In addition to making constitutional carry the rule rather than the exception, another change I’d like to see would be wider reciprocation of carry permits across the nation. That being said, I imagine this wouldn’t be as simple a solution as some make it out to be.
There are some potential pitfalls that make me hesitate every time the topic is brought up. Let’s think through some of the benefits and potential shortcomings of national reciprocity.
Some Justifications
Comparisons to driver’s licenses and cars are often made when the topic of guns comes up…usually by those who want more gun control.
We should regulate guns exactly like we regulate cars.
It’s a good analogy because Americans associate cars with freedom, despite car ownership having much tighter government regulation than gun ownership.
Cars prove that regulation and freedom can coexist. pic.twitter.com/ceHJrrj5Si
— ryannee (@ryannee) March 24, 2021
Each state sets forth their own requirements to earn a driver’s license, yet there are no problems crisscrossing the nation in your vehicle. Despite significantly higher rates of injury and death from automobile accidents, we never see calls to remove driver’s license reciprocity. National concealed carry reciprocity would meet these previously set standards of honoring licenses in all states.
National reciprocity would also reduce the complexity of the current intricate web of inconsistent and sometimes contradictory laws on the books. These can quickly lead to inadvertent felony charges for simply crossing state lines into a less friendly state.
I’ve written about the difficulties that can occur when moving to another part of the country. National reciprocity would simplify all of that for gun owners and the criminal justice system.
National reciprocity can be a big benefit during emergencies. Nearly every year we see people fleeing their homes, often across state lines, to avoid natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding. Inadvertently becoming a felon for the offense of crossing into the wrong state is a reality many face, even as they’re trying to get themselves and their family to safety.
Potential Shortcomings
Things wouldn’t necessarily be all sunshine and rainbows under national reciprocity. Even though many states require different levels of training for various licenses and permits, there have already been calls for a national training standard to get a concealed carry permit. The push to mandate a national standard would only grow if national reciprocity were a reality.
While some may find a single standard across all states easier, there’s always the concern of legislating away rights in the process. It isn’t far-fetched to expect anti-gun politicians to try to institute prohibitively expensive, time-consuming, or much more difficult standards for the permitting process, much like we’ve seen in states like Hawaii and New York.
While subjective, may-issue standards have been lifted thanks to the Supreme Court, there’s no guarantee that will always be the case. States are continuing to push that envelope.
A national permitting standard could put the process in the hands of the federal government, which is far less friendly to our Second Amendment rights than many states. National standards would present an enticing opportunity for supporters of gun control in Congress to use them to limit the right to bear arms.
Final Thoughts
Again, I’d love to see greater expansion of conceal carry reciprocity across the United States. Being able to freely travel without the worry of inadvertently breaking laws should be the norm. While national reciprocity definitely has its shortcomings, I think the benefits could outweigh the risks.
What I wish for is constitutional carry nationwide. And we will have that by the end of Trumps second term.
No permission slips to exercise a right.
Hear, hear!
I think you are too optimistic about Trump and the 2nd Amendment. As I recall, he didn’t protect bump stocks.
But he gave us Bruen by virtue of his scotus picks.
Who would you rather have picking justice for scotus, Trump or biden?
Come on, man. Janice Rogers Brown was a bad choice for SCOTUS, Fat. She needed to be filibustered, Jack! You’re a dog-faced pony soldier if you think the deer don’t have Kevlar!
Biden doesn’t pick anything. If you watch CSPAN coverage of him you know this. You know it’s not a stutter and you know the 25th would leave us in worse shape…
The “gun community” has never supported the wide spread ownership of machine guns in the general population. Their anger at President Trump is just them using cover for themselves, being deceitful on the bump stock issue.
The “gun community” has never had a chance to question the NFA in open court until now. Miller was argued in a vacuum thanks to FDR’s shenanigans.
