U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today helped reintroduce the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and dozens of other lawmakers. This legislation would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws, while abiding by that state’s laws. Thune has been a strong, long-time advocate for this legislation, having led the effort during several previous Congresses.
“As long as I’ve been in Congress, I’ve fought for Second Amendment rights as outlined in the Constitution and have stood with law-abiding South Dakotans who choose to exercise those rights,” said Thune. “Since state borders shouldn’t restrict constitutional rights, this legislation ensures people who are legally entitled to carry a concealed firearm in one state can also carry in another state as long as they respect the laws of any other state they visit.”
Background on the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act:
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.
Broad Support:
- Last Congress, identical legislation had 40 cosponsors. In the 113th Congress, a nearly identical amendment authored by Thune received 57 votes in the Senate, including 13 Democrats.
In addition to Thune and Cornyn, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).