Rep. Hudson Introduces National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill

By David Codrea

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This time, Republicans have no credible excuse for not passing national concealed carry reciprocity. If you agree, you must make your voice heard. [Photo: Richard Hudson/Facebook]
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- H.R.38, a bill “To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a means by which nonresidents of a State whose residents may carry concealed firearms may also do so in the State,” was introduced Tuesday by North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for further action.

“It will provide law-abiding citizens the right to conceal carry without worrying about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits,” Hudson, a member of President-elect Donald Trump’s Second Amendment Coaltion noted. “[It will ensure] our Second Amendment right doesn’t disappear when we cross state lines.”

Also known by its short title, the “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017,’’ the text of the bill, available as a pdf file on Rep. Hudson’s official House website, will codify that a person “carrying a valid license or permit which is issued pursuant to the law of a State and which permits the person to carry a concealed firearm or is entitled to carry a concealed firearm in the State in which the person resides, may possess or carry a concealed handgun … in any State that …. has a statute under which residents of the State may apply for a license or permit to carry a concealed firearm; or … does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms by residents of the State for lawful purposes.

“A person who carries or possesses a concealed handgun … may not be arrested or otherwise detained for violation of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof related to the possession, transportation, or carrying of firearms unless there is probable cause to believe that the person is doing so in a manner not provided for by this section,” the bill elaborates. It also provides for “damages or other appropriate relief” for “[a] person who is deprived of any right, privilege, or immunity secured by this section, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of any State. Left intact would be state-specific prohibitions and restrictions on private and state properties.

The National Rifle Assosciation was quick to weigh in with strong support.

“Congressman Hudson’s legislation provides a much needed solution to a real problem for law-abiding gun owners,” Insititute for Legislative Action executive director Chris Cox said.

“The Hudson bill would ensure that victims of crime like Pennsylvania concealed carry holder Shaneen Allen do not face decades of imprisonment, merely because they took an erroneous turn into another state,” Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America stated in announcing GOA’s “strong support” for the legislation. “This legislation would simplify the puzzling variation of concealed carry across the states and make America safer by letting citizens defend themselves while they travel.”

This is not Hudson’s first attempt at passing such a bill. A similar effort from 2015 was introduced and died without being enacted. With Republicans enjoying majorities in the House and Senate, and with Donald Trump ready to assume the presidency, all strongly enabled by gun owner support, all excuses for not passing the bill this time will ring hollow. But your help is needed.

Understanding that some politicians will still need to be motivated, readers here can get involved by contacting their representatives – at least the ones worth contacting – and letting them know their support and co-sponsorship are expected.  This can be done either via their official web pages, or, as more constituents are using, via their social media feeds (such as the way I put my congressman on notice on Twitter). And for those living in districts or states where the representatives are enemies of the right to keep and bear arms, there’s nothing stopping you from contacting representatives in other states who are amenable to being persuaded (and a good indicator for that is their GOA grade).

Also see: AmmoLand Concealed Carry Reciprocity posts


UPDATE:

Rep. Richard Hudson (R., N.C.) clarified on Wednesday that his national concealed carry reciprocity bill would apply to permits issued by states to non-residents. [More]

David Codrea in his natural habitat.

About David Codrea:

David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.

In addition to being a field editor/columnist at GUNS Magazine and associate editor for Oath Keepers, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.

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Ray Woollard

I live in Maryland. Had a permit only to have it taken
away. They said I didn’t need it anymore. I sued the State, won my case, only to have
It appealed to the 4th circuit where they put a stay
on the case.

I have cancer now. I have to travel to Baltimore &
other places for treatments,without the physical capibility to run
away or protect my wife or myself.

The law is something we have needed for a long
time, but it will not help me or others in the least in the Great
State of Maryland

Pistol Pete

We don’t need this bill! What we need is a bill that states that no Federal government, no local or state government can place any restriction on our Second Amendment Rights to carry a gun. That would do away with all the permits and all this state by state bull!

Kevin McGonigal

There is only one law, actually a decision by the federal courts, that will finally rein in these blue state laws, namely a clear and unambiguous decision by the federal courts that establishes that US citizens have an individual, Constitutional, federal, civil right to possess firearms, including the right to carry such arms, absent a criminal intent, and that individual states may not enact such regulations that make it so burdensome and onerous to exercise this right that the right is effectively nullified by the state. States that refuse to comply will lose all federal funding and individuals in state… Read more »

Vanns40

This Bill has serious flaws and some of us have tried to address them with the powers that be (intentionally unnamed). Let’s start with: It does not apply or cover D.C. or any territory or possession. It does nothing for any citizen who resides in a State where it is virtually impossible to obtain a permit; NJ, NY, HI and others, who’s is one of the requirements. It offers no process for piercing the sovereign immunity, in the courtroom, of the prosecutor, arresting police officer or judge who says “well Mr. Jones, technically you are right, but here in New… Read more »

MadMagyar

The wording doesn’t cover Constitutional carry, i.e. for Arizona residents who choose NOT to apply for permission to exercise a Right. Until the reciprocity is COMPLETE reciprocity, I don ‘t support this.
-MM

Donald Amarescu

How would this work traveling to a may issue State such as NJ where practically no one gets a carry permit . Would they still be required to allow an out of state ccw holder to Carry in NJ ?

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