States with fewest "off limits places"?

[2WheelsGood]

Michigan:

Schools or school property but may carry while in a vehicle on school property while dropping off or picking up if a parent or legal guardian

Public or private day care center, public or private child caring agency, or public or private child placing agency.

Sports arena or stadium

A tavern where the primary source of income is the sale of alcoholic liquor by the glass consumed on the premises

Any property or facility owned or operated by a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other place of worship, unless the presiding official allows concealed weapons

An entertainment facility that the individual knows or should know has a seating capacity of 2,500 or more

A hospital

A dormitory or classroom of a community college, college, or university

A Casino

"Premises" does not include the parking areas of the places listed above.

I should mention that Michigan is also open-carry, and it appears to have a very strange loophole that would allow open-carry in any of the "pistol-free zones" with a CPL. So in theory there are technically no pistol-free zones.

 

[hirundo82]

I looked into this in some detail a few years back. In general, the "may-issue" states are better about where you can carry (if you can get a license) than the shall-issue states.

Rhode Island was the best one I found, with no off limits places by statute; it only prohibits carry while intoxicated.

Of the shall-issue states, the best were Utah, New Hampshire, and Alabama (technically may-issue but shall-issue in practice). They all allow carry in bars, schools, etc.; pretty much the only place prohibited is courtrooms/courthouses.

 

[R-Rizzo]

Sweet.. My First Reply

Oregon.. Hands down in my opinion is one of the best places to have a CHL. Pretty much the *ONLY* place you cannot carry is a courthouse or your standard federal places. Public School... Check : Bars.... Check : Places that charge admission.... Check (Never understood that one, but whatever) : Cities that ban open carry (I.E. Portland, Beaverton Etc Etc)... Your Exempt -- Private Property No Firearms Sign have no legal weight in Oregon... If you are discovered to be carrying the only thing they can do is ask you to leave and not come back. Public Buildings, Non Secured Areas of the Airport, the list goes on and on....

Pretty surprising considering how much of a grip the Liberal Leaning counties have (Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Co are all left leaning and according to a website in 2006 accounted for appx 50 percent of the population of the state)

 

[Ifishsum]

I was going to suggest my home state of Oregon as well. Very few places I can't legally carry, as R-Rizzo states. Public schools, universities, bars and churches are all good. Courthouse and federal buildings are the only off-limit places stated in the law, although a few private venues will exclude you, most notably the Rose Garden. They don't even let off-duty cops carry in there.

 

[AlaskaMan]

Alaska must be in the top couple.
(AS 11.61.190-220)...
1. Anyone (other than a prohibited possessor) may carry openly or concealed without a permit. You do not have to be a resident of the state. If you are carrying concealed, you must notify a peace officer immediately if you are contacted by the officer (traffic stop, investigatory stop, etc). It does not apply if you are openly carrying. Allows under 21 year olds to openly carry firearms (concealed carry is prohibited under 21)

2. The only places you cannot carry are
A.within the grounds of or on a parking lot immediately adjacent to an entity, other than a private residence, licensed as a child care facility under AS 47.32 or recognized by the federal government for the care of children.
B.Alaska Courtroom buildings and offices
C.Domestic violence shelters or sexual assault shelters that receive funding from the state
D.School parking lots and school grounds (AS 11.61.210 (a)(7))
E.any place where intoxicating liquor is sold for consumption on the premises (this applies only to loaded weapons (AS 11.61.220(a)(2))
F.Concealed carry in the residence of another without obtaining express permission from an adult resident is prohibited (AS 11.61.220 (B))

Open or concealed carry is legal in establishments that sell alcohol for consumption on the premises if you do not consume any alcohol while in possession of a loaded firearm (AS 11.61.220 (d)(1)(C)

Of course private property establishments may refuse service to any person and ask you to leave. Refusing to leave is trespassing, but not a 2A.

Carrying is legal, open and concealed, on public transportation and is specifically protected by law (AS 18.65.800)