Oklahoma Governor Vetoes Open Carry Bill

[martialartsblackbelt]

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Gov. Brad Henry on Friday vetoed a bill that would have allowed Oklahomans with concealed-carry permits to openly carry weapons.

House Bill 3354 by Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, would have taken effect Nov. 1.

"I'm a strong supporter of the right to bear arms and have earned an A rating from the NRA, but this measure does nothing to strengthen Second Amendment protections," Henry said. "We already allow trained and licensed Oklahomans to protect themselves by carrying concealed handguns, and it doesn't make anyone safer to wear a holster and display that weapon to the rest of the public. On the contrary, it makes it more difficult and dangerous for law enforcement officers to try to sort out the good guys and the bad guys when they arrive at a crime scene."

The Oklahoma State Troopers Association opposed the measure.

Henry also vetoed a bill that would have prohibited Oklahoma from following the new federal health care law and authorized the Legislature to file a lawsuit over the issue.

Henry said House Joint Resolution 1054 would have triggered a futile legal battle and a possible loss of federal health care funding.


Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/arti...100514_12_0_OKLAHO511907&allcom=1#commentform

He's not running again so hes more worried about his future in politics then he is the citizens of oklahoma

 

[mljdeckard]

We would do well to remember the term; "LAME DUCK" and what it means.

 

[rbernie]

The Oklahoma State Troopers Association opposed the measure.

Anyone know why?

 

[mljdeckard]

I saw that and scratched my head too. The Utah Highway Patrol Association never would have opposed such laws.

 

[Old Shooter]

it makes it more difficult and dangerous for law enforcement officers to try to sort out the good guys and the bad guys when they arrive at a crime scene.

So, does that mean the bad guys are open carrying now?

 

[zxcvbob]

So, does that mean the bad guys are open carrying now?

Of course not, it was just a gratuitous insult. Any hope of a veto override to show the Gov just much of a lame duck he really is?

 

[Zoogster]

it makes it more difficult and dangerous for law enforcement officers to try to sort out the good guys and the bad guys when they arrive at a crime scene.

So, does that mean the bad guys are open carrying now?

Never seen a bad guy open carrying. They may have the gun out while they are using it during a crime, but they typically want to keep it hidden in public in between crimes.


You are unlikely to see a bad guy open carrying, and very unlikely to see a repeat offender who is a felon announcing their illegal firearm possession to everyone by open carrying.


Open carry also announces itself to Law Enforcement. Rather than having to ask who is armed, or perform a pat down, they already are aware of the presence of the firearm.
If they truly feared the person legally carrying you would think they would be more in favor of open carry than concealed carry.

The bill also did not make it legal for all citizens to open carry, rather it just allowed the same people who have government permission to carry concealed to open carry as well.

As most people who carry concealed would probably not elect to carry openly, the primary benefit would be that someone carrying concealed would not have to fear printing or the wind uncovering a garment. Or worrying about the law if they chose to take off a covering garment on a day that started out cold and became hot.
They would have the freedom to dress and adjusting their clothing.
Remove a coat or shirt to rinse off something spilled before the stain sets in for example.
Now they must remain tightly bundled, enemies with the wind.

 

[wishin]

This doesn't make any sense to me. Someone who's legally allowed to hide a gun on his person is all of a sudden mistaken for a BG when he OC's. In the Governor's way of thinking, the BG is going to masqerade as a licenced gun owner by open carrying!

 

[CoRoMo]

Maybe his campaign was funded in part, by some of the Brady crowd and they were just calling in that favor. Too bad. Try again in a few years. That's what we're going to have to do here in regards to the carry permit/NICS bypass at point of purchase. Our Gov vetoed that, so we'll have to start over when he's out.

When he's out, call up the very rep that authored/introduced the bill and urge him to put it back up there for the next Gov. Of course if that rep isn't holding his seat any longer, you gotta start somewhere else.

 

[rim]

Henry will be gone soon enough.....crazy, he approved (by law) that citizens could lock their handguns in their POV while at work (on company property),,,, yet say's NO to open carry.
I'd like to know if the NRA will change his "A" rating??

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

the bill went thru the house twice and passed with even more votes the 2nd time. ill bet itll be over ridden

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I hope he can never win another office in OK.

 

[miestro_jerry]

Some of those elected officials with NRA A rating are bad politicians, I have that situation here in eastern Ohio. I carry openly, it is my right as affirmed by the founding fathers. Maybe the NRA should look into affirming the right to carry in the country.

Jerry

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

Funny you should say that Jerry, where has the NRA been on this bill?
no where in sight.

 

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

Actually, I agree with the Governor. Why should just the conceal carry folks only have the right to open carry? Anyone that is not a criminal should be allowed to open carry, eh?

 

[NavyLCDR]

but this measure does nothing to strengthen Second Amendment protections,

I agree with that statement. A license would still be required to carry the gun. At that point the method proscribed has nothing to do with it. It is still unconstitutional because of the licensure requirement. Now, if the bill had said that open carry was permitted without a license, then it would ALLOW for the Second Amendment protections. It would still do nothing to strengthen Second Amendment protections because there are none in Oklahoma under the current system.

"On the contrary, it makes it more difficult and dangerous for law enforcement officers to try to sort out the good guys and the bad guys when they arrive at a crime scene."

Totally, completely, 100% false and untrue. The exact opposite is true under the current system. Cop arrives on the scene now and BOTH the good guys and the bad guys are concealing their guns. Under the new system, the good guys should be carrying their firearms in the open, and the criminal would still have to hide theirs, because they would not be legal to display them.

I hope both the gun bill and the health care bill vetoes get overridden and the bonehead governor gets a lesson in constitutionality.

The Oklahoma State Troopers Association opposed the measure.

Of course they did. It's much easier to deal with a crime scene that has a victim.... even a dead victim... than it is to deal with a citizen who was able to lawfully defend themselves. And we don't want all those MWAG calls to start coming in, now do we!

 

[miestro_jerry]

O.K., now some where on Oklahoma is got to be places like where I live. Even before they cut the sheriff's department in half, we never had any LEOs out my way.

If the patrol cars has something about "protecting and serving" on them, that would be the government perpetrating a fraud upon the people.

Currently I am paying taxes so other parts of the county have police and other services. Becasue I had a massive amount of corrective surgery on my left foot people have been telling me if I need help to call. So when some idiot was at my front door threatening me for something I did't do, the sheriff's department took a report over the phone and the fire department came out to find the guy. The difference, the local VFD is made up of my neighbors, I have no idea where the deputies live. No one told if they found the guy, but I haven't seen him since that incident.

If the government wants to do anything about open carry, then they had better come up with a common defense that will protect the people. Currently the government, no matter who is in office can't do anything right these days. They all say they have no money and they want to raise our taxes, but we say that we don't have any money to pay those taxes.

If a crime is committed in Oklahoma that an armed citizenry could have stopped, then maybe the state should look at what their purpose really is. Where I live I don't see a lot of need for the state government. The further away the government is from me, the better. And I live in a state where they are fairly pro gun.

Jerry

 

[Art Eatman]

Hokay, enough politics for a Saturday morning.