Waco showed the Feds are willing to kill anyone, everyone, and their dogs on television for that tax, so why would we be gung ho about full auto?
The bump stock thing is just a distraction.
It wasn’t just a bumpstock issue the DOJ had to change what the definition of a machine gun is
to make it happen. You’re the one trying to be deceitful by trying to marginalize what he did. Trump didn’t have to order the DOJ to do anything if congress passed a bill banning bumpstocka he could have simply vetoed it and its dead on arrival but please Chris keep making excuses
Actually it was the Speaker of the House, Republican Paul Ryan who prevented a national reciprocity bill from being voted on, early in the Trump Administration.
People claim they hate a president using executive orders. Then you will have to wait for the legislative branch to produce a national reciprocity law and vote on it.
Trump is infinitely more likely to be Inmate#1334929 during the years 2025-2029 than president of the United States.
Ahhh were you triggered Dizzy Lizzie? CNN will give you a home.
Actually it’s the democrats that broke numerous laws and felonies. Ya might want to read up on it.
Is that in the re-education gulag Dear Comrade Democrats will establish?
Once upon a time the US fought nation’s that imprisoned political prisoners, now the CIA coordinates it and the FBI runs the operations. Only one solution for all this.
President Trump is not going to give you the pro 2A carry you want. In fact you’ll be lucky if he just leaves things alone and doesn’t do more damage
Hearing protection act doa. Calling on ATF to redefine bump stocks by fiat? “Take the guns first due process later” we had more gun control under trump and than freaking Obama. I believe desantis would be really pro 2a. But trump? Nah, he’s a city boy his idea of concealed carry is a Walter stainless .380 with a 7 round magazine. Dude is a slick city boy. Yes he’s better than any liberal on guns but he ain’t no 2a messiah.
I honestly don’t think Trump would beat Desantis in the primary. Desantis is getting insanely popular.
If DeSantis is the pick he will get my vote. Anybody but a dem.
Great therapy session guys.
We had that in 1791.
No we won’t. Trump doesn’t care (think bump stocks). McConnell doesn’t really care either as he passed on reciprocity and suppressors. Bruen is a godsend but it ain’t the cure-all
There is no way Trump will pass any pro gun legislation. It’s all lip service, the only thing we can look forward from him in addition to banning bump stocks is a possible ban on suppressors.
You are a fool to think otherwise. The judges he appointed thankfully lean 2nd Amendement so there is that.
And the therapy continues lol. One day Trump will be gone. Then we can go back to losing with dignity. Meanwhile the current administration is moving to ban pistol braces and promising to ban AR-15’s. TDS is for real.
The big problem with adding regulations because of a national reciprocity? The Bruen Decision at SCOTUS would make any Unconstitutional!
The Constitution is my permission slip.
Thomas and SCOTUS missed the golden opportunity to simply declare all gun laws void. Either the 2nd means what it says or it doesn’t.
Sign says Regulate Guns Like Cars. OK since a motor vehicle is far more capable of mass carnage than a firearm I want a .50 BMG mounted on the hood of my truck so I can have some chance at stopping a murderous motor vehicle on a rampage.
All of the signs and anti gun solgans concocted specifically for moron consumption will be nowhere to be found should you and yours be cornered by a criminal or criminals. Therefore those who support Gun Control in any shape, matter or form can go pound sand.
Gun control is primarily about preventing private individuals from using force in self defense. Guns are a target only because they are the most effective device yet invented for a victim to defend himself. Ask a gun control advocate two questions: (1) Does an armed robber at a convenience store constitute gun violence? (2) Does the clerk’s using his own gun against the robber constitute self defense and NOT gun violence? I’m sure the gun control advocate will consider both to be gun violence and equally undesirable.
“It isn’t far-fetched to expect anti-gun politicians to try to institute prohibitively expensive, time-consuming, or much more difficult standards for the permitting process,…”
Two words :
Poll tax.
{Mic. drop}…
“We should regulate guns exactly like we regulate cars.”
