Posted on 02/19/2009 5:33:46 PM PST by marktwain
The face of Utah's gun-rights lobbyUtah won't ban out-of-state instructors from qualifying people for a concealed weapon permit despite worries from the gun-rights community about abuses that could erode the value of a Utah permit in other states.
Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, originally was going to push an outright prohibition, but substituted his bill after speaking with lobbyists from the National Rifle Association. Now, his HB204 creates a formal complaint process to address issues with nonresident instructors. An instructor who has complaints is entitled to a hearing, and if found guilty, could lose his or her teaching license and concealed weapon permit for up to seven years.
Clark Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, worries states, such as Nevada, that have expressed concerns about nonresident instructors may now stop accepting Utah's permit.
Charles Hardy, Gun Owners of Utah policy director, said he is "deeply concerned" about the new bill.
"We support the right to legally defend ourselves, but unfortunately an outside entity disregarded what was best for Utah," Hardy said. "We usually agree with the NRA, but on this one they didn't do us any favors."
The substitute bill passed a House committee and goes to the full House for further debate.
smcfarland@sltrib.com
Yeah that’s what I saw — why is an out of state instructor any less qualified?
Turf war, where there should be none.
I don’t get how we ban people from crossing state lines for work
I have been highly critical of the NRA at times but I agree with them on this one.
Ping...
First, let me state that the Salt Lake Trombone is a leftist rag run out of Denver.
Utah's permit is widely accepted, inexpensive, fairly straight forward to obtain, and hence very popular to the out of state crowd. It's wonderful that the NRA would support the continuation of this trend. On the economic side, Utah DPS/BCI is spending an inordinate amount of time and funds in the permit process, and in the current economic situation, this is indeed a concern to Utah residents.
I'm a member of Utah Shooting Sports Council, and all considered, I agree with Clark. Our local taxes and laws make this possible. We made it happen... as Utah citizens, we pay for the infrastructure to make these permits available, we vote for the laws that put sense above emotion, and if we're going to lose rights based on our position to deliver permits cheaply and conviently to out of staters, well... maybe the process should be changed to protect ourselves. It took a lot for Nevada to accept our permits, and I don't want that put in jeopardy.
I'm also a member of NRA, and can see both sides. Now then, consider the source of this article and their inflamitory leftist nature, and the situation becomes a tad less serious. However, comma, if another state disallows our permits over our process, I'll vote to tighten up the process.
Looks like I'm playing "Beat the clock" again...
I hate this. Can we just go back to "keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"? It'd make things a lot easier.
Damn straight.
>> Our local taxes and laws make this possible ... we pay for the infrastructure to make these permits available ...
Please don’t forget that every out-of-state concealed carry application comes with a $65.25 check attached.
>> We made it happen ... as Utah citizens ... we vote for the laws that put sense above emotion ...
Yes you do, and for that, us out-of-staters are eternally grateful. These permits are invaluable to the citizens of GA, AL, MS, and CO, etc., etc., not to mention the states that don’t issue a permit. Believe me, you couldn’t buy the positive publicity you have generated by your actions.
>> and if we’re going to lose rights ... maybe the process should be changed to protect ourselves.
Agreed, but for the 99.9% of us Utah instructors who do it right, please don’t hang us in the process. Our CO/UT course runs 9 hours - with a “working lunch”; our live fire session is another 4 hours. (As a comparison, FL will approve an NRA Home Firearm Safety course with =one= round shot into a barrel. Florida gunshow courses routinely have you out the door in 2-1/2 hours; a gunshop in Miami TV expo had a reporter out the door in 40 minutes; she never touched a gun.)
QBFimi - Senior NRA Training Counselor, out-of-state UT instructor for 4 years.
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