Concealed Carry Reciprocity Amendment:Immediate Action Needed

[markk]

Senator Vitter To Offer Concealed Carry Reciprocity Amendment
-- Action needed right away!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Tuesday, May 13, 2008


Senator David Vitter (R-LA) has filed a pro-gun amendment to HR 980, and it
could be voted on as early as tomorrow!

This amendment would protect the right of citizens to carry concealed
weapons (outside of their home state) in states that allow concealed carry.

Sen. Vitter explains that his amendment does not violate the rights of
states as it "does NOT establish national standards for concealed
carry, nor
does it provide for a national carry permit."

In other words, the Vitter amendment specifically says that state laws
concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried
shall be followed. "My amendment will not federalize concealed carry
permits but simply requires concealed carry permits to be recognized in
other states that allow concealed carry permits," Vitter said.

This is a real reciprocity provision which grants citizens the
"full faith
and credit" protection that is guaranteed in Article IV of the
Constitution.
Section 1 of this article says:

* Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts,
* Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress
* may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records, and
* Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Vitter says that this constitutional provision authorizes the Congress to
pass legislation forcing each state to recognize the "public
Acts" of other
states. So if states are not willing to recognize another state's laws,
Congress has the authority to pass laws to require recognition of those
measures.

It's just like with driver's licenses. If certain states refused to honor
the driver's licenses of citizens in other states, Congress could pass
legislation (under Article IV) to require every state to honor all licenses.


ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote for the Vitter amendment to HR
980 to protect the right to carry concealed firearms outside of your home
state.

You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators the pre-written
e-mail message below. And, you can call your Senators at 202-224-3121 or
toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.

 

[gunshow]

This is too good to be true. There will either be fireworks or a fillibuster.

EDIT: I just checked nra's ILA website and no mention of it .

Jus sayin'

 

[dhoomonyou]

except the NYC area, right?

 

[markk]

GOA really couldn't make it any easier...Once you've entered your info, just a click and they address an email for you and send it out to the appropriate parties...I can't understand why the NRA doesn't make it that simple...

 

[Pat-inCO]

While I like the sound of it, I will want to read the full amendment before I send written support. I took the link you provided and only got their canned statement.

As I said, it sounds good but I've seen several others that seemed good on the surface but had provisions that I could not support.

Anyone have a link to the amendment?

 

[cloudedice]

THOMAS at the Library of Congress doesn't have any amendments listed yet. This is a bill that's already passed the House, though without the amendment.

 

[markk]

except the NYC area, right?

That would be an interesting question if this amendment is added. San Fran defeated, D.C. possibly next, step up NYC...

 

[Green Lantern]

Ok, I don't think I like this much...TWO reasons.

First of all, this could come back and bite us in SO many ways. Suppose each state gets to still set their own restrictions on CCW, and we don't end up with a standard from the Fedgov. Great, right?

Well, look at a place like California, where people are either ignorant, or simply unwilling to process the fact that Joe Citizen can get a CCW permit. At least that's MY theory why Cali has some of the least-onerous restrictions on where you can carry in the NATION.

'Course, the antis there (and likely NATIONWIDE) will have a conniption if this passes - and in places that have generally antigun State governments....SHAZAM, LOTS of new restrictions on CCW!

Second of all, it's infringing on State rights. At the risk of being "political" for a moment, I compared this bill to a (nonexistant at the moment) bill Barack Obama wants and would sign in a heartbeat - a FEDERAL bill nullifying all STATE-issued CCW permits!

That would be a terrible bill, and a huge argument against it would be that who the heck are the Feds to come in and sweep away 48 sets of State laws that have passed muster?

 

[markk]

Text of the Amendment is at this time publically available in the Congressional Record of 13 May 2008.

http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi...ction=retrieve


SA 4757. Mr. VITTER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 980, to provide collective bargaining rights for
public safety officers employed by States or their political
subdivisions; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. RECIPROCITY FOR THE CARRYING OF CERTAIN CONCEALED
FIREARMS.