Stupid and false argument.
Owning/posessing/carrying guns is a personal choice to exercise a constitutional right for use for the law abiding. Owning/posessing/operating cars is a personal choice to exercise a privilege for use (e.g. operating on the public roads) and not a constitutional right.
Regulating firearms carry like cars degrades the right to privilage.
They also know not what they are asking for, mandatory muffler (suppressor) standard automatic with manual being a afterthought. Can be shipped to your door and used on private property without a license. If you have a license it is good everywhere. Multiple infractions needed to have a measurable impact on your ability to operate your machine. Even if you lose your license you can still buy and have delivered to your house. And can generally get your license back with classes. Still not liking it being a regulated privilege but they really didn’t think that analogy through.
Actually owner and driving a car should be a RIGHT. Never hear of a DL to operate a horse in the days of the cowboys, and they used them to travel long distances as wll as short.
Think 4th A.
While I would welcome better reciprocity with CT, MA, RI, NJ, MD, and SC for my immediate area I would never want them to have to deal with the asinine requirements NY had in place before the current constitutional dumpster fire we have in the courts. Slow painful and expensive as it is challenging and slowly undoing various restrictions will lead to better long term outcomes (hopefully nationwide full no permits needed) as only disingenuous laws trying to reword the garbage can be put forward once the old ones are struck down and malicious litigation can be identified and hopefully addressed.
Missed PA but I could open carry there I guess.
There is no justification for infringing on a Right, except in the eyes of tyrants.
Someone that has their DL taken in one state sometimes can move to another state and then get a DL there, which is good to drive in the state where they lost it. Is this the Driver’s license loophole?
I live in ILLANNOY. I’m soooo not careful what I wish for!
The proverbial 800lb gorilla in the corner is that driving is regulated as a privilege.
The key word says it all “shall not be infringed” that means in any way. No mandatory fees, regulations, permits, classes, insurance, gun free zones, or any other forced action.
Even with national reciprocity, there would be massive inconsistencies between states on the use of firearms. Castle doctrine vs. weak Castle Doctrine vs. no Castle Doctrine; SYG vs no SYG; the very definition of self defense; etc. Even nationwide Constitutional Carry would not fix these discrepancies.
I’m all for a non-mandatory national license. Those who want in could opt in. Those who do not want one could just do nothing. Kind of like LEOSA for non-LEOs.
Personally, I would not opt in. I want to stay as far away from the Feds as is humanly possible. The G is not a friend.
We have daily driver vehicles going for $60K-$80K running on fuel that could easily be $10 a gallon. This is what government regulation has given us.
Diving is a privilege. One that a large number of people choose not to avail themselves of. Owning and bearing arms is a very specific Constitutional right.
The process of acquiring a license to carry concealed does NOT have anything to do with training. Attaching any kind of law requiring training is nothing short of a poll tax.
What people should be aware of is that requiring a license is the opposite of Constitutional Carry.
This is one of the very rare times I have agreed with any T Tag article. Without a comprehensive Federal law which would mandate universal training requirements, and when you could shoot and not shoot someone etc etc, a National Concealed carry permit is impossible to pass and totally unworkable legally.
Mandate4 Universal Training Requirements? Smells like a poll tax.
Carrying a gun does not give you a pass for murder. What we need is to weed out the fascist left DA’s like the one that tried to use the system to grind down an innocent Kyle Rittenhouse.
What good is national concealed carry reciprocity, if states like New York and New Jersey pass laws making it illegal to carry in 99% of the state? Then the CCW reciprocity will be used as a trap to arrest anyone from out of state who doesn’t know that the local “sensitive areas” include pretty much every place in the state.
For example, NY and NJ forbid concealed weapons in so-called “sensitive areas” — a long list of public spaces including, but not limited to, government buildings, churches, synagogues, mosques, other religious centers, health facilities, homeless shelters, schools, subways, taxis, Ubers, busses, trains, stadiums, state parks, local parks, theaters, and, of course, Times Square.
