Constitutional Carry bills for *2017* (24 states trying: 02 wins, 16 fails)

[Paladin]

A New Year, so it's time for a new ConCarry bill thread.

Each weekend I'll update this OP's list below as bills are actually introduced.

Picking up from where we left off in the 2016 thread: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s....php?t=1168091

The issues in ConCarry are, you do NOT need a permit to: (1) loaded vs unloaded; (2) OC, CC or both; (3) rural only, or entire state (i.e., incl cities); and (4) non-resident too, or only for residents of that state?

For this thread, I'm deciding: (1) since most of us carry (or want to) for self-defense, unloaded does NOT qualify; (2) since most of us need to CC to EDC, OC alone does NOT qualify (even though winning that is important, and often an important step on the road to winning ConCarry), so it has to be CC or both w/o a permit; (3) since MOST people care about Carry for self-defense from other humans, and most human attacks take place in cities, I'm going to say no ConCarry in cities makes that state NO ConCarry; and last (4) since most people spend most of their time in their own state, a ConCarry state can bar non-residents from CCing w/o a permit (even though, IIRC, radicalgunnuttery's map chooses otherwise)

In alphabetical order:

(1) AL: DIED; SB 24; passed by Senate, in the House's Public Safety & Homeland Security cmte; Alabama Sheriff's Association opposes it publicly bc of officer safety, but private email said bc of loss of permit fees (See posts #319 & 332)

(2) CO: SB 17-116 passed the Senate, unlikely to pass Dem controlled House; follow it: http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB17-116

(3) GA: FAILED; March 30 is last legislative day; Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed Campus Carry in 2016

(4) IN: HB 1159; unlikely to pass as long as Repub. Brian Bosma is Speaker of the House; follow it: https://legiscan.com/IN/bill/HB1159/2017

(5) IA: FAILED

(6) KY: DIED killed by "poison pill" amendment ($100 tax/firearm sale for body armor "for students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in Kentucky"), by Rep. Joni L. Jenkins (D) and passed by RINOs and Dems; legislative session ends April 15 in 2018

(7) LA: HB 68 FAILED to pass since ConCarry failed in cmte in each of the previous 3 years and this year. (post #310)

(8) MI: House Bills 4416-19 passed the House; heading to the Senate; House Bills 5301-5304 introduced on Feb 02; GOP Gov Snyder is weak pro2A; see: http://248shooter.com/index.php/2017...y-legislation/

(9) MN: DIED; HF 188 (Rep. Cal Bahr); as long as DFL (Democrat Farm & Labor) Gov. Mark Dayton is in governor, he'll veto ConCarry and SYG. He's up for re-election in 2018 and MN has no term-limit on their governor (see post #331)

(10) MT: VETOED by Dem Gov Bullock, it's the 3rd time he's vetoed ConCarry, he'll be termed-out in 2021 January.

(11) NE: FAILED but carried over to 2018 Jan legislative session; LB 68 was introduced in March by Sen. Tom Brewer, so it will be carried over to next year; powerful (Dem) Sen. Ernie Chambers is against it

(12) NH: ConCarry signed on Feb 22 and takes effect immediately!

(13) NM: FAILED to pass

(14) NC: HB 746 died in the senate; it passed House but not w/enough votes to overcome a threatened veto by Gov. Roy Cooper (Dem); bill may carry over into next legis session, see post #369

(15) ND: ConCarry (CC only, not OC too) signed on March 23 and takes effect August 01!

(16) OH: HB 201; shelved for the summer, may restart in fall 2017; see Ohio Gun Owners: https://www.ohiogunowners.org/2017/0...on-introduced/

(17) PA: UNLIKELY to pass since Dem Gov Wolf has threatened a veto (post #323); sponsored by Rep. Rick Saccone (R-Allegheny);

(18) SC: FAILED but carried over to 2018; H 3930 passed the House 64-46, moves to the Senate in Judiciary Cmte; Governor said he'd sign it if it gets to his desk; legislative session ends ~May 12; follow it: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsear...=122&summary=B or http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess122_...bills/3930.htm (H 3025 too?) ConCarry SB 449 by Sen. Shane Martin will also be in S. Jud. Cmte to be taken up where it left off next legislative session (see post #300); OC is banned in SC

(19) SD: HB 1072 VETOED; House voted for it 36-33, far short of the 2/3rds necessary for override; RINO Gov. Dennis Daugaard will be termed out in 2018. From post #131: "opponents from the governor's office, law enforcement community and clergy opposed it"

(20) TN: DIED in the House Civil Justice Subcommittee w/RINOs & Dems against it; RINO Gov. Haslam flipped and opposed ConCarry so it will probably need veto proof majority until he terms out in 2019 Jan.

