Virginia Delegate Mark Cole moves to repeal concealed carry permit requirement

Delegate Mark Cole of Virginia is seeking to end the requirement that individuals who carry concealed weapons obtain a permit to do so. Currently there are four states that allow a person to carry a concealed weapon without a permit: Vermont, Wyoming, Arizona and Alaska.

Concealed Carry laws vary among the states, with only a few not allowing for the practice in any circumstances. The trend has been for ever more liberal concealed carry laws in the United States and with recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings upholding an individual right to keep and bear arms under Second Amendment the trend will likely continue.

A law-abiding citizen carrying a concealed weapon is doing so most often for protection. A requirement that someone obtain a permit to protect themselves from bodily harm or death seems antithetical to the ideals of personal liberty that our founders laid out in the Constitution. Criminals always go to great lengths to conceal their weapons, for a much different reason, and it is highly unlikely that they will possess a permit. Most bank robbers are not going to go the county courthouse to get a permit to carry a firearm. The same can be said for drug dealers, gang members, and other criminals. Requiring law- abiding citizens to obtain a permit puts the general public at a disadvantage by erecting a barrier between someone who could protect innocent bystanders and the means to do so.

In many states, including Virginia, it is legal to openly carry a firearm without a permit, which again points to the futility of requiring a permit to carry concealed. Openly carrying a firearm can be much more alarming to people and may lead to police involvement in many cases. A law abiding citizen is not going to bring about these types of

In Arizona you can carry concealed without a Concealed Weapons Permit, but they are still issued, and it makes sense to get one. It give you reciprocity in States that don't allow concealed carry without one, and you can carry concealed in a Gun Free School Zone as long as the weapon really stays concealed.

I fuly support this legislation and have asked my delegate for his support. I will contacting my state senator as well.

I’d like to see it make it through both houses so the governor wil be forced to actually put up or shut up once and for all on gun rights.

<< In Arizona you can carry concealed without a Concealed Weapons Permit, but they are still issued, and it makes sense to get one. It give you reciprocity in States that don’t allow concealed carry without one, and you can carry concealed in a Gun Free School Zone as long as the weapon really stays concealed. >>

Not quite. The “must have a permit and must be concealed” is the requirement to carry in places that serve alcohol (and are not “posted”).

Per Federal law, one must have a permit to be in the 1,000 foot school zone and it doesn’t matter if you are carrying openly or discreetly.

Arizona does not have an equivalent of the federal school zone law, so the liklihood of being arrested by a local cop for a federal violation are pretty small. However, since 0bama said he would work “under the radar” on gun control, I wouldn’t be surprised to see feds cruising around schools soon.

But back to the earlier question. Regardless of local law, you need a CCW permit (or whatever you call it in your state) to not violate the FEDERAL 1,000 foot school zone law. How you carry (open or discreetly) is irrelevant in federal law.

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