ND: Chances for Constitutional Carry?
By Dean Weingarten. February 1st, 2017
Article Source
North Dakota is considering a permitless, or "Constitutional" carry bill. The sponsor is Representative Rick Becker (R-Bismarck). The bill is HB 1169, and was heard in the House Energy & Natural Resources Committee. The vote in the committee is likely this week.
From Representative Becker's facebook page on January 26, 2017:
We had a great hearing today for HB 1169, the constitutional carry bill.
There were about 10 articulate, impassioned advocates speaking in favor, plus many more supporting in attendance. There were only 3 against, most of whom employed the oft-touted emotionalism that gun control advocates often do. Lawmakers, as hard as it can be, must use reason and facts to design law, not emotions.
The bill is 10 pages long, and mostly consists of wording to neuter or repeal numerous sections of current North Dakota law that restrict the bearing of arms. Agweek published a short explanation of the bill. From agweek.com:
Perhaps the most contentious piece of legislation heard Thursday was the so-called "constitutional carry" bill, introduced by Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck. That bill would make it legal for people who are at least 21 years old to carry a concealed firearm without a permit in North Dakota, as long as the carrier is not otherwise prohibited to do