Nebraska AG announces recognized permit list

From the Cornhusker State:

LINCOLN — Folks from Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and at least 31 other states are welcome to bring their concealed handguns into the Cornhusker State. But those from South Dakota and 11 other states are not.

That's the word from the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, which was required by a new state law to determine which states have comparable concealed handgun permit laws to Nebraska's. That determines which states' residents could legally carry concealed handguns in Nebraska, as well as their home state.

The review found that 34 states have standards equal to or greater than Nebraska's.

People who have obtained concealed weapons permits in those states have reciprocal rights here and can legally carry concealed weapons in Nebraska, said Leah Bucco-White of the Nebraska Attorney General's Office. ...

Article here, with map showing states whose permits Nebraska recognizes.

Not exactly profiles in courage ...

... but, then again, they're politicians:

How do you outgun the NRA? Very, very carefully.

Mark Pryor knows all about that. The Democratic senator from pro-gun Arkansas was nowhere to be seen on the Senate floor during Wednesday's showdown over a proposal, championed by the National Rifle Association, that would have gutted state gun-control laws across the nation.

After a morning of angry speeches, a vote was called at high noon. Toward the end of the vote, Pryor entered the chamber through the back door, took a few steps inside, flashed a thumbs-down to the clerk, and retreated as fast and furtively as somebody dodging gunfire.

Several minutes later, the Democrats had racked up more than enough votes to block the proposal. "Are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote?" the presiding officer inquired.

Pryor burst back in, this time through a side door. "Mr. President!" he called out. "Mr. President!" He stopped in the well to consult with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a gun-control advocate who was keeping the whip sheet. Schumer gave Pryor a nod, and the Arkansan -- reassured that his vote was not needed to defeat the proposal -- changed his vote to an "aye." [emphasis added] ...

Article here. So, what do we learn, boys and girls? That politicians are spineless jellyfish who don't have the courage to stand for their principles, regardless of what they are. Of course, we already knew that (or should have). So I guess the answer is: nothing new.

As an aside, despite what the article states, the amendment would not have "gutted state gun control laws across the nation," as the reporter asserts. It would simply have allowed those with permits visiting from other states to enjoy the same state rights, and subject to the same state restrictions, as permit holders of the state they're visiting. Yet another example of mainstream media ignorance and inaccuracy.

Thune-Vitter national reciprocity amendment fails to pass

The final vote tally was 58-39, but the measure needed 60 votes to pass. Here's the breakdown by senator:

Voting YEA (for the amendment, the pro-gun vote):

YEAs ---58

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagan (D-NC)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Vitter (R-LA)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wicker (R-MS)

And voting NAY (against the amendment, the anti-gun vote):

NAYs ---39

Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Burris (D-IL)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Specter (D-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 3

Byrd (D-WV)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Mikulski (D-MD)

View the vote tally organized a few other ways at the Senate website here. Remember who voted for or against your right to self-defense come election time, and reward them accordingly.

Oregon lawmakers debate CCW reciprocity law

From Oregon Firearms Federation:

Today in the House Judiciary Committee, three bills of interest to gun owners were heard, But without question, the one that most gun owners will want to know about was HB 2463.

This bill recognizes the concealed handgun licenses of all other states.

At the request of OFF, an amendment was drafted that extended that recognition to Alaska and Vermont, which allow their residents to carry concealed without a license.

As you know, this type of legislation has been introduced many times in the past and has always generated resistance from the Oregon Sheriffs.

At today's hearing, the representative of the Oregon Sheriffs stated that they no longer opposed recognizing the CHL's of other states. This is a significant breakthrough in our efforts to have Oregon join the many states that allow non-residents to be safe while visiting .

We strongly urge you to contact the House Judiciary Committee and express your support for HB 2463. Please remind them that this bill not only helps non-residents, but will help Oregonians whose licenses would be recognized in many states if Oregon recognizes theirs. A sample message and contact information follow at the bottom of this page.

Oregon currently recognizes NO other state permits. This bill would change that and open up numerous other states to concealed carry by Oregon residents.

Article here. Please consider contacting the committee members to express your support for this bill.

Alaska Senator Begich co-sponsors national reciprocity bill

From Alaska:

From a Senator Mark Begich press release:

In an effort to secure the rights of individuals to lawfully carry concealed firearms across state lines, Sen. Mark Begich is co-sponsoring the Respecting States Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.

Currently, Sen. Begich is the only Democrat of the 19 senators co-sponsoring the legislation that allows an individual to lawfully carry a concealed firearm across state lines if they have a valid permit or, if under their state of residence, they are allowed to do so.

"This bill will allow Alaskans who are able to carry a concealed weapon legally in our state, to do so when they travel to other states that have a system of concealed carry laws," Sen. Begich said. "The Second Amendment is of utmost importance to Alaskans, and this is just one step in my ongoing commitment to protect our right to bear arms."

