February 1, 2023

Cassidy, Cornyn, Hagerty, Colleagues Introduce Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and 43 Senate Republicans, today introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that allows concealed carry, while still abiding by that state’s laws. 

“The right to protect yourself and your family should not end at the state border,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill ensures law-abiding citizens can exercise that right to defend themselves regardless of what state they’re in.”

“I’m proud to support law-abiding gun owners across America with this commonsense legislation that would let them concealed carry in all states that allow it,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation strengthens two of our most fundamental constitutional protections – the Second Amendment’s right of citizens to keep and bear arms and the Tenth Amendment’s right of states to make laws best-suited for their residents – and I’m grateful to XX of my Republican Senate colleagues for joining me on this important bill.”

“The constitutional right of self-defense should not disappear simply because an individual crosses state lines,” said Senator Hagerty. “I’m pleased to join my Senate colleagues in this commonsense legislation to ensure that law-abiding Tennesseans who are permitted to carry a concealed firearm are able to exercise that right in other states, consistent with those states’ laws, without having to obtain a separate permit.”

Cassidy, Cornyn, and Hagerty were joined by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), John Thune (R-SD), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Boozman (R-AR), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Todd Young (R-IN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Mike Braun (R-IN), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), James Risch (R-ID), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would:

  • Allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws
  • Treat state-issued concealed carry permits like drivers’ licenses where an individual can use their home-state license to drive in another state, but must abide by that other state’s speed limit or road laws
  • Protect state sovereignty by not establishing a national standard for concealed carry

The bill has been endorsed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Rifle Association.

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