The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Bill
February 15th, 2009 . by TexasFredThe National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Bill
H.R. 197, introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Cliff Stearns’ (R-Fla.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.), would allow any person with a valid concealed firearm carrying permit or license, issued by a state, to carry a concealed firearm in any state, as follows: In states that issue concealed firearm permits, a state’s laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within its borders. In states that do not issue carry permits, a federal “bright-line” standard would permit carrying in places other than police stations; courthouses; public polling places; meetings of state, county, or municipal governing bodies; schools; passenger areas of airports; and certain other locations. The bill applies to D.C., Puerto Rico and U.S. territories. It would not create a federal licensing system; it would require the states to recognize each others’ carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses and carry permits held by armored car guards. Rep. Stearns has introduced such legislation since 1995.
• Today, 48 states have laws permitting concealed carry, in some circumstances. Forty states, accounting for two-thirds of the U.S. population, have RTC laws. Thirty-six have “shall issue” permit laws (including Alaska, which also allows carrying without a permit), three have fairly administered “discretionary issue” permit laws, and Vermont (and Alaska) allow carrying without a permit. (Eight states have restrictive discretionary issue laws.) Most RTC states have adopted their laws in the last decade.
• Citizens with carry permits are more law-abiding than the general public. Only 0.01% of nearly 1.2 million permits issued by Florida have been revoked because of firearm crimes by permit holders. Similarly low percentages of permits have been revoked in Texas, Virginia, and other RTC states that keep such statistics. RTC is widely supported by law enforcement officials and groups.
• States with RTC laws have lower violent crime rates. On average, 22% lower total violent crime, 30% lower murder, 46% lower robbery, and 12% lower aggravated assault, compared to the rest of the country. The seven states with the lowest violent crime rates are RTC states. (Data: FBI.)
• Crime declines in states with RTC laws. Since adopting RTC in 1987, Florida’s total violent crime and murder rates have dropped 32% and 58%, respectively. Texas’ violent crime and murder rates have dropped 20% and 31%, respectively, since its 1996 RTC law. (Data: FBI.)
• The right of self-defense is fundamental, and has been recognized in law for centuries. The Declaration of Independence asserts that “life” is among the unalienable rights of all people. The Second Amendment guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms for “security.”
• The laws of all states and constitutions of most states recognize the right to use force in self-defense. The Supreme Court has stated that a person “may repel force by force” in self-defense, and is “entitled to stand his ground and meet any attack made upon him with a deadly weapon, in such a way and with such force” as needed to prevent “great bodily injury or death.” (Beard v. U.S., 1895)
• Congress affirmed the right to guns for “protective purposes” in the Gun Control Act (1968) and Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (1986). In 1982, the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution described the right to arms as “a right of the individual citizen to privately possess and carry in a peaceful manner firearms and similar arms.”
SOURCE:
http://www.nraila.org/issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=189
With our current administration, it would have to pass with a veto proof majority to have a chance to get past the Lightbringer.
The chances of that, as I see it, are slim to none. This is a symbolic bill.
Symbolic?? Probably… But it’s a nice thought…
This is the sort of legislation I want to see introduced every year.
Our enemies, the enemies of truth and of the Constitution, never tire of trying to strip us of our rights. They chip away with small measures and also bulldoze through on major ones.
I am not going to accept “reasonable” gun control measures. They are not acceptable. Not so long as criminals continue to exist. Not so long as there exists one person anywhere working to destroy my home.
Humanity being what it is I therefore oppose any laws against the right to keep and bear arms.
AMEN Hyunchback, and by the way, THANK YOU!! You know why..
What Hyunchback said goes for me too.
I am much more concerned about HR 45
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.45.IH:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=h.r.+45&aq=f&oq=
It’s a great idea, but I have to agree with thirdpower.
In the meantime:
“Better to be judged by 12 than be carried by 6.”
Carl,
That’s a good slogan but I don’t know how many of us want to live it out.
You, TexasFred, I and others know there is a war on. It’s a war on American culture.
That war was not started by us. We are following the truth of what America is.
The war was started by the people like those currently in power and it is maintained by those who currently hold power.
It’s not a matter of “if” it’s a matter of “when”. When do they cross the line?
I haven’t got a pat answer and I don’t expect it to be said here.
It’s a question for thought, not for statements.
I live in South Carolina which is a Shall Permit state…one would think it would be automatic in the other Shall Permit states but guess what….only if the other State’s law is equally restrictive or more restrictive…as I know of right now…I am only good in Tennessee, Arkansas and two western states which slip my mind at the moment….I doubt this one is going to pass but it should…the Shall Permit law is the best one….and the FBI has noted that in every state that adopted shall permit laws the crimes against people went down……
I meant to add that stores that don’t want you carrying in them have to post same on the entrance….they lose some business in this state for certain….
JD3, yes, you are correct. The FBI’s own data shows that when states adopt “Shall Issue” concealed carry there is a down-trend in crime that is NOT found in states which do not have that policy.
Where I don’t think you are correct is who honors your permit. A resident South Carolina permit has at least 24 states listed on it when I check the map at USA Carry.
http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_reciprocity_maps.html
Not as many as recognize a Texas resident permit, true, but more than 3 or 4 as you seem to believe.
What is true is that we should have a national standard and FORCE those states that currently forbid carry to obey the Constitution.
There is legal precedent for forcing states to obey the Constitution. When the federal government used troops to enforce Black Rights they set the precedent. If they are really into enforcing CIVIL Rights that would include enforcing the 2nd Amendment in whole and total in each and every state.
HR 45 people! Pay attention to that one.
HR 45 people.