Article / press release here. Given anti-gun Democrat control of Congress and the White House, don't expect this bill to go anywhere.

Utah bill would nix out-of-state CCW permits

From the Beehive State (Utah residents: you need a new state nickname! :)), comes this Salt Lake Tribune editorial supporting a bill to limit Utah concealed carry permits to Utah residents only:

The words "liberal" and "Utah" are rarely used in the same sentence, unless you're talking about firearms statutes. Utah's concealed-carry permit law is one of the most liberal, and by that we mean permissive, in the nation.

Utah permits are inexpensive, simple to acquire, slow to expire, easy to renew and are accepted in 32 other states through reciprocity agreements. And, for those reasons, they're the permit of choice for a nation of gun lovers. Approximately half of the new permits issued by the state in recent years have been acquired by nonresidents, many from states with more restrictive laws.

But that could change. There's a gun battle shaping up on Utah's Capitol Hill.

State Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake City, fired the first shot last week, filing a bill that would prevent nonresidents from obtaining Utah gun permits. And gun advocates, who claim to have been ambushed by the proposal, appear determined to shoot it down.

There are three good reasons why McCoy's bill should be enacted into law. ...

Read the op-ed here. If you have a Utah permit, you might want to make your opposition to such a change known. You might start with the state senate committee that will hear Sen. McCoy's bill.

Utah sees spike in CCW permits

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

Gun owners are flooding the state with applications for concealed weapons permits, with almost 45,000 applications filed in 2008, easily a record number, quadrupling the figure from just four years ago.

With the surge, about one in every 25 Utahns over age 21 could be carrying a licensed concealed weapon, according to a Salt Lake Tribune analysis of numbers from the Bureau of Criminal Identification.

In December, alone, BCI received 6,000 permit requests -- the highest number ever, capping a year with six record-breaking months.

In all, about 71,000 Utahns have a license to pack a concealed weapon. It is estimated that another 71,000 out-of-state residents have a Utah permit.

Experts say the sharp increase in the numbers can be attributed to several factors: national politics, the economic downturn and well-publicized shootings.

Clark Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, says gun owners, worried about the gun control stand of President-elect Barack Obama, scurried to get a permit. Applications poured in during the Democratic primary and saw a spike after the Nov. 4 election.

Article here. As the article mentions, one of the reasons out-of-staters get a Utah permit is due to the Utah permit's excellent reciprocity -- thirty-three states honor the Utah permit.

West Virginia announces CCW reciprocity with Louisiana

From the Mountain State:

Charleston, WV - Attorney General Darrell McGraw today announced a concealed weapons reciprocity agreement with the state of Louisiana. This is the latest in the ongoing efforts of Attorney General Darrell McGraw to negotiate agreements with states across the nation.

West Virginians with valid concealed weapons permits are now allowed to carry concealed weapons in a total of 23 states. West Virginia now has agreements with the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. The states of Alaska, Indiana, Montana, and Vermont formally recognize West Virginia’s concealed handgun license without an agreement. Idaho and Kansas have not formally acknowledged recognition but appear to do so.

“Negotiating agreements with other states will continue to be a priority of the Attorney General’s office and we are glad to have added Louisiana to the growing list of states that recognize West Virginia’s permits,”stated Attorney General Darrell McGraw. [emphasis added]

During the 2007 legislative session House Bill 3074 was passed and signed by Governor Manchin on March 9, 2007. The law then transferred authority from Governor Manchin to Attorney General Darrell McGraw to negotiate concealed weapon reciprocity agreements with other states. Prior to authority being transferred to the Attorney General, West Virginia had agreements with only Virginia and Kentucky. [emphasis added] ...

Press release here. Note the difference that having someone (in this case, the state's attorney general) who makes securing reciprocity agreements a priority can have in the number of reciprocal states -- WV went from 2 states to 23 in a year and a half.

Time for federal CCW reciprocity?

Here's an opinion piece arguing for a federal law to force states to recognize other states' carry permits.

The inherent weaknesses of concealed carry laws that aren’t uniform are the same weaknesses that are characteristic of every part of the liberal agenda. The promise made to us is “peace and safety,” yet liberals lack the power to bring about either while denying us the one thing that could do both: the freedom to exercise our natural rights.

As a conservative, I hold state’s rights in the highest regard and believe that federal intrusion on state issues has only diminished the level of real self-government in this country (we saw this clearly with abortion in Roe vs. Wade). In truth, I abhor federal intrusion. But in the case of concealed carry licenses, it is already a federal issue; for it is ultimately the federal government, not the states, that decides who will and who will not receive a permit through the work of the FBI.

Article here.