Categories
An Arizona law requiring gun owners to obtain a concealed carry permit may be a blessing or curse for some gun owners.
Law school requirements can be overwhelming for a young person to navigate, but the Arizona Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act has made it easier for gun owners who are interested in acquiring a concealed weapon to do so.
The legislation has been introduced and will be heard by the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, December 11.
“It’s really the first time that we’ve had this law in place,” said Senator David Vitter, a Republican from New Orleans who sponsored the legislation.
The legislation has not yet been approved by the House.
If it does pass, it will be the first statewide concealed carry reciprocity law in the country.
Arizona has the second-highest rate of concealed carry in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
The rate has fallen from about 60 percent of gun owners in 2000 to about 25 percent in 2017.
“I think it’s a very positive step,” said Michael McDonald, a professor of law at the University of Texas School of Law.
“There are a lot of different things that we could do to help reduce gun violence and we can do a lot more.
We can do things to improve access to education.
We need to get people trained.”
The bill would require gun owners with a valid concealed carry certificate from a state licensed gun dealer to obtain an application to carry a concealed firearm.
A person who meets the criteria would have to meet certain requirements to carry in Arizona, including passing a background check, meeting a licensing requirement, and obtaining a permit.
A person who wants to buy a gun from a licensed gun store would need to be licensed to carry.
If the applicant is convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor, or a misdemeanor offense, they would be required to complete a 10-day waiting period, pay a $200 fee, and pass a background checks.
A gun owner who is denied a permit would be able to reapply within 30 days, but if they were convicted of another felony, the firearm would have no place to be sold in Arizona.
In 2016, the state of Arizona enacted the “Gun Free School Zones” law, which mandates gun owners obtain a permit and carry a firearm in public school zones.
The law also mandates gun dealers must obtain a license from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and obtain a background report from the state bureau of investigation for all firearms sales.