(21) TX: DIED; never made it out of cmte; HB 375 (OC & CC) sidelined, HB 1911 too; RINO Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, is against it; Repub. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, President of the Senate, unsure it will pass Senate; session ends May 29

(22) UT: HB 237 FAILED

(23) VA: DIED

(24) WI: likely to pass; passed Sen. Judiciary Cmte on Sept 19th; Repub. Sen. David Craig and Repub. Rep. Mary Felzkowski filed SB 169 on 2017 March 28

*****

Honorable Mentions that move the ball down the field but fall short of ConCarry (as I defined it above):

* FL: FAILED SB 140 (LOC with a CCW); OC is opposed by FL Sheriffs Assn

* IA: Stand Your Ground law (HF 517) passed House and Senate; SJR 2 adds RKBA to IA state constitution; SF108 eliminate state NFA rules

* MN: Stand Your Ground law HF 238 https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/sta...5D=&titleword= ; Lifetime "handgun permits" (CCWs?); expanded reciprocity

* MO: Gun-Free Zone liability bill (see post #260 for details)

* NE: State Pre-emption passed the first of 3 votes before it heads to the governor

* OH: HB 228 Stand Your Ground law

* TN: DIED in the House Civil Justice Subcommittee w/RINOs & Dems against it; RINO Gov. Haslam flipped and opposed ConCarry so it will probably need veto proof majority until he terms out in 2019 Jan.

* UT: FAILED HB 112 only allowed UCC w/o a permit (LOC w/o a permit is already legal). The NRA came out against this bill.

It also needed a veto proof margin since RINO Gov. Gary Herbert vetoed a similar bill in 2013. He'll be in office at least until Jan 2021, so getting true ConCarry in UT will require veto override. Since UT does not have term limit for their governor, as long as he is in office, ConCarry will be difficult.

"Opponents of the 2013 measure [unloaded CC w/o a permit], including the Utah Chiefs of Police Association, Utah League of Cities and Towns, and Catholic leaders, said that bill would have presented serious public safety concerns by eliminating the need for classes or background checks involving the possession of firearms." http://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news...59c0aa2ed.html

*****

Lessons from 2016 ConCarry attempts:

- LA: failed in 2016, never made it out of cmte; Louisiana Sheriffs' Association and Louisiana District Attorneys Association opposed it;

- OK: RINOs who voted for ConCarry, many twice, flipped and voted against it! http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...y-republicans/ ; unlicensed Open Carry also failed in 2016: http://swoknews.com/area/gun-bills-coody-advance-senate

- TN: Colonel Tracy Trott of TN Dept Safety, probably at the behest of RINO Gov. Haslam, spoke out against it; Repub Sen. Todd Gardenhire voted present and RINO Sen. John Stevens voted against it despite both previously saying they'd vote for it.

[wireless]

We probably have enough votes in Utah. 23 GOP in the senate, 5 democrats, and 1 libertarian. In the State Assembly we have 63 GOP and 12 democrats.

A lot has changed in Utah since the governor's 2013 veto after this last election, especially when we look at who got Trump states that have gone blue every year since Reagan (white males, who tend to be gun owners). If the governor vetoes, I suspect the legislature will be more than willing to override it this year.

New Hampshire is probably going to happen. I could definitely see Indiana especially with Pence's influence. South Dakota is a toss up. I believe SD passed a bill but the governor vetoed it a couple years ago. Very similar situation to Utah but I do not know SD politics as much as I do Utah (which still isn't much btw).

Texas legislatures have said they will try to pass CC this year too. I doubt it'll happen. Also a legislature from New Mexico promised to file a bill this year.

I'm also betting we get a big unexpected win as well- Iowa, Wisconsin, or Ohio.

Then of course there are the southern states that are more than capable of passing these bills if the legislature makes it a priority- Louisiana will be one to look towards, as well as Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and maybe Georgia.

In the West, Nevada and Montana would be pleasant surprises, but I wouldn't be shocked if one of the two went CC this year as well. The problem in Montana is the governor and in Nevada it's the politicians' priorities.

[gunsandrockets]

What, something like 3 different Democratic Governors have vetoed constitutional carry in the past? How many Republican Governors have done so?

[baggss]

We probably have enough votes in Utah. 23 GOP in the senate, 5 democrats, and 1 libertarian. In the State Assembly we have 63 GOP and 12 democrats.

So it's like the polar opposite of CA.