(a) In General.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 926C the
following:

``Sec. 926D. Reciprocity for the carrying of certain
concealed firearms

``Notwithstanding any provision of the law of any State or
political subdivision thereof:
``(1) A person who is not prohibited by Federal law from
possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm,
and is carrying a valid license or permit which is issued
pursuant to the law of any State and which permits the person
to carry a concealed firearm, may carry in any State a
concealed firearm in accordance with the terms of the license
or permit, subject to the laws of the State in which the
firearm is carried concerning specific types of locations in
which firearms may not be carried.
``(2) A person who is not prohibited by Federal law from
possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm,
and is otherwise than as described in paragraph (1) entitled
to carry a concealed firearm in and pursuant to the law of
the State in which the person resides, may carry in any State
a concealed firearm in accordance with the laws of the State
in which the person resides, subject to the laws of the State
in which the firearm is carried concerning specific types of
locations in which firearms may not be carried.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter
44 of title 18 is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 926C the following:

``926D. Reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms.''.

(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act.

 

[W.E.G.]

It boggles my mind that people complain, question, and sit on the sidelines on this sort of thing.

Heck no, you're not going to get everything you want. Get over it.

Let's move forward with something that provides us with SOME benefit now.
We can ask for more, the next time, and the next time.

If you are sitting around waiting for a pony for Christmas, you might not even get invited to Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[jakemccoy]

I just issued my support at the GOA site.

I issued my support for carrying in National Parks as well.

That's really a great thing the GOA has going. For busy people, it's difficult to draft letters for every bill that comes up.

 

[Punkermonkey]

This bill is co-sponsored by 280 Democrats! Won't they all be surprised if it passes with this amendment.

 

[Crash_Test_Dhimmi]

Just sent a letter to Senator Voinovich, Republican, Ohio.

 

[WayneConrad]

markk, Thank you for the text of the amendment. Looks great to me. Letters written, emails sent.

 

[Fisherman_48768]

I just sent a letter on the carry bill and national park to both Sen.Stabenow and Levin (MI), from past experience if they could turn emails into paper it would go straight to the toilet in their plush tax payer supported offices. Sometimes I wonder why I bother to contact either of them.

 

[springmom]

Done. Thanks for posting this.

Springmom

 

[doc2rn]

Got mine off to the wonderful KS reps.

 

[txgho1911]

So will this stand as the GOA compromise of the century?
Will this settle carry restrictions and licensing as constitutional and popular?
280 Democrats supporting this in compromise to state by state licensing and restrictions eventually being tossed by a strict scrutiny court?

In many respects I don't trust congress to get this right. I will stand neutral waiting for Woody and other sharper than me studies to chime in.

 

[hill billy]

I'm asking because I'm stupid, but does this mean that a person with a ccw in ANY state must have that ccw recognized by every other state? So my Utah permit will now permit me to carry in CA?

 

[jakemccoy]

I'm asking because I'm stupid, but does this mean that a person with a ccw in ANY state must have that ccw recognized by every other state? So my Utah permit will now permit me to carry in CA?

in theory, yes

in reality, likely no

I love Cali because it's my home, and I don't have plans to move even though I can. However, California is stuck up. It's one of the few states that does not allow reciprocity for bar admission for lawyers from other states. I imagine a case going to the U.S. Supreme Court before California recognizes reciprocity for carry permits.

 

[Neener Neener]

Done..........

 

[mekender]

i dont see how this tramples on states rights... the states have been trampling on the peoples right as set forth in the 2nd amendment... and as prescribed by the US constitution, the federal government is attempting to prevent that... personally, id like to see the fed get more hands on and start ripping apart a lot of the state level firearms laws...

but they should start by ripping apart some of the federal laws first...

 

[Huckle2]

Done....

 

[markk]

Keep it up, guys and gals.

 

[jfountain2]

Done