Mississippi Senators Back Bill to Extend Concealed Carry Permit Privileges Across State Lines.
WASHINGTON, D.C. –-(Ammoland.com)- U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced their support of legislation to provide greater consistency across state lines for Americans with concealed carry privileges.
The Senators are original cosponsors of the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (S.446), which would allow people with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that also has concealed carry laws. Under current law, concealed carry permits are not transferrable between states leading to unnecessary and duplicative permitting requirements.
The legislation is sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.).
“This legislation is intended to bring some common sense to concealed carry rights. It takes into account states’ rights while allowing law-abiding gun owners to take their concealed permit privileges with them to states that have similar laws,” Cochran said.
“This bill would protect state authority when it comes to concealed carry permits,” Wicker said. “It would also give law-abiding gun owners the convenience of using their permits in other states that have concealed carry laws. In addition to protecting our second amendment freedoms, I will continue to support sensible measures for gun owners to exercise their rights lawfully.”
In addition to Cochran and Wicker, cosponsors of the legislation also include U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), James Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Luther Strange (R-Ala.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
Cochran and Wicker cosponsored similar legislation in the 114th Congress.
Update: When AmmoLand News asked the question how this would help residents of states like New Jersey where residents can not get concealed carry licenses, Sen. Cornyn’s staff provided the following response:
“Rather than attempting to establish a blanket conceal-carry law, this legislation would apply to states with concealed carry laws in place. It’s a reciprocity law. Citizens must follow the rules in whatever state they are in.
Here are some points we got from Sen. Cornyn’ s staff. While respecting states’ rights, the legislation would:
· Allow law-abiding citizens to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense while they are traveling or temporarily living away from home.
· Allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to conceal carry in any other states that also allow concealed carry.
· Treat State-issued concealed carry permits like drivers’ licenses—if you are a truck driver, you do not have to obtain 50 separate drivers’ licenses (and pass 50 separate driving tests) to drive across the country. However, if you are a truck driver from Texas, where there is an 80 mph maximum speed limit in some places, you would not be allowed to drive 80 mph in New York unless this was the posted speed limit where you were driving.”
Attached is the text of the bill, which is like the Cornyn bill introduced in the 114th Congress.