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February 5, 2023 - WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), along with 42 of their Senate colleagues, 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.
Of the bill, Sen. Lee said, “As a proud constitutional carry state, Utah has always valued the right of its people to keep and bear arms. Now, in a post-Bruen world, we have the ammunition to jealously defend the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. It defies logic that we allow individuals to use their home-state license to drive in another state but not concealed carry. I’m proud to cosponsor this commonsense legislation to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.”
Of the bill, Sen. Cornyn said, “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. 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 44 of my Republican Senate colleagues for joining me on this important bill.”
Of the bill, Sen. Hagerty said, “The constitutional right of self-defense should not disappear simply because an individual crosses state lines. 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.”
The legislation is also cosponsored 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), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), 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 Rounds (R-SD), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
Background on the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act:
- Allows individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws
- 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
- Protects state sovereignty by not establishing a national standard for concealed carry
This legislation is endorsed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Rifle Association.
Source: Senator Mike Lee
