within the limits of each respective state’s laws.
“The Second Amendment helps safeguard all of Americans’ constitutional rights. This bill would affirm Americans’ fundamental liberties while respecting individual states’ rights to establish their own laws,” said Kennedy.
“I’m proud to support law-abiding gun owners across America with this commonsense legislation that would let them concealed carry in all states that allow it. This legislation strengthens two of our most fundamental constitutional protections—the Second Amendment’s right of citizens to keep and bear arms and the Tenth Amendment’s right of states to make laws best-suited for their residents—and I’m grateful to 44 of my Republican Senate colleagues for joining me on this important bill,” said Cornyn.
This legislation would:
- Allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home states to exercise those rights in any other state that has concealed carry laws.
- Treat state-issued concealed carry permits like drivers’ licenses, allowing an individual to use his or her home-state license to drive in another state while abiding by the speed limit of whatever state that person is in.
- Protect state sovereignty by refusing to establish a national standard for concealed carry.
Both the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Rifle Association have endorsed this legislation.
“This is common sense legislation that solves the problem of the confusing patchwork of laws surrounding concealed carry permits, particularly with regard to states where laws make unwitting criminals out of legal permit holders for a simple mistake of a wrong traffic turn,” Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel said in an official statement. “This legislation safeguards a state’s right to determine their own laws while protecting the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. NSSF thanks Senator Cornyn for his principled leadership to protect Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners who seek to protect themselves and their loved ones as they travel across state lines.”
The legislation is also cosponsored by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), John Thune (R-SD), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Boozman (R-AR), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Todd Young (R-IN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Mike Braun (R-IN), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), James Risch (R-ID), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
OTHER STATE AIMS TO LOOSEN CONCEALED CARRY LAW
Republican leaders in Florida's state legislature are pushing to remove the requirement for concealed carry permit.
Florida's State Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and state House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, are backing the proposal from state Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, and state Rep. Chuck Brannan, R-Macclenny. “Constitutional carry allows Floridians who are currently qualified to obtain and maintain a CWL to carry a concealed handgun or weapon without a license,” Renner’s office noted.
“Through their service at home and abroad, Speaker Renner and Senator Collins have sacrificed to protect our constitutional rights,” said Passidomo. “I stand with these brave warriors, with our law enforcement leaders, and with law-abiding Floridians across this state who should not have to ask the government for permission to protect themselves.”
“Floridians shouldn’t need a government permission slip to exercise their constitutional rights,” said Renner. “House Bill 543 will ensure Florida will remain a beacon of freedom. Florida was the pioneer in the modern carry movement in America and this historic legislation continues our proud tradition.”
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