Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, has pre-filed a bill to end a requirement that he said is an improper limit on the constitutional right to bear arms, according to a news release.
“It’s time we give our citizens the right to bear arms without first seeking the government’s permission,” Allen said.
Alabama already allows people to openly carry a holstered pistol without a permit. Allen said there is no logical reason to continue the permit requirement for carrying a concealed pistol.
SB 24 has significant support in the Alabama Senate. Yellowhammer State
Senate Republicans released a set of six goals on February 6th, for the 2017 session. One of them was to pass “permitless” carry. From alsenaterepublicans.com:
Permitless Carry
Ten states across the country allow their citizens to carry guns without a permit, and Senate Republicans believe Alabamians should have a similarly unimpeded right to protect their families and property.
Therefore, a repeal of the requirement for a conceal carry permit shall be a priority in the 2017 session. Alabamians could still apply for a pistol permit in order to carry a gun in states like Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida that have reciprocity laws with Alabama.
A pistol permit holder would also retain the benefit of foregoing a background check when purchasing firearms.
Alabama is a Republican trifecta. There are 72 Republicans, 31 Democrats and two vacancies in the Alabama House. There are 26 Republicans, eight Democrats and one Independent in the Senate Governor Robert J. Bentley is a Republican.
In 2015, Governor Bentley ordered the removal of signs banning the carry of guns at Alabama rest stops. In 2016, he signed a bill that eliminated the fees for concealed carry permits for retired military personnel. In 2010, while running for Governor, he made this campaign promise:
The Second Amendment clearly grants every American the right to own firearms. As Governor I will protect each Alabamian’s right to legally purchase, own, carry, and use firearms.
Ten states have restored the freedom to carry without a permit: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Mississippi, West Virginia and Wyoming. (Vermont never required a permit to carry a firearm.) In addition, the New Hampshire legislature recently passed a Constitutional carry bill. Governor Sununu is expected to sign it any day.
Several other legislatures are considering Constitutional carry bills in 2017: Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Texas, Virgina, Utah, and Wisconsin. Alabama could well become the 13th State with Constitutional carry.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Gun Watch
Holy cow. Freedom breaking out all over the place. Jus like we’re in ‘Merica or something.
Ermagerd! Blood will run in the gutters! The shoe industry will have to go on 24-hour shifts to supply enough new footwear to make up for those ruined by the exsanguinated Tsunami! Every intersection will become a killing field, every Little League game a holocaust, every daycare center will be awash in the precious bodily fluids of infants!
I think So Dakota is on the “likely to pass” list too.
Gotta love the momentum that’s building behind this!
The Republican governor has promised to veto it again.
Does the legislature have enough votes to override the veto?
Booooo!!!
It’s been bound to happen since 2014 when we added “Every citizen has a fundamental right to bear arms in defense of himself or herself and the state. Any restriction on this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.” to our state constitution.
Excellent! I support actually following the Constitution anywhere it’s tried.
You go Alabama, now pass some just and dignified laws protecting the Confederate flag. It is appalling the left would try and erase American history.
As an Alabama native, I’m with you on that but good luck in that passing.
Which confederate flag are we talking about? I remember a lot of confederates down south waving this one in the 1860s.
http://www.beforethecross.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/wavewhiteflag.jpg
Let the freedom train keep on Rolling.
?
It remains to be seen if this can clear the ever-present hurdle of the “good ole boys” networks here. Here’s to hoping it does and another modicum of freedom and sanity comes back to America.
We’ll see. I certainly hope so. Sheriffs get a good bit of revenue from the process. Not sure how much influence they will have. Glad to hear Allen put forth something useful.
He also pre filed SB 57 to steal from the education budget used for therapy for children with autism to give to the department of mental health for the same purpose. The people in education actually care and spend what little they have wisely while I’m not clear that the people at mental health even know what autism is. In the end, I hope it costs him. There are any number of senators who would have put forth something like SB 24 for constitutional carry in Alabama, but it takes a special kind of stoopid to propose SB 57.
Alabama allows open permit less carry
Yes, until you get in your motor vehicle and then you are unlawfully concealing without a permit. Not so convenient when you have to unload your pistol and make it inaccessible.
That (car carry) was changed a little while back. I hope Constitutional Carry gets passed to clear up some of the confusion surrounding the whole open/concealed/vehicle mess.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/05/bill_allowing_loaded_handguns.html
edit…Nevermind… that bill died in the house.
The car carry restriction was originally put in place shortly after the Montgomery Bus Boycott started. Ostesibly, to disarm the ride share drivers that made the boycott work.
My CC permit is due for renewal at the end of the month, I’ll renew it because I travel and like not having to jump thru any hoops when buying a firearm. God Bless Alabama!
Same here, but I’m good for 4 more years.
Either my first post did not meet editorial requirements or I flubbed something in the submission. So, I’ll try, again:
I hope SB24 goes through, but I’m not sure how much resistance County sheriffs will have. Permits are a good source of revenue for them and their budgets are tight. Then, there is the governor issue mentioned a few comments above.
I’m glad Allen put this forth, he needs to redeem himself some for SB57 which re-appropriates education funds from the department of education (which actually spends what little money they have for this carefully and wisely) for therapy for children with autism to the department of mental health which I have heard define autism as a “treatable behavior disorder”. One of the many good things about AL is that there are any number of legislators who would propose CC without a permit, so we don’t usually have to make a single issue choice when voting and can take into consideration other issues.
If Mississippi will allow permitless carry, I see no reason why Alabama wouldn’t. Those two states are basically the same.
Call me when Georgia passes it. When white state legislators will allow blacks to carry guns without permit, then we will have achieved Dr. King’s dream. Until then, I have yet to see a state with a sizeable urban AND black population. Mississippi is the closest so far.
EDIT: Oops, forgot about Missouri. Nvr mind.
No chance in hell Georgia would propose/ pass this. The nut less wonders under the gold dome in Atlanta are the definition of “Republicrats”. Half of them would be full on statist democrats if they could get elected as such.
Indeed, Dr. King was denied an Alabama Pistol Permit!
Pretty sure constitutional carry is dead in Virginia for this legislative session. I think it was the Senate bill that was shelved in committee.
North Carolina has the same thing in the works, HB 69. I have contacted a lot of the people in the GA, hopping for the best.
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