Free Republic

Wisconsin has made incremental progress in restoring the right to keep and bear arms in the last few years.  Representative Jesse Kremer has been an active Second Amendment supporter in the legislature. He was re-elected in the 2016 presidential year.  The state has built on the Constitutional amendment passed in 1998, with 74% of the vote. The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose Representative Kremer seems to believe that the amendment, now Article 1, Section 25 of the Wisconsin state constitution, means what it says. Wisconsin...

Last session, it was open carry. This session, the statehouse may take on a further-reaching firearm debate: Constitutional carry. Rooted in the Constitution's Second Amendment, “constitutional carry” laws give any U.S. citizen the right to carry a firearm without a license — and is already permitted in 11 states and Puerto Rico. Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, hopes to add Texas to that list. "No Texan should have to pay a fee or take a class to exercise their right to bear arms,” said Stickland, in a statement. Stickland, whose reelection campaign motto is "More freedom, less government," has said permit-less...

South Dakota Representative Lynne DiSanto South Dakota will be considering a permitless, or "Constitutional" carry bill again this year.  In 2012, a bill passed both the House and the Senate, but was vetoed by Gov Daugaard.   In 2012, only Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Wyoming had Constitutional carry.  In 2015, Constitutional carry passed the South Dakota House, but was killed by a Senate Committee.  It passed the House 44 to 23. The Senate was controlled by Republicans, 27 to 8. Now, in 2016, Constitutional carry is expected to be introduced by Representative Lynne DiSanto. From siouxcityjournal.com: PIERRE, S.D. —...

It’s now law. In Missouri, you no longer need a license to carry a firearm in public. They’re the 12th state to adopt such a law known as constitutional carry; Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) represents a state with such a law. To those who love freedom and the Second Amendment, it’s a great day for the expansion of constitutional rights. For anti-gun liberals, it’s a day for hysterics, which wasperfectly captured by the editorial board of The New York Times: The measure has drawn no great national attention, but it certainly provides further evidence that gun safety cannot be...

Two Good Samaritans are being credited with saving a woman’s life after she was attacked by two suspected carjackers who hit her over the head after she left Walmart was putting her infant child into a car seat in the store parking lot in Shawnee, Kansas on Sunday. A bystander, who rushed to the aid of the woman after hearing her screams, was shot multiple times by one of the suspects, according to police. Another Good Samaritan saw what happened, got out of his car and shot one of the attackers dead. A shopper who had just exited the store...

On May 13, 2016, the Missouri legislature passed an omnibus gun legislation reform bill, SB 656.  It was the last day of the session.  While widely heralded as a permitless or "Constitutional" carry bill, there were several other notable features.  From the NRA-ILA: Recognize Missourians right to Constitutional/Permitless Carry where open carry is not prohibitedExpand Missouri’s current Stand your Ground laws Expand Castle Doctrine protections for anyone legally allowed into your home, vehicle, business and propertySpecify that except for credit card fees incurred, no additional fee beyond $100 may be charged to process concealed carry permits and allows military members...

The Missouri omnibus firearm reform bill, SB 656, has passed the legislature on the last day of the session, May 13, 2016. It includes permitless or “Constitutional” carry. It will now go to Governor Nixon for signature or veto. According to the NRA-ILA, SB 656 has these primary features: Recognize Missourians right to Constitutional/Permitless Carry where open carry is not prohibitedExpand Missouri’s current Stand your Ground lawsExpand Castle Doctrine protections for anyone legally allowed into your home, vehicle, business and propertySpecify that except for credit card fees incurred, no additional fee beyond $100 may be charged to process concealed...

Nearly two weeks ago, Ariel Draper started a petition on thepetitionsite.com to push Governor Phillip Bryant to veto Mississippi House Bill 786.  The goal of the petition was to get 1,000 signatures in support.  The petition had 3 signatures when the bill was signed into law today.  The petition used rather incendiary language.  From the petition: Mississippi House Bill 786 introduces legislation that would grant the following : To provide that killing a person while acting as a participant of a church or place of worship security team is JUSTIFIABLE homicide ; and for related purposes. Literally making a...

Mississippi became the 9th state to restore permitless carry today, the 15th of April, 2016.  It seems poetic that Governor Bryant chose to sign HB 786 into law a few days before most citizens were required to file their federal taxes. The easing of one burden helps reduce the pain of another, in this case.  HB 786 is titled the “Church Protection Act”, which is a correct description.  The bill provides that churches can create volunteer church security that will have the same protections that private security guards now have in Mississippi.  The program will require training and the...

HB 786 is now headed to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.  The bill passed the House on a final concurrence vote of 85 to 35.  The Governor has five days to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law.  From state.ms.us: Once a bill passes both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature it is sent to the governor for signature or veto. The governor has five days to either approve a bill by signing it into law, or to return it to the House of Representatives or the Senate with objections. If the governor does not take either action, the...

