guam

Governor Eddie Calvo of Guam signed Bill 296-32 into law on the 21st of May, 2014. One of the last changes to be made to the bill before it was sent to the governor was to change the term of concealed carry permits to three years instead of sixThe good news from kuam.com: “The bill changes language for concealed firearms licensing from ‘may’ to ‘shall.’ that means concealed firearm licenses shall be issued to an applicant who meets the various specifications.” . . .

The Bill 296-32 is now Public Law 32-150.  Here are some of the highlights:

  • Requires that a permit for a concealed firearm be issued if requirements are met.
  • Includes all handguns, rifles, and shotguns
  • Includes all concealed weapons other than firearms
  • Is only available to residents of Guam
  • Puts a limit on the required, non-refundable fee of $100
  • Requires issue within 90 days of the receipt of a complete application
  • Includes methods to regain rights previously lost
  • Is valid for a period of three years
  • Provides for a 180 day grace period to renew the permit
  • Requires a color photograph
  • Requires fingerprints; if legible fingerprints cannot be made, can be issued by check of ID
  • Applicants must be 21 years of age
  • Requires a desire a legal means to carry a firearm for lawful self defense
  • DD214, NRA, or State Hunter Safety Courses among others, meet training course requirement
  • Reason for denial required to be given
  • Notice of renewal requirement will be mailed out 90 days before expiration

Guam now joins the 41 states that have laws requiring the issuance of a concealed carry permit if the legal requirements are met. California and Hawaii have been required to convert to “shall issue” status pending the resolution of the Peruta decision. Vermont doesn’t require the issuance of a permit at all and doesn’t even offer one.

Only six states are still so backwards as to allow issuing authority to arbitrarily refuse to issue a concealed carry permit. They are New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Delaware. Three of those states (Maryland, New Jersey, and New York) have no state constitutional provision protecting the right to keep and bear arms.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch

27 COMMENTS

    • Well, we will know where the armed parts of the island are by which side it lists to.

    • OMG, I am ROFLMAO, seriously- I saw a tiny bit of that clip before but never the whole thing…you just have to admire the good Admirals tenacity and professionalism in not giving into the urge to laugh out loud.

      Here is another. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yznX-hOFT4
      I like the comment- did we reach the end of the innertubz yet?

      Gnite. I am getting away from this computer before my brain melts any further…
      midgets!

      • I’m ashamed to admit that my aunt and grandfather both have the misfortune of living in that igtard’s district, even though they certainly didn’t vote for him. Small wonder Georgia is slightly infamous when it comes to redistricting issues.

        Tom

  1. In some ways, their carry laws are actually better than in my home state of NC.

    Still, though, it’s asking permission to exercise a right (and thus totally converting it to a privilege instead) and nobody should ever have to do that under any circumstance. But, that’s neither here nor there (but it is in numerous other articles however).

    • As I see it, their concealed carry law is way better than most states. Concealed carry licenses ONLY apply to handguns and tasers in my state. Long guns, knives, clubs, etc. are not covered. And hunter safety training is not sufficient to acquire a concealed carry license in most states.

  2. I don’t know the laws there, was Guam non supportive of the 2nd?

    Anyways, it’s not perfect, but it’s definitely not the worst floating around!

    • Guam was always shall issue for FID cards that allow open carry of rifles shotguns, and handguns. Concealed ID cards were very difficult to obtain. Now they are shall issue for concealed ID cards. If you are under 21 you can still try for the May issue concealed ID card.

  3. …ugh. Guamians(?) can, but I still can’t conceal a fixed blade in MI. (please correct me if I’m wrong) Oh, the humanity!

  4. If they reciprocate, I’d vacation there. My wife and her family keep trying to get me to go to Mexico, to which I respond #*$%^#(@. I’d love to go to Guam though.

    • I would not go to Mexico, not because they don’t have safe places to go to (not all of Mexico is violent of course) or that there aren’t beautiful places to visit, but the government is corrupt as hell, I don’t trust the system there and I refuse to give any money to a country that actively helps it’s own citizens to break our laws and go to our own court to defend it.

  5. Pretty sad when remote island territories legislators have California’s beat in simple common sense. Dont suppose we’ll be hearing about this on PBS.

  6. I believe Guam is fairly restrictive when it comes to firearms. I recall a story about a murder with a firearm committed there a while ago (pretty sure it was Guam) that was big news because guns were such a rarity.

  7. I sure hope Guam does not flip over and sink because of this! That would be embarrassing.

  8. Met a stripper from same part of Texas I’m from in Guam…. Good times.

    Not really gun related, though. Well, maybe figuratively.

  9. This is good news, since a right is a right and any movement toward the Constitution’s plain text and original meaning is progress. Still, with so few annual murders that you can count them all on one hand, and still have fingers left over to express yourself to Ms. Feinstein, Guam doesn’t seem like too bad a place to begin with.

    As we only possess Guam because Spain ceded it to us after that b.s. Spanish-American War, and we re-took it from the Japanese during WWII, I’m not really all that comfortable with the imperialism we’ve subjected Guam to. Perhaps this new shall-issue status and the sense of self-reliance that often accompanies it will ignite a sense of nationalism and they will pursue peaceful means of throwing off their colonial masters. Turnabout is fair play, don’t you find?

    • I doubt that you will find much support for independence among the Guamanians. Inclusion in the polity of the United States has brought far, far, more benefits than it has any detriments.

      The people on Guam have far more freedom and far greater prosperity than they ever had in the past, including the pre-colonial past.

    • Not really. I doubt Guam would need to resort to Arms if they are really interested in seeking independence (they’re not). It’s not the Philippine-American War anymore. Like Puerto Rico, they probable get more from our “protection” than breaking ties. As I say, you may not agree with the means, but it’s hard to disagree with the results

    • No doubt you guys are right. They actually do seem to have a pretty sweet deal going on. In one of the more recent non-binding referenda in Puerto Rico, as a point of reference, the voters had I think seven different options to choose from expressing their desired status of PR.

      They included statehood, U.S. possession, independence, and a few others. One might have been to become a special district like D.C. so they get electoral votes, and another option might have been to become part of Florida or something. The seventh option, actually listed on the ballot, was “None of the Above”, which won the referendum. That’s like showing up as a protest rally carrying a sign that reads “Whatever. Never Mind.”

      • I have long held that Americans should have the “no” vote option, on individuals running for office and on specific items of legislation/regulation.

  10. OMG OMG OMG!!!!

    It’s gonna be Dodge City in Guam! Just like it has been in the 41 states with “shall issue” laws – all those law-abiding people who go through the process will immediately snap when they get their carry permits. /sarc off/ (for the clueless)

Comments are closed.