[press1280]

What, something like 3 different Democratic Governors have vetoed constitutional carry in the past? How many Republican Governors have done so?

The governor of Utah did in 2013 and has threatened to again.

[gunsandrockets]

The governor of Utah did in 2013 and has threatened to again.

Thanks for the info. I wonder what his excuse was?

There has always been this tension in the Republican Party between pro-gun types and police-state types.

[Plain Old Dave]

Well, there are a lot of RINOs in our General Assembly, and the THP can be relied on to testify in favor of maintenance of the current "shall issue" permit system and against ConCarry. We don't have a State Department of Justice, and the permit process is operated by the TN Department of Safety and Homeland Security (same agency that runs the THP); you go to the driver license office to apply for a carry permit here.


In better news, a lifetime permit now only costs $200 here and members of the armed forces between the ages of 18-21 can now legally have a permit, other disqualifiers notwithstanding.

[press1280]

Thanks for the info. I wonder what his excuse was?

There has always been this tension in the Republican Party between pro-gun types and police-state types.

Pretty much the same thing that a Democrat would say (current system works, we need training, police associations oppose it,exc).

Why it wasn't overridden before I don't know. Seems like it should have been a done deal.

[IVC]

Texas legislatures have said they will try to pass CC this year too.

So depressing that "CC" in TX means something completely different than "CC" in CA - wish we were fighting for the former "CC" and not for the latter...

[press1280]

Add in ND: http://www.valleynewslive.com/conten...409481005.html

And KY: https://www.nraila.org/articles/2017...ry-legislation

[press1280]

Looks like MN will also try: http://www.ammoland.com/2017/01/minn...#axzz4Upws9Yt8

[Paladin]

TX: HB 375 -- Shouldn't that be HB 357?

A state lawmaker from Bedford wants to make it legal for all Texans to pack a pistol, with or without a permit.

Two controversial gun laws have come through the Texas Legislature in the past few sessions. Legislators passed the Open Carry law two years ago. Campus Carry also allows the concealed carry of handguns on college campus.

But State Rep. Jonathan Stickland wants to take it a step further. He has authored House Bill 375, or the Constitutional Carry bill, to give all Texans the right to openly carry a handgun.

“Right now what HB 375 is looking to do is make the CHL program right now optional for folks. We don’t think that Texans should have to take a required class or pay a fee to exercise their Second Amendment rights to defend themselves,” Stickland said.

The Texas Democrats and critics worry the bill would give unstable and untrained people easier access to guns. Stickland argued gun owners would still have to meet the current requirements, but wouldn’t have to go through the process of getting their CHL.

<snip>

Gov. Greg Abbott has not committed to supporting the bill, but Strickland said it is still one of the top two priorities for the Republicans. He’s filed similar legislation in the past. He thinks this year is the year that it will pass.

More at:

http://www.fox4news.com/news/texas/227005931-story

press1280: thx for the link. I've read them and updated the OP.

Looks like we'll have at least 10 8 states going for ConCarry this year!

[wireless]

unlicensed loaded open carry is a big step in the right direction

[Paladin]

Criteria for ConCarry in this thread

unlicensed loaded open carry is a big step in the right direction

I've been thinking about this and the definition of ConCarry. If we, in this thread, say legal LOCing w/o a permit is ConCarry, like what TX is going for, then OH and DE -- and I'm sure there are other states -- already have ConCarry. Clearly they don't.

The issues in ConCarry are, you do NOT need a permit to: (1) loaded vs unloaded; (2) OC, CC or both; (3) rural only, or entire state (i.e., incl cities); and (4) non-resident too, or only for residents of that state?

For this thread, I'm deciding: (1) since most of us carry (or want to) for self-defense, unloaded does NOT qualify; (2) since most of us need to CC to EDC, OC alone does NOT qualify (even though winning that is important, and often an important step on the road to winning ConCarry), so it has to be CC or both w/o a permit; (3) since MOST people care about Carry for self-defense from other humans, and most human attacks take place in cities, I'm going to say no ConCarry in cities makes that state NO ConCarry ; and last (4) since most people spend most of their time in their own state, a ConCarry state can bar non-residents from CCing w/o a permit (even though, IIRC, radicalgunnuttery's map chooses otherwise).

Using the above standard, I'm removing TX and UT from the numbered list of states going for ConCarry. TX because they're only going for loaded OCing w/o a permit. UT because their bill will allow ONLY UNloaded CCing w/o a permit.

HOWEVER, I will start a non-ConCarry list beneath the ConCarry list in the OP showing other states that are trying to make important headway in promoting Carry in general.

[gunsandrockets]

the refined criteria seems reasonable to me