It’s no secret that U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe is a supporter of the Second Amendment, so it should come as no surprise that he has signed on to cosponsor the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. If passed, it would allow individuals with a concealed carry privilege in their home state, to carry in other states with conceal carry laws. Of course, the individual will need to follow the laws of the state in which he is visiting.
“I am proud to cosponsor the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which protects law-abiding citizens’ right to self-defense and to bear arms when traveling between states while still respecting the decision-making power of the states,” said Inhofe. “This is common-sense legislation and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to advance this proposal through the Senate.”
Background on the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act:
Protecting Fundamental Constitutional Rights:
- Allows law-abiding citizens to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense while they are traveling or temporarily living away from home.
- Allows individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to conceal carry in any other states that also allow concealed carry.
- Treats state-issued concealed carry permits like drivers’ licenses where an individual can use their home-state license to drive in another state, but must abide by that other state’s speed limit or road laws.
Respecting State Sovereignty:
- Does not establish national standards for concealed carry.
- Does not provide for a national concealed carry permit.
- Does not allow a resident to circumvent their home state’s concealed carry permit laws. If under current law an individual is prohibited by federal law from carrying a firearm, they will continue to be prohibited from doing so under our bill.
- Respects state laws concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried and types of firearms which may not be carried by the visiting individual.
- Protects states’ rights by not mandating the right to concealed carry in places that do not allow the practice.
Broad Support:
- Last Congress, identical legislation had 40 cosponsors. In the 113th Congress, a nearly identical amendment received 57 votes in the Senate, including 13 Democrats.
