Where can one find a copy of this bill?
As is a majority of criminals never obtain permits.
(imho) Governments (local, state, federal) have always enacted laws to collect fees from those obeying the laws. This bill (if enacted) would be a major step forward for returning to our Constitution as the basis of legislation. May the Right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed be this nation's rally point, as this nation returns to a Constitutional government, where the criminals fear the law-abiding citizenry. May upset the criminal justice system having to deal with less income due to the crime rate plummeting. Sounds (as is) a Win Win.
The New York Times recently ran an editorial against this bill, and their argument showed that they either did not understand it, or were intentionally misrepresenting how it would operate. They said that it would lead to a flood of concealed weapons in the country, which it would not.
For example, it would not change the plight of New Jersey, where although there is a formal method for applying for CCW permits, these permits are (by arbitrary will of the police and courts) virtually never issued. Thus it is conceivable that an out-of-stater with a permit from back home could carry in NJ; but the benighted New Jersey resident still could not carry in his/her own state; nor could he/she take advantage of the reciprocity benefits of this law, because of the lack of a home-state permit.
New Jersey is a “may issue” state which actually does not issue. One can say that NJ pretends to issue, but really does not. By contrast, Connecticut (similar in many respects to NJ geographically and demographically) is also listed as a may-issue state, but CT actually does issue carry permits, even to people from NJ. This difference does not show up in any discernible way in crime statistics, except that (as usual) permitted carriers are much less likely to commit crimes than the average citizen. It is clearly untrue that issuing carry permits increases gun violence and general crime.
A good result of the passage of this bill (unlikely to be signed by Obama) would be that it would put New Jersey on the spot. They would have to decide whether they really wish to announce that they will not longer pretend to issue permits (to keep out-of-staters from enjoying carry privileges with their own residents cannot have), or they will have to actually issue permits, which could happen just by a decision, perhaps prodded by NJ state legislation.
This business of N J pretending to issue when it does not, is a fraud and a deception.
There are three states which effectively do not have carry privileges: Illinois has none. NJ and MD pretend, but do not issue.
New York issues in more rural counties, but has no mechanism for non-residents, either through permitting or reciprocity.
There are a few other states which can be difficult. Out-of-staters can get a permit in SC only if they are “qualified,” which means that they must own land in SC! Massachusetts will issue permits to out-of-staters, but only one year at a time, and $100 for each year! (Hardly worth it if you are just driving through.)
Interesting dilemma here. We all like this one for sure! However ... we don’t need a law that gives a right that is already guaranteed by the Constitution ... also, it is another government “regulation” ... NO MORE GOV in my life, even if I LIKE the bill. I vote NO. Love the bill, but don’t want ANYTHING ELSE from the government in my life.
Why don’t we have different laws in every city/state for the 1st amendment?