And if a current New Jersey CCW bill passes, CCW holders will no longer be allowed to carry a gun in their own car! So if your CCW permit doesn’t let you carry in your own car, or in busses, subways, trains, taxis, or Ubers, how the F are you supposed to transport your gun legally? (Maybe the state will graciously let CCW holders transport guns locked in the trunk and unloaded — which New Jersey residents aren’t allowed to do without a CCW permit, despite Federal law to the contrary).
Does a lot of good in creating standing to challenge your laws there and in Delaware which may have precedent here in the 2nd circuit by the time they begin to be heard. There is a peaceful way to fight and having seen the alternative I hope it works.
States controlled by the “elite” leftists will make any laws they feel put the rest of us at a disadvantage and in our place. Some believe self defense is immoral unless it is proxied to others thru State powers.
We have too many first world problems put upon us by those who wish for a second world country they control. The problem is many of us resist the efforts they take so they feel they must punish us more.
Eventually we will regain our right to travel with the means of self defense, it will not be easy, but it can be achieved. It wasn’t long ago members of the Democratic Party denied marriage equality between ethnic groups, or even allow some folk to sit at the front of the bus. They still harbor hate, they just adjust their fire to be more equitable about their hate.
National reciprocity should be the law across the land. Just like h0m0sexual m@rriage was made the law across the land.
And it’s interesting to hear the people argue against National reciprocity, who also at the same time, support making h0m0sexual m@rriage the law across the land.
And many of them are also the same ones who support replacing the father with a government check. And they support replacing the Father’s Love, and discipline, and his guns. With the guns of a big city police department.
Yeah that’s right I said it.
It all boils down to control. Guns are just part of it. Guns, vaccines, you must, you can’t. The list goes on…
Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution
Article IV, Section 1:
Sect. 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public act, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may, by general laws, prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.
I guess I just don’t understand how a CCW from any state can’t be good in any other state. A driver’s license from any state is good in any other, regardless of any variations in requirements for the license.
A couple of observations here at the bottom:
1. Trump is not the solution, he was just a HUGE stepping stone to the S Court
2.We (2A folks) are too anxious to use Federal power to “create” rights rather than enforce them.
3. Squirrel! (machine guns)
4. Why can’t we use the Full Faith and Credit Clause? I can marry my mule can’t I?
The author misses two gigantic issues.
First off, we have different kinds of reciprocity failures. In New York, California and Illinois, not only do they not respect your permit from a reasonable state but they also do not allow you to apply for their permit. On top of the other problems I’ll lay out below, this means they are discriminating against people from other states which is flat banned under an entirely different series of cases ending with Saenz v Roe, US Supreme Court 1999. This is actually the easiest one to crack.
In other cases such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and a pile of others, you CAN get their permits. In these situations, Bruen footnote 9 is the key to cracking them.
Ok. Thomas knew that some states were going to continue to be assholes even if they’re pushed into shall issue. So he listed three other possible abuses that won’t be tolerated.
One is ALL forms of subjectivity, by way of the 1969 decision in Shuttlesworth v Birmingham – read it to understand the full implications. This shoots down “jacking up good character”, the references thing and that horrendous social media check fiasco.
But the other two are excessive fees and excessive delays.
Let’s assume Cali, NY and IL would let you score their permits. Ok. So if you have a permit from, say, Georgia, you’re looking at 17+ permits to get 50 state carry rights. Most need training that THEY specify with trainers approved by them. So for 50 states-plus-DC, your cost for permits and training alone, no travel or hotel costs yet, is up past $4,500. More if you need Guam, Puerto Rico, etc. No telling how long all this would take.
This blows solidly past the ban on excessive fees and delays. If no one state can mess with your civil rights, neither can a collection of 17+.
