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The following is posted on a blog at a newspaper in a rural Arizona town...
On Monday, the 99th anniversary of the U.S. Army’s adoption of John Browning’s Model 1911 pistol, the Arizona senate passed landmark legislation helping to ensure the rights of the state’s gun owners remain secure.
Senate Bill 1108, referred to as “Constitutional Carry,” passed the Senate in a 20-10 vote. The bill, if approved by the House and signed by the Governor, will permit Arizonans to carry firearms concealed without a permit in most circumstances.
The House Committee of the Whole already passed its version, HB 2347, and it is scheduled to go to the House floor for a third and final read and a vote on Tuesday, March 30. Passage by the Senate of its mirror-image SB 1108 means the House will likely read the Senate bill and then vote. A majority vote would send the bill to the Governor to be signed into law.
The governor’s signature is not a foregone conclusion, but because her office contacted a House Committee regarding changes to HB 2347 to make it more palatable to her office and those changes were made she will probably sign the bill into law.
Although the law will allow most legal adults to carry firearms concealed under most circumstances the Concealed Weapon Permit system will remain and the Department of Public Safety’s Concealed Weapons Permit Unit will continue to issue permits.
Permits will continue to be required for a number of places and situations where open carry of firearms is limited or not currently legal. They will also allow gun buyers who are in possession of permits to forego an additional background check.
But, the rules governing the issue of permits will be considerably more reasonable for applicants following the passage of SB 1108. Adults who have taken any recognized firearms safety course, including any National Rifle Association classes, or Hunter’s Education or any other DPS recognized class may use that class to satisfy the state safety education requirement. Additionally, veterans of the U.S. Military and former law enforcement officers will automatically qualify as having the requisite training.
The House is also expected to pass HB 2543 on Tuesday after its third read. It is called the “Firearms Preemption” bill. This legislation will prohibit local entities, cities and counties, from enacting any special law or ordinance regarding the possession of firearms. It will guarantee uniformity of law throughout the state and eliminate the possibility of gun owners inadvertently crossing into a county or city limit that has more restrictive laws and in doing so violate local ordinances.
HB 2543 passed the House 36-21-3.
Also on Monday, the Senate passed HB 2307, the “Arizona Firearms Freedom Act,” 22-8. This bill will exempt Arizona gun makers from federal regulation if the firearms they make are clearly stamped “Made in Arizona” and guaranteed not to be sold outside of Arizona. It contends that the federal government only has jurisdiction over the state’s firearms industry through the Interstate Commerce clause and that if the gun maker does business solely within the borders of Arizona it does not qualify as Interstate Commerce. HB 2307 passed the Senate 22-8.
On Monday, the 99th anniversary of the U.S. Army’s adoption of John Browning’s Model 1911 pistol, the Arizona senate passed landmark legislation helping to ensure the rights of the state’s gun owners remain secure.
Senate Bill 1108, referred to as “Constitutional Carry,” passed the Senate in a 20-10 vote. The bill, if approved by the House and signed by the Governor, will permit Arizonans to carry firearms concealed without a permit in most circumstances.
The House Committee of the Whole already passed its version, HB 2347, and it is scheduled to go to the House floor for a third and final read and a vote on Tuesday, March 30. Passage by the Senate of its mirror-image SB 1108 means the House will likely read the Senate bill and then vote. A majority vote would send the bill to the Governor to be signed into law.
The governor’s signature is not a foregone conclusion, but because her office contacted a House Committee regarding changes to HB 2347 to make it more palatable to her office and those changes were made she will probably sign the bill into law.
Although the law will allow most legal adults to carry firearms concealed under most circumstances the Concealed Weapon Permit system will remain and the Department of Public Safety’s Concealed Weapons Permit Unit will continue to issue permits.
Permits will continue to be required for a number of places and situations where open carry of firearms is limited or not currently legal. They will also allow gun buyers who are in possession of permits to forego an additional background check.
But, the rules governing the issue of permits will be considerably more reasonable for applicants following the passage of SB 1108. Adults who have taken any recognized firearms safety course, including any National Rifle Association classes, or Hunter’s Education or any other DPS recognized class may use that class to satisfy the state safety education requirement. Additionally, veterans of the U.S. Military and former law enforcement officers will automatically qualify as having the requisite training.
The House is also expected to pass HB 2543 on Tuesday after its third read. It is called the “Firearms Preemption” bill. This legislation will prohibit local entities, cities and counties, from enacting any special law or ordinance regarding the possession of firearms. It will guarantee uniformity of law throughout the state and eliminate the possibility of gun owners inadvertently crossing into a county or city limit that has more restrictive laws and in doing so violate local ordinances.
HB 2543 passed the House 36-21-3.
Also on Monday, the Senate passed HB 2307, the “Arizona Firearms Freedom Act,” 22-8. This bill will exempt Arizona gun makers from federal regulation if the firearms they make are clearly stamped “Made in Arizona” and guaranteed not to be sold outside of Arizona. It contends that the federal government only has jurisdiction over the state’s firearms industry through the Interstate Commerce clause and that if the gun maker does business solely within the borders of Arizona it does not qualify as Interstate Commerce. HB 2307 passed the Senate 22-8.
