Effective January 1st, Puerto Rico’s historically restrictive gun laws will change dramatically. The island will soon become a gun-friendly paradise with the signing of Act 168 by Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced.
Perhaps the best part of the new changes is that most of them would horrify Michael Bloomberg and his Moms Demand Action anti-gun puppets.
The Puerto Rico Weapons Act of 2020 is written in Spanish, but you can download it and then use an online translator (like this one) to convert it to English.
As the law’s preamble states, the Puerto Rico Weapons Act of 2020 is intended to . . .
…create a new law that adjusts to the current reality looking for a balance between the [constitutional rights] of a person to own and bear arms and the right of the state to regulate it [and] reduce the costs associated with owning and carrying a weapon….
For residents, the most sweeping change will be the elimination of the expensive, onerous licensing schemes which made lawful gun ownership difficult at best. The new law sets a minimum age of 21 but it enacts a shall-issue licensing system that serves as both a carry license and an ownership license.
The initial license fee is $200 with half-price renewals every five years. That’s down from the current $1500 may-issue system. The government only has 45 days to process the applications, too.
For visitors to the territory (that’s you and me), Puerto Rico will now recognize any state’s carry license. With a valid carry license, you can carry one loaded firearm. Additional firearms must be unloaded.
However, gun possession without a license may result in prison time. In fact, the law mandates prison time for unlicensed carry and possession of firearms.
What’s more, licensed residents may now own modern sporting rifles without restriction. Ditto for Class III items, with all appropriate ATF tax stamps, of course.
Yes, if someone buys over 20,000 rounds of ammo or ten guns in a given year, the police may investigate to ensure the firearms and ammo are not being improperly transferred to criminals, but Puerto Rico will no longer have evil black gun and magazine bans.
What’s more, those without licenses will be able to shoot at ranges. Prior to the new law, without a license, a person faced arrest and prison time for merely touching a gun.
So in a few days, Puerto Rico will recognize the Second Amendment for its residents and visitors. As a result, Puerto Rico just became a whole lot more competitive as a tropical vacation destination. For gun owners seeking a beaches and sun, it will soon stand head and shoulders above Hawaii which is actively hostile to guns and gun owners.
Even better, since the hurricanes in 2017, many areas in Puerto Rico have seen rebuilding and new construction. They look better (and more modern) than ever. And now, with the ability to bring a self-defense tool with you on vacation, the island is quite an appealing vacation destination.
