Sen. Cornyn introduces bill to expand concealed carry privileges

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced last week a bill that would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws.

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would not allow concealed carry in those states where it is not allowed.

“This bill focuses on two of our country’s most fundamental constitutional protections– the Second Amendment’s right of citizens to keep and bear arms and the Tenth Amendment’s right of states to make laws best-suited for their residents,” Cornyn said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this important legislation for law-abiding gun owners nationwide.”

The bill would not establish national standards for concealed carry or require a national concealed carry permit. It does stipulate that state-issued concealed carry permits would suffice in those states that already allow concealed carry — like drivers’ licenses where an individual can use their home-state license to drive in another state. The bill would also prevent someone from circumventing their home state’s concealed carry permit laws. If a person is prohibited by federal law from carrying a firearm in their home state, they will continue to be prohibited in other states. It also respects state laws concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried and types of firearms which may not be carried by the visiting individual.