May 10, 2021

Cassidy, Cornyn, Senate GOP Introduce Conceal-Carry Reciprocity Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) along with 29 of their Senate GOP colleagues introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This legislation will allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws, while still abiding by that state’s laws.

“Our right to keep and bear arms is protected in the Constitution. The ability to protect yourself and your family should not end at the Louisiana border,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill ensures law-abiding citizens can exercise that right to defend themselves while respecting state laws.”

“This bill focuses on two of our country’s 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,” said Senator Cornyn. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this important legislation for law-abiding gun owners nationwide.”

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Thune (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), James Risch (R-ID), Mike Braun (R-IN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), and John Boozman (R-AR).

Background
Protecting Fundamental Constitutional Rights:

  • Allows law-abiding citizens to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense while they are traveling or temporarily living away from home.
  • Allows individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to conceal carry in any other states that also allow concealed carry.
  • Treats 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.

Respecting State Sovereignty:

  • Does not establish national standards for concealed carry. 
  • Does not provide for a national concealed carry permit.
  • Does not allow a resident to circumvent their home state’s concealed carry permit laws. If under current law an individual is prohibited by federal law from carrying a firearm, they will continue to be prohibited from doing so under our bill.
  • Respects state laws concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried and types of firearms which may not be carried by the visiting individual.
  • Protects states’ rights by not mandating the right to concealed carry in places that do not allow the practice.

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