It was asked: "phorvick, I understood the reciprocity would recoil for class2? Thats what got me riled up on the subject watching the news.
Is there any reason for me as a ND citizen to maintain my ND when I have UT? I just always have since the 90s. "
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I generally advise people to support gun owners and permit holders by securing their home State permit. That advice will not change.
"The lack of a shooting test has been a sticking point for several states, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said in a news release. Two states, Arizona and West Virginia, have agreed to recognize the Class 1 permits." Oh, really? Perhaps the two most widely recongnized permits in the US are Utah and Florida. Utah has no shooting requirement (and is honored in MN); Florida has many ways to get their permit without any shooting exercise. If the ND AG really felt that way about the shooting test, the solution was simple...add a shooting test. Instead, the AG office now....
1. has mandated that no class can be conducted outside of ND, even the class 2 permit test; why is that important? Because many instructors offered the ND test as a convenience to non-residents, particularly Minnesotans, as a way to support ND gun owners; I will no longer do that; instead I will suggest Utah, FL, heck even the way too expensive NH permit before I will support such obvious attempts to limit non-residents;
2. let's say a person calls, from ND, and says they would like a class 2 permit; before 8-1, I would make arrangements to meet the person and administer the test...no longer possible; now, according to an e-mail I received from the ND AG office, I must notify the AG's office 15 days in advance of any class...even the class 2 test; failure to notify is grounds for instructor termination;
3. prior to 8-1 there were a number of non-resident instructors living in MN; after 8-1 the State, by requiring classes to be in ND, have effectively ended most of those opportunities for people to get a ND permit;
4. specifically as to AZ and WV, two States that the ND AG mentions in his press release (suggesting a change and that the Class 1 permit is working!) AZ recognizes all State permits and did so before this change and will do so after; IF AZ decides to not honor a class 2 permit, which I doubt, it is not because of anything AZ did, it is because ND screwed the process. Further, as to WV, the reason that they now honor ND is NOT because of a new class 1 permit, it is because WV law changed allowing them (WV) to enter into more agreements...it had -0- to do with ND.
This is, by my read, a clear power grab. Make the process harder; make the process more expensive; make the process more inconvenient; add a waiting period to the process (remember, classes need to be scheduled and noted to the State 15 days in advance); seriously limit the number of instructors; ....
This may have initially been the result of well meaning legislators that bought the lie that this is good for ND permit holders; however, the implementation is a clear power grab.
My guess is that the minions at the AG office are getting some confused and angry calls; my contacts with them have all been replied to rudely and condescendingly. They have the power, they know it, and are running roughshod over the process.
Oh, in fair disclosure, this is not a money issue with me.... The number of ND tests I did in a year is inconsequential. It is the massive intrusion and limitation of the process to the detriment of ND residents that is my gripe.
