Second Amendment activists have scored another victory for so-called “Constitutional Carry” as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation that will allow law-abiding adults to carry concealed sidearms without a permit, according to the Bismarck Tribune and Associated Press.
State House Majority Leader Al Carlson (R-Fargo) said it was “a great day for the Second Amendment,” according to the Washington Times. The law applies to citizens over age 18 and over, and requires the person carrying the firearm to have valid identification and notify law enforcement any time there is a contact, “such as a traffic stop,” published reports say.
With Burgum’s signature on the bill, North Dakota joins a small but growing list of states that allow carrying concealed firearms without a license or permit. Other states include Vermont, Arizona, Alaska, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Maine, Wyoming and Idaho. However, in Idaho and Wyoming, the law applies only to state residents. Arkansas’ law is “disputed,” according to Wikipedia.
The Associated Press noted that about 48,700 of North Dakota’s 759,000 residents currently possess carry concealed permits.
Meanwhile, in neighboring South Dakota, there is a push on the Legislature to override Gov. Dennis Dugaard’s veto of similar legislation earlier this week. Lawmakers will meet on Monday to consider veto overrides on the final day of the 2017 legislative session, according to the Rapid City Journal.
In North Dakota, according to U.S. News, opposition to the permitless carry bill was “largely restricted to Democrats.”
The “constitutional carry” law – a generic description of such statutes because supporters argue that the Second Amendment is the only “permit” they need – takes effect Aug. 1, the newspaper said. As he signed the measure, Gov. Burgum encouraged people who are considering concealed carry to seek competent instruction.
“Gun ownership is both a right and a responsibility,” Burgum reportedly said in a statement. “That responsibility begins with individuals and families.”
Down in South Dakota, Gov. Dugaard justified his veto by insisting that as a “longtime member of the NRA, I support the right to bear arms,” while asserting, “It is paramount that our state protect the rights of our citizens while at the same time protecting the lives of our citizens. I believe our current laws appropriately protect both interests.”
He is asking lawmakers to sustain his veto.
Related:
Anti-gun Schumer Threatens to Filibuster Gorsuch
Did Feinstein Quote Heller Out of Context to Play ‘Gotcha?’
Seattle Gun Tax Revenue Falls Far Short of 2015 Prediction
