Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, or House Bill 38, is a bill that would amend Title 18 of the United States Code to require all U.S. states to recognize concealed carry permits granted by other states. It would also allow the concealed transport of handguns across state lines, so long as it is allowed by both states[1] and would amend the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 to allow permit holders to carry a concealed weapon in school zones in any state.[2]

History

The bill was introduced in the 115th United States Congress by Richard Hudson, a North Carolina Republican in the United States House of Representatives, on January 3, 2017. Hudson is the bill's chief sponsor, but the bill has over 200 co-sponsors as well. On November 29, the House Judiciary Committee voted 19-11 to advance the bill to the floor of the House for a vote. Congressional Democrats had proposed multiple amendments to the bill, all of which were voted down by Republicans.[1] The bill is intended to be combined with another, bipartisan bill aimed at improving the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.[3] On December 6, the House passed the bill 231-198.[4]

Responses

The National Rifle Association praised the bill, writing on its website that "This would end abuses in anti-gun states like California, New York and New Jersey and allow law-abiding concealed carriers to exercise their rights nationwide with peace of mind".[1]

Democrats have criticized the bill, claiming, among other things, that it would infringe on states' rights and adversely affect public safety.[1] Gun control advocates such as Sara Gorman have also criticized the bill, stating that it would be dangerous for victims of domestic abuse because it would allow people to circumvent background checks for guns or permits by obtaining them in more permissive states.[5]

On Feb. 11, 2018, it was reported that President Donald Trump "fully" supported the bill,[6] but on Feb. 27 it was reported that Trump instead preferred Texas Sen. John Cornyn's "Fix NICS Act" that included stronger background checks.[7] Trump signed "Fix NICS" on March 23, 2018.

See also

Fix NICS Act of 2017

References
  1. Mosendz, Polly (2017-11-29). "Get Ready for Concealed Guns in All 50 States". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  2. Kruzel, John (2017-12-07). "Concealed carry bill lets states regulate guns in schools". Politifact. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  3. Manchester, Julia (2017-12-01). "House prepares to take concealed carry measure to floor". TheHill. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  4. Walsh, Deirdre (2017-12-06). "House passes bill loosening gun restrictions". CNN. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  5. Gorman, Sara (2017-12-01). "The US's latest gun bill will be devastating for victims of domestic violence". Quartz. Retrieved 2017-12-04. Here's how this act could be devastating for victims of domestic abuse: if someone with a history of domestic abuse is denied a gun after a background check in one state, he or she could simply go to another state that does not require background checks at the point of purchase or permits for concealed carry, purchase a gun, and carry it across state lines. While federal law technically prohibits domestic abusers from purchasing guns, the law applies only to spouses, not to any other kind of partner, such as a boyfriend. In addition, there is a loophole in the federal law for unlicensed private gun sellers, which account for at least 25% of gun sales. Finally, there are many oversights in which people with histories of domestic abuse do not get reported into the federal system, which is how the shooter in Sutherland Springs was able to obtain a gun after multiple incidents of domestic abuse that were never reported at the federal level. For all of these reasons, it is the state level laws that end up being most effective at prohibiting domestic abusers from both purchasing and carrying concealed firearms. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would undermine existing state-level restrictions that protect victims of domestic abuse.
  6. Kroft, Steve (11 February 2018). "The showdown over the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act". CBS. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. Timmons, Heather (27 February 2018). "Trump's defiance of the NRA could keep Congress from gutting state gun laws". Quartz. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
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