Concealed-carry gun law goes into effect today in Wyoming

billingsgazette.com ^ | 30 June, 2011 | JOAN BARRON

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A law that allows Wyomingites to carry concealed weapons without permits goes into effect today.

The new law, strongly supported by gun rights advocates, received the overwhelming endorsement of the Legislature last winter.

Wyoming joins Alaska, Arizona and Vermont in allowing citizens to carry concealed handguns without undergoing background checks or firearms training.

During the second of two seminars on the new law sponsored by the Cheyenne Police Department on Wednesday, the instructor, officer Jay Remers, told the group that it still is beneficial to get a concealed-weapons permit.

The firearms training is valuable for gun owners who may be familiar with hunting rifles but not with using handguns, particularly if faced with someone armed with a knife, he said.

Also, Wyoming concealed-weapon permits are honored in about 34 states. And carrying without a permit is illegal in every other state except Alaska, Arizona and Vermont.

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"And carrying without a permit is illegal in every other state except Alaska, Arizona and Vermont."

Carrying concealed, that is. Expect more states to be added to the above list next year. This year, New Hampshire misfired on Constitutional carry because of missteps by the NRA. Montana's Constitutional Carry passed the house and senate, and was vetoed by their governor. Governor Walker is about to sign into law a shall issue permit system that passed with about 70% of the vote in the Assembly and the Senate, and may be the most liberal shall issue bill in the country. This bodes well for another attempt at Constitutional carry in Wisconsin in the future. Several other states have had Constitutional carry introduced this year, but did not advance as far in the legislative process.