Nationwide Reciprocity Bills Intro’ed

If you’re gonna carry pretty

Keep your eyes on H.R. 645, the National Constitutional Carry Act.  Here is the money line:

“(a) No State or political subdivision of a State may impose a criminal or civil penalty on, or otherwise indirectly limit the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by residents or nonresidents of that State who are citizens of the United States and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law.

Basically that says if someone is able to legally own or have a firearm, they can carry it. Anywhere, even if a non-resident of a local state or jurisdiction.

The bill cites the decisions in Heller,  MacDonald, and Bruen (which address, in order, that individuals have the right to own guns, carry guns, and unless restrictions are historically valid, without restriction.

Now, we all know, that many states’ responses to Bruen was to pack on newer restrictions (many of which have already been struck down, some still wending their way through courts.) “Sure, you can own and carry a gun – unless you are in a defined public place but we’re defining ANY public place as restricted” sort of thing.

Basically, this would make ‘Constitutional Carry’ – if you are legally allowed to own a gun, you can carry it – the law of the land. Every state, including anti-gun states like Hawaii, Maryland, New York, Colorado  (and of course California), even possessions like Puerto Rico.

Thank Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and

Mr. Massie (for himself, Ms. Boebert, Mr. Biggs of Arizona, Mr. Brecheen, Mr. Burchett, Mr. Burlison, Mr. Cline, Mr. Cloud, Mr. Collins, Mr. Crane, Mr. Gosar, Ms. Greene of Georgia, Mr. Harris of Maryland, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Langworthy, Mrs. Luna, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Moran, Mr. Ogles, Mr. Rose, Mr. Roy, Mr. Self, Mrs. Spartz, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Wied, Mr. Gill of Texas, and Mr. Harrigan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary   Congress.gov

That’s the good news. The bad news? MAYBE it will make it out of committee, but in all honesty I doubt it. If it does – expect the usual weeping, wailing, predictions of “wild west, blood running in the streets” they have reliably trotted out since Florida started allowing general concealed carry 30 years ago.

They never seem to mention that most killings are committed by a very small number of criminals who disregard laws to begin with, or that most lethal shootings are suicides. It will still be anecdotal “my child was shot” (regardless of the “child” being a 19 year old TdA member doing a drug deal or similar.) Expect poison pill amendments, pearl-clutching – you know the routine.

It’d be nice if  I’m wrong, though.

Category: Crime, Guns, Politics