 Image of Andy Gipson from the clarionledger.com In a bill labelled a "Church Protection Act", the Mississippi legislature appears ready to join the permitless or "Constitutional" carry club.  If Governor Bryan signs the bill into law, Mississippi will become the third state this year to join the club, putting its members at 10, or 20 percent of the states. Members of the club can no longer claim any exclusivity.  They range from the East coast to the Pacific, from Alaska to Arizona, with midwest, eastern, and western members.  At 10 members, the club is larger than the dwindling "may issue"...

Idaho is a strong Republican state.  It is known for being Second Amendment friendly.  The reason it took so long to pass permitless or "Constitutional" carry is epitomized by the three Republican committee chairs shown above.  All three chose to vote against permitless carry.  They were the only Republicans in the House to do so. It says a great deal that these powerful people chose this political hill to die on.  Why?  Why not vote for the bill, and at least camouflage your actions?  How many are in the Idaho legislature who did exactly that? These are only the...

Governor C.L Butch Otter reluctantly signed SB 1389, the permitless "Constitutional carry" bill that was passed by the Idaho legislature. His office sent the transmittal letter(pdf) to the President of the Senate today, the 25th of March, 2016. Idaho becomes the eighth state to restore permitless or "Constitutional" carry. Vermont never restricted concealed carry from those who were not felons or mentally defective. Governor Otter stated that he signed the bill with some reluctance, because the bill did not have a training requirement for the carry of firearms. There has never been a legal requirement for training in order to...

Governor C.L Butch Otter reluctantly signed SB 1389, the permitless “Constitutional carry” bill that was passed by the Idaho legislature.His office sent the transmittal letter(pdf) to the President of the Senate the 25th of March, 2016.  Idaho becomes the eighth state to restore permitless or “Constitutional” carry.  Vermont never restricted concealed carry from those who were not felons or mentally defective. Governor Otter stated that he signed the bill with some reluctance, because the bill did not have a training requirement for the carry of firearms.There has never been a legal requirement for training in order to carry firearms,...

With the Idaho legislature’s permitless or “Constitutional” carry bill on Governor Butch Otter’s desk, I read a comment on the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance facebook page that seemed unlikely. It claimed that numerous disarmists were calling the Governor’s office to urge a veto.  From the ISAA facebook page: SB 1389, Constitutional Carry, was delivered to the Governor’s office yesterday (March 21st) at 2:40 p.m. With the Idaho legislature’s permitless or “Constitutional” carry bill on Governor Butch Otter’s desk, I read a comment on the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance facebook page that seemed unlikely. It claimed that numerous disarmists were...

On Friday, 18 March, the Idaho permitless carry bill, S 1389 was passed by the Idaho House of representatives, 54 – 15.  Once a bill has passed both houses, there is a procedure to be followed for it to go to the Governor for consideration.  On Monday, 21 March, S 1389, S 1389 was enrolled and officially sent to Governor Butch Otter of Idaho.  From idaho.gov:   03/21 Returned From House Passed; referred to enrolling             Reported enrolled; signed by President; to House for signature of SpeakeReceived from Senate; Signed by Speaker; Returned to SenateReported signed by the Speaker & ordered delivered to Governor Monday is the official day that S 1389 was sent to Governor Otter.  He has five days, not counting Sunday, to sign or veto permitless carry. From idaho.gov: After...

The House in Idaho has passed S 1389 restore permitless carry. SB 1389 passed the Senate 27-8. It passed out of the House committee yesterday, March 17th. It will be sent to Governor Butch Otter. Governor Otter has been shown to be a Second Amendment supporter in the past. It seems likely that he will sign SB 1389. It is an incremental step that is not far off of existing law in Idaho. Governor Otter signed the Idaho campus carry bill in the face of intense opposition by the powerful higher education lobby in Idaho.The Idaho Sheriffs Association has...

BOISE -- The Idaho Senate has approved legislation that would allow residents 21 years old and up carry hidden guns without permits or training. Senate lawmakers voted 27-8 on Wednesday to advance the proposal over the House.

WEST VIRGINIA (WVVA) West Virginia will soon be among seven other states where residents can carry a concealed weapon without a permit. This comes after West Virginia Lawmakers voted this weekend to override Governor Earl Ray Tomblin's veto on House Bill 4145. The override on Tomblin's veto means that if you're older than 21 and live in West Virginia, permitless concealed carry will be law in 90 days. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin originally veto'd the bill with safety concerns. The West Virginia House and West Virginia Senate both voted to override Tomblin's veto.

The West Virginia legislature did not waste any time in overriding Governor Tomblin's veto of HB 4145, also known as "Constitutional carry" or permitless carry. Governor Tomblin vetoed a similar bill in 2015, but the veto occurred after the legislature had adjourned, making a veto override difficult. This year, the Constitutional carry bill was passed early enough for the legislature to vote on a veto override if necessary. Governor Tomblin received the Constitutional carry bill on 26 February. He waited to the last possible day to veto it, 3 March. The House of Delegates overrode his veto on 4 March,...