Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

State Attorneys General Back National Reciprocity

Friday, December 1, 2017

State Attorneys General Back National Reciprocity

AGs: Will not result in an increased risk of crime. 

Fairfax, Va.—  Today, H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, gained support from a coalition of America’s highest-ranking law enforcement officers. Twenty-four* attorneys general from across the country signed a letter spearheaded by Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley supporting this common sense legislation. 

The additional support for Concealed Carry Reciprocity follows House Judiciary Committee approval of H.R. 38.  A full House vote is expected soon.

“America’s highest-ranking law enforcement officers understand that law-abiding citizens should be able to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense while traveling across state lines without fear of unknowingly breaking the law. The NRA applauds these attorneys general for supporting this important legislation,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action. 

The letter states that H.R. 38 is a much-needed solution to a problem facing gun owners and poses no threat to public safety.  “The exercise of Congress’s power is particularly warranted in this case because too many states refuse to allow law-abiding visitors to carry concealed firearms. These states leave people without any real option for self-defense. Allowing concealed carry across state lines will not result in an increased risk of crime, as those states that have reciprocal concealed-carry agreements have not encountered any significant safety issues.”

H.R. 38 would eliminate the confusing patchwork of state laws that make it difficult for law-abiding gun owners to travel across the country with their firearms for personal protection. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act affirms that law-abiding citizens who are qualified to carry concealed firearms in one state can carry in other states that allow residents to do so.

A copy of the letter signed by attorneys general from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma*, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming can be found here.

*Please note: an earlier version of this press release said 23 attorneys general and has since been updated with the recent addition of the Oklahoma attorney general who signed on after the original letter was posted.


Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at NRA on Facebook and Twitter @NRA.

TRENDING NOW
All Flags, No Fix: Michigan’s Real Public Safety Problem

News  

Monday, August 31, 2026

All Flags, No Fix: Michigan’s Real Public Safety Problem

Sorry, Michiganders, but the state has developed a serious problem with crime and consequences.

FBI Releases Final Crime Report for 2025 to the Dismay of Firearm Prohibitionists

News  

Monday, August 24, 2026

FBI Releases Final Crime Report for 2025 to the Dismay of Firearm Prohibitionists

There has been a certain amount of anticipation while the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) analyzed the available crime data for last year. The speculation among many was that the report would be, not just ...

Biden-Era “Engaged in the Business” Rule (Again) Ruled Illegal

News  

Monday, August 31, 2026

Biden-Era “Engaged in the Business” Rule (Again) Ruled Illegal

The anti-gun programs and policies of the Biden-Harris administration have been falling like dominoes, lately.

Questions and Answers About the Texas NFA Case

News  

Monday, August 17, 2026

Questions and Answers About the Texas NFA Case

On August 12, we reported on an important development in the ongoing litigation over the National Firearms Act (NFA) filed by multiple plaintiffs in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. These included, ...

Commerce Dept. Explains Why Unconstitutional Microstamping is Also Ineffective

News  

Monday, August 31, 2026

Commerce Dept. Explains Why Unconstitutional Microstamping is Also Ineffective

On August 12, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sent a letter to U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas) reiterating what gun rights ...

Australia Remains Committed to Eliminating Guns from the Law-Abiding

News  

Monday, August 31, 2026

Australia Remains Committed to Eliminating Guns from the Law-Abiding

It’s been a long time since Australia had relatively sensible gun laws.  While national regulations did not really come into play until the 1990s, the states and territories began imposing severe restrictions on lawful gun owners ...

District Court Enters Final Judgment Striking Down New Mexico’s Waiting Period Law in NRA Victory

Friday, August 28, 2026

District Court Enters Final Judgment Striking Down New Mexico’s Waiting Period Law in NRA Victory

The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico granted summary judgment holding New Mexico’s 7-day waiting period law unconstitutional in Ortega v. Grisham—a case brought by the National Rifle Association and Mountain States ...

A New Era of Access for Hunters: Trump DOI Expands Opportunities in Historic Move

News  

Monday, August 31, 2026

A New Era of Access for Hunters: Trump DOI Expands Opportunities in Historic Move

Heading into hunting season, America's sportsmen and women have another significant development from the Trump administration worth celebrating.

NRA-ILA Launches First-Ever National “Gun Bus Battleground Tour” to Mobilize Gun Owners for 2026 Midterms

News  

Monday, August 31, 2026

NRA-ILA Launches First-Ever National “Gun Bus Battleground Tour” to Mobilize Gun Owners for 2026 Midterms

FAIRFAX, Va. — The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) todaylaunched its first-ever national bus tour, the 2026 NRA’s Gun Bus Battleground Tour, a more than two month, 13-state campaign to energize and ...

Federal Court Strikes Down NFA Registration Requirements for Suppressors, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Short-Barreled Shotguns in NRA Case

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Federal Court Strikes Down NFA Registration Requirements for Suppressors, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Short-Barreled Shotguns in NRA Case

In another major victory for the National Rifle Association and law-abiding gun owners, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas today held that the National Firearms Act’s registration and approval requirements for ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.