Montana has “permitless” or Constitutional Carry for areas outside of city and town limits, which accounts for more than 99 percent of the state. Bills to extend Constitutional Carry to the entire state have passed the legislature three times.

The first time was in 2011. Democrat Governor Brian Schweitzer vetoed HB 271, and the legislature was not able to override the veto. The second time was in 2015. Democrat Governor Steve Bullock vetoed HB 298. The third time happened on February 15, 2017. The Senate passed HB 262, which will now go to Governor Bullock again.

HB 262 passed the house 60 to 39. There are 59 Republicans and 41 Democrats in the House. The bill passed the Senate 31 to 18. There are 32 Republicans, 17 Democrats, and 1 vacancy in the Senate.

Governor Bullock was re-elected with 50.25 percent of the vote in 2016. The Republican candidate received  46.35 percent and the Libertarian candidate 3.4% of the vote. Here is Governor Bullock’s statement on Second Amendment Rights:

As a lifelong gun owner and as Montana’s former top cop, Steve Bullock is a staunch supporter of our Second Amendment rights and fights for the right of all law-abiding citizens to own and responsibly use guns.

The absence of any mention of self defense, or the right to *bear* arms are obvious “tells” that this politician is not serious about protecting the right to keep and bear arms.

In Montana, a Governor has 10 days to sign a bill, veto it, recommend amendments, or take no action. If he does not veto the bill, it becomes law in 10 days. If the Governor vetoes the bill, the legislature may override the veto with a two thirds vote in both chambers of the legislature. A veto seems likely. It does not appear that there are sufficient votes to override a veto.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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46 COMMENTS

        • You know, it tourist like you guys that are killing constitutional carry because if Montana passes it you would show up and dirty up the place.

          We got rid of our speed limit once and the out of staters flocked here to race killing plenty of people and an astonishing amount of wildlife.

          If we pass CC we’ll be littered with wannabe cowboys just itching for a old west gunfight.

          Just get your permit the old fashioned way and stop your wining.

        • @Doktor… Really? Bullshit! Don’t blame your state’s problems on the visitors to your state, they’re not all caused by outsiders who “show up and dirty up the place”! Wisconsin has had legal, unregulated open carry for nearly 40 years before Montana was admitted to the Union, so I don’t think you can blame ” killing constitutional carry ” on us…

          “wannabe cowboys”… “old west gunfight”… “Just get your permit the old fashioned way and stop your wining.” Wow dude, you seriously sound like a FUDD – do you even own a gun? I doubt it, with an attitude like yours!

          Besides, the only “wining” (sic) around here is coming from you… would you like some bread and cheese with that whine?

    • Got stuck with? You mean “elected,” I think. The people chose him, it wasn’t an accident.

      • The republican that ran for governor was an over the top millionaire who pretended to be a Montanan and alienated way to many real Montanans. I mean really, how bad do you have to be to lose an election as a republican last time around. Yes he was that bad!

  3. Montana is a funny state, the rural areas and even much of the larger towns are fairly conservative. The populace for some reason has a penchant for electing moderate to slightly progressive dems to the governorship and federal senate.

    Governor Bullock is the kind of politician that believes a citizens 2nd A right only extends out into the woods while on the hunt, provided said gun has a wooden stock. Otherwise firearms belong on the mantle or safely locked up in the home. He believes that his constituents have no reason to carry a gun while within city limits.

  4. So what you’re saying is that if the governor came down with terminal lead poisoning, open carry would be the law of the land…

        • I was thinking a bear, delivered via helicopter would be odd, but fitting.

          I also would bet he does not home carry, so a bear would probably be able to go to town, so to speak.

      • Otherwise, there’s always the tendency of communist leaders to have bath time accidents. Like electrocuting themselves in the tub after shooting themselves in the back of the head… 27 times. Sad, really.

        I mean you can’t even take your ice pick into the bath anymore.

        • Sounds like a treacherous profession to be in, wager it also has a high turnover rate at that.

        • If it’s a house of somewhat modern construction, code usually specifies electrical outlets in bathrooms are all GFI.

          Staircases, on the other hand, can usually provide the blunt-force trauma necessary for a broken neck or ‘positional asphyxiation’ if the nasty tumble knocks them out…

      • “You know, something tastes off about my breakfast this morning…Dear God, there’s a BEAR in my oatmeal!!!”

    • I like the cut of your jib, sir. Should the need arise, I would heartily invite you to molon the labe with me at any time.

  5. Bullock was born in Missoula, nuff’ said…

    Since when is the state AG the “top cop”? Isn’t the state AG just the states top lawyer not a cop?

  6. Either he is not worried about getting re-elected, and/or most Montanans don’t care if they have ConCarry or not.

    • He is termed out and does not care anymore. He at least hasn’t gotten to the point vetoing bills with a branding iron on the capital steps like his predecessor.

  7. We had constitutional carry vetoed twice in New Hampshire by a Democratic governor.

    We’ve now got a Republican governor. The legislature passed it again. We’re expecting it’ll be signed into law soon (possibly next week).

    Hope Montana can get complete constitutional carry one of these days (and the rest of the country too).

  8. “Constitutional carry” in Montana is nothing but cheap political points. The vast majority of people don’t actually care about carrying, because there’s very little street crime in the cities, and there’s not much ‘public’ in sparsely populated areas.

    • …yea, you’re right. Having those Constitution-free zones make perfect sense.

      Something about the supreme law of the ‘land’ tho……….

  10. Why can’t Republicans win the Governor’s race in a Red State like Montana? It doesn’t make sense. Trump beat Clinton big league at the top of the ticket.

    • The trouble is Butte, Missoula, Helena and Bozeman control state politics. Butte is a weird town, Very conservative except for they vote anyone pro labor in to office. Missoula votes like Boulder CO (Government can’t be big enough). Bozeman votes whatever way sounds like the best free ride. And Helena votes to keep itself in power….. Montana is an odd place to live, Wonderful but odd.

  12. “The absence of any mention of self defense, or the right to *bear* arms are obvious “tells” that this politician is not serious about protecting the right to keep and bear arms.”

    No, the obvious tells were these: “As a lifelong gun owner and as Montana’s former top cop….”

    Anyone who prefaces anything with their 2A bona fides is about to betray their supposed stance and assault your liberty. Anyone who boasts of their military or police experience is prone to do so, too. They’re just playing on your sense of patriotism, as though you and they are united against the common enemies of civil society. Wrong. Governments are the single greatest threat to civil society, which is why we must remain vigilant, armed, and skeptical of double-talking politicians.

    That goes double for a Democrat in a red state. It’s just pure, obligatory lip service. There is absolutely no valid, practical, philosophical, ethical, moral argument against constitutional carry. Yet, this jackwagon is about to veto it….again….despite the fact that this bill passed with super majorities in both chambers.

  13. Montana resident here. Public land access and labor are why people vote Democrat in Montana. Bullock ran hard on those two. His Republican rival did not. The Libertarian candidate ran as a spoiler, which is just What They Do.

  14. Does Montana still have drive up/take out liquor by the drink? It did when I went on a hunting expedition some years ago. Gotta love that and a state that allows it. I’d move their in a heart beat if it wouldn’t cost me half of everything I (we) own.

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