Gun laws around the nation may soon change in seismic fashion should a Republican concealed carry proposal wind up on Trump’s desk.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Rich Hudson, R-N.C., wants to make it easier for law-abiding gun owners to pack heat when crossing state lines, he told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.
Hudson, 53, has proposed a bill to dramatically shake up the status-quo for obtaining a concealed carry licenses, which vary by state.
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In some states like Arizona, Utah and Texas, that is as simple as obtaining a state-issued ID.
Speaking with DailyMail.com the lawmaker argued that he wants concealed carry licenses to be more like driver’s licenses — recognized by every state, though holder’s still must follow local laws.
‘You know, when I come from North Carolina to D.C., I don’t have to stop at the Virginia state line and take a driver’s test to get a Virginia license,’ he said. ‘We ought to treat this concealed carry permits just like we do driver’s license.’
‘Anyone who’s who takes the time and puts the effort into getting a seal carry permit is a law abiding citizen, and the fact that they can become a criminal just by crossing a state line just doesn’t seem right,’ the NRCC chairman continued.
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Currently, 29 states have constitutional carry laws on the books, meaning state issued IDs, in many cases, are the only permits needed to carry concealed.
Should Hudson’s law pass, Americans who have state issued IDs from constitutional carry states like Alaska and Idaho would be able to concealed carry in deep blue states like California and New York, which normally require concealed carry licenses.
‘In the case of states with constitutional carry, a valid state-issued ID would qualify,’ as a concealed carry permit, Hudson shared.
Still, those who choose to carry concealed must abide by local laws, like restrictions on magazine sizes.
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In New York, for example, concealed carry license applicants must complete at least 18 hours of classroom and live-fire training and provide references to prove to the state they have ‘good moral character.’
In Texas, by contrast, residents who are at least 21-years-old and who can legally posses a handgun are allowed to concealed carry as long as no part of the firearm is visible.
Hudson claims that the bill would even the playing field for those who want to carry concealed but have been restricted by onerous state laws that make the process of getting licensed difficult.
He told DailyMail.com that he was inspired to introduced the bill after hearing about a single mother who was arrested for accidentally crossing state lines with a firearm she bought legally to defend herself and her children.
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Hudson hopes the effort will empower more women to carry concealed.
‘Women are the fastest growing concealed carry permit holders in America because they want to be able to defend themselves and their family,’ he noted.
To those in restrictive areas like Washington, D.C., or California, Hudson says this legislation would remove barriers and inconsistencies that have deterred people from carrying concealed.
Liberal state residents who are over 21 could simply pay $62 online to get licensed to concealed carry in Utah and then use that permit to carry in say California or New York, where the process to obtain the license is way more difficult.
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Now with the GOP supermajority in both chambers of Congress and Republican control over the White House, the effort is closer to becoming law than ever before.
‘I believe the prospects of getting through the Senate are the best we’ve ever had,’ Hudson said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from gun-loving South Dakota where gun ownership per capita is third behind Wyoming and West Virginia, is supportive of the bill, Hudson told DailyMail.com.
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President Trump has supported concealed carry measures. Last month he signed an executive order to speed up the permitting process in Washington, D.C., a place where it is notoriously difficult to obtain a concealed carry license
Hudson said he hopes to get the bill through Congress and onto Trump’s desk by the end of summer.
If he succeeds, concealed carry would presumably become much more widespread.
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‘A criminal is not going to be concerned about whether it’s illegal when they conceal that handgun to carry in their daily lives or to commit a crime,’ the Republican shared.
‘Folks who go to the effort of legally concealed carry are the most law-abiding citizens among us,’ he continued.
* Original Article:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14572429/amp/concealed-carry-easier-state-donald-trump.html?ito=smartnews
