Confused About Maine Concealed Carry

[Somewhere in NM]

My understanding is that Maine passed a law allowing permitless concealed carry, including non-residents, last year.

Why do they still maintain a list of states whose permits they honor?

Similarly, why does handgunlaw.us show Maine as not honoring NM permits? It seems that is now irrelevant.

 

[Red Wind]

Here is the Maine State Police site (MSP)

Concealed carry without a permit is limited to people who are 21 or older, with the following exception: If a person is 18 years of age or older, and is on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard, or has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces or the National Guard, and is not otherwise prohibited from carrying a firearm, the person may carry a concealed handgun. A person who is 18-20 years old and without the referenced military qualifications must have a permit to carry concealed. The law applies to both residents of Maine and non-residents.

I have no idea why a legal person from another state would need a permit in Maine. It's just like Alaska and Arizona now.

Maine residents would need a permit to carry in other reciprocal states that do not have permit less carry.

 

[Gary Slider]

1. Maine has permitless carry for anyone over 21 who can legally possess a firearm. Active Military and National Guard can carry at 18.

2. Maine does not honor all other states permit/licenses. Their law on how they honor other states did not change. It reads:

25 MRSA §2001-A, sub-§2,
F. A handgun carried by a person to whom a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun has been issued by that person's state of residence if that person's state of residence honors a permit to carry a concealed handgun issued under this chapter; [2015, c. 144, §1 (RPR).]

3. It makes a difference on who Maine honors as the Maine State Police state that by their laws Permitless Carry is not allowed in Maine State Parks. Their Parking Lot Storage Law does not apply to those carrying under Permitless Carry and carrying a defensive handgun while bow hunting requires a permit. These three items require either a Maine or Non-Resident Maine permit or a PERMIT THEY HONOR.

4. Now for the biggie. Arcadia National Park is the only Nat. Park in Maine. The Maine State Police who I have talked to via email and phone more than once (Lt. Ireland) stated and their website states it

http://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/licenses/weapons_permits.html

that A MAINE RESIDENT OR NON-RESIDENT permit is required to legally carry in Arcadia Nat. Park. Those carrying under permitless carry or even with a permit they honor is not valid in Arcadia Nat. Park. The Nat. Parks go by the rules of the states they are in and if Maine says this is what it takes to carry in their Nat. Parks then that is what the National Park will go by.

5. Maine laws have set a trap for those non-residents carrying in Maine. Arcadia Nat Park is a destination point in Maine. Many non-residents go to Maine just to visit Arcadia. Permitless Carry in Maine works in most of the state but there are places it doesn't for those without a permit and even places that are just off limits to those without a Maine permit.

More information can be found here: http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/maine.pdf

6. I forgot. Also if carrying under permitless carry in Maine you have a duty to inform immediately any Police Officer that approaches you on any official business. Those with a permit do not have the duty to inform! I don't make the laws I just report them!

 

[Somewhere in NM]

Thanks Gary!

 

[Gary Slider]

You are welcome. I did make one error. Maine's Reciprocity law did change. It never stated "Resident" permits from the states that honor them. The Maine State Police always stated that and that is the way the law was applied. They added "Resident" to their reciprocity law to make it reflect how they were actually enforcing it.

 

[Ryanxia]

Constitutional carry does come with duty to inform during any 'contact' with an officer, the fine for actually being prosecuted for not doing this is a $100 fine if they somehow knew you were carrying concealed when you didn't tell them.

The reciprocity list is still there because Maine still has a permit system to be able to carry in other States. For example, until recently my Maine permit did not give me a Right to carry concealed in New Hampshire which is a 15 minute drive away, now as long as you keep that permit renewed, you can.

Also I guess one could argue that you never know if there will be a push to get it repealed. As time goes on and people see there really hasn't been any change, I think that's less likely.