As a basic policy/necessity thing, we did reciprocity in driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations ages ago…and that’s a privilege, not a civil right.
I exercise my constitutional right to carry the same way the outlaws do.
Ain’t that funny, the only ones whom actually do not let a government infringe on a constitutional right are outlaws.
Well until you get locked up anyway.
America where the law abiding are punished until they are not law abiding anymore.
Thank goodness this state went constitutional carry, if I’d have gotten caught one more time I’d have been a felon and then why I just couldn’t carry a gunm at all. Bwhahahaaha. Fcking idiots
Every one of th “issues” with “national reciprocity” are valid concerns, ID we go with that plan. But that plan is, in and of itself, and by its very nature, part of the problem.
The ONE BIG ISSUE with “national reciprocity” is that it leaves control of who has what when and where in the hands of some government poohbah somewhere. And THAT is an YUUUUGE problem.
That pesky Second Article of Ammendment plainly states, in language anyone with a thired grade education could comprehend, that the RIGHT of the people to keep and BEAR arms shall not be INFRINGED. Hanging on to some scheme like you describe, where government retains the power to infringe, is the root of the problem
Do I need some kind of a permission slip to have a knife in my pocket? Boots on my feet? A rifle over my shoulder or in my bedroom? A Joe Biden Side By Side scattergun? NO. Then WHYEVER do you think I need to GET permission from some level of government to have and carry about upon my person a HANDGUN? NO national reciprocity, because that very concept accrues a false “rigth” to government to control who has what when where and why. Those are all various models of “infringement”.
No.
Using a handgun, shotgun, rifle, to harm someone without justification under the law is already a crime. So how do more restrictions help? How many millions own handguns? If even the tiniest portion of them used them illegally to harm someone else the death toll from guns would be several multiples higher.
Put the current misusers of firearms where they have no access to those tools. Prison, of course. Death if they use such tools to kill another withoout justification (direct and plausible threat to the iife or bodily integrity of the one doing the killing.
Bruen said that shall issue with training is ok.
That’s what we have to work with right now. We’re going to have to roll with it. For now.
Read the Bruen decision and pay particular attention to footnote 9. That’s where Thomas listed abuses that cannot be tolerated by lower courts even if a permit program is shall issue.
I have a snaky suspicion that many (most?) people supporting the idea of “national reciprocity” somehow equate reciprocity and “constitutional carry” with “no restrictions”.
The best that can be hoped for would be no permit carry, but mandatory compliance with the carry laws in every state, county and municipality.
If the Second Amendment isn’t absolute*, then national legislation isn’t, either. The amount of hope visited upon “constitutional carry” is amazing.
If an enumerated right can be infringed, then mere legislation can really do nothing to ensure free firearm passage between the states. It takes time and effort to amend the Constitution. It takes only a change of political winds to undo “national reciprocity”.
*our presumably moronic founders apparently were too stupid to understand that “shall not”, and “make no” really means “except for”.
tRUMP UUUH LOCK UP THROW AWAY THA KEY , FRGN TRAITOR … ALL ABOUT ME ME ME
tRUMP TALKS SH~T …
LTC , TRAINING COURSE ALWAYS GOOD , , REGISTER NO BIG DEAL … MEET LOT GOOD HONEST PEOPLE , JUST WANT TO CARRY TO PROTECT THEMSELF AND FAMILY
You only need to look at what states like New York, California and New Jersey are doing post-Bruen to understand why one should never, ever give a government the right to decide who can and cannot keep or bear arms. Despite clear instructions from the US Supreme Court to follow traditional freedoms, those legislatures are busy re-implementing their gun control restrictions in a manner they think will evade the ruling. It will take another 10 years to get those new laws through the challenges and back to the Supreme Court and who knows what else will happen during that time.
You cannot trust gun-grabbers or governments to respect fundamental rights. National licensing is a horrible idea. We must insist on National Constitutional Carry for all non-felons of sound mind.
