NRA Backs Constitutional Concealed Carry Bill

Bill Would Require States to Honor Other States' Concealed Carry Permits

On behalf of its five-million members, the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has announced its support for S. 498--The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015--which was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).  The legislation would respect the rights of individuals who possess concealed carry permits from their home state or who are not prohibited from carrying concealed in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry.

“The current patchwork of state and local laws is confusing for even the most conscientious and well-informed concealed carry permit holders. This confusion often leads to law-abiding gun owners running afoul of the law when they exercise their right to self-protection while traveling or temporarily living away from home,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA-ILA. “Senator Cornyn’s legislation provides a much needed solution to a real problem for law-abiding gun owners.”

This legislation wouldn’t override state laws governing the time, place or manner of carriage or establish national standards for concealed carry.  Individual state gun laws would still be respected. Concealed carry reciprocity would simply ensure that states honor permits issued by other states, just as they do with driver’s licenses. Importantly, if under federal law a person is prohibited from carrying a firearm, they will continue to be prohibited from doing so under this bill.

“Our fundamental right to self-defense does not stop at a state's borders.  Law abiding citizens should be able to exercise this right while traveling across state lines,” continued Cox. “This is an extremely important issue to our members and we thank Senator Cornyn for leading the fight to protect our right to self-defense,” concluded Cox.

A companion bill--H.R. 923--has been introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.).