It really does not matter a Monkey’s Nuts what the opening commentator want’s does it?
What matter’s is what the law require’s and what the PUBLIC is prepared to support and accept. And as sure a Little Apples are Green the tide is turning in favour of stricter Firearm controls.
By opposing each and every measure instead of co-operatiing with reasonable measures they do their case no good at all.
Is it not about time for the gun owners of America wake themselves up to the fact that they are being manipulated by an industry that puts profits before lives and by POLITICIANS taking massive sums from LOBBYISTS for the firearms industry including a certain President.
The reality is that NOBODY actually needs more than a single FIVE SHOT BOLT ACTION rifle of a suitable calibre for any legitimate purpose nor anything more than a SINGLE reliable 9mm SLP or a ,38 revolver for any likely situation including for any self protection. Equally nobody needs any more than 25 rounds of ‘ready for use’ ammunition if that.
I am not, being from the UK, an expert on the US Constitution but I and reasonably sure that the implementation of such measures would NOT go against the Constitution.
Even inthe uK there are licensed RANGES wher one can tryn their hands shooting pretty much anything including Rifles, Pistols and even machine guns I believe for a price. ]Infact even at my age of 83 I’d not minde a range session with a LEE-ENFIELD No4 for old times sake or a STERLING 9mm. Though competent enough with a pistol I was no great lover of them even though as Sergeant RAF Armourer and Smallarms instructor I did teach people to use them.
But then again we don’t’ have a use for handguns in the UK for self defence at close range and for any other purpose handguns are about as much use, for Mr or Mrs Average Brit as a Pork Chop at a Bar Mitzah.
Not a word of truth in this entire comment.
Or previous statements of the same puppet and puppet master.
Pork is good groceries. Handguns are useful tools.
Religious prejudices aside.
Map is a bit misleading. NH and ME may not recognize TX permits, but don’t need to as both states allow permitless concealed carry.
“both states allow permitless concealed carry.”
For non-residents?
Residents or non-residents. Same w/ VT, although the map shows it as recognizing TX permits (which I don’t think they do, as they’ve been permitless forever).
And, all 3 states are perennially near the bottom of states for homicide rate.
Treat guns like cars? Okay, lets do it
– No BGC to buy a car, so the NICS would go away
– Felons can own vehicles so they’d be able to buy guns as well
– A person from CA can travel to Texas to buy a car, so they’d be able to buy a gun in Texas and be perfectly legal to own.
– You only need to register a vehicle if you plan on using it on public roadways, if you use it on your own property and where legally allowed and you have it transported there, you do not have to register it- I.E. Top fuel dragster or funny car. One would only need to register a firearm if they planned on using it while not on their personal property or where legally permitted such as a range or sporting event.
– Driver’s licenses are shall issue and recognized in all 50 states, none of this “just cause” nonsense.
– A person can own and operate just about any vehicle, with special endorsements for motorcycles and semi-trucks. Pass the test needed and a person can own and operate ANY firearm- goodbye NFA/Hughes amendment.
– If caught driving without a license, it is a small fine with no jail time. No gun license, no jail and only a slap on the wrist fine. And the driver still gets to keep the car, so they’d still keep the gun.
– A vehicle is required to have a muffler on it, so suppressors will be mandatory on all firearms- would probably see more and more guns with the suppressor built into the barrel in this case.
I’m sure there are more ways to dash their dreams, but the top 2- no NICS and felons able to own/buy- really hurts their arguments on this subject.
“– A person can own and operate just about any vehicle, with special endorsements for motorcycles and semi-trucks.”
– A person can own and operate just about any firearm, with special endorsements for: revolver – double action; revolver 0 single action; semi-automatic pistol – (fill in name and S/N for each); single shot rifle; semi-automatic rifle (fill in name and S/N for each); lever action rifle (fill in name and S/N for each); fully automatic firearm (fill in name and S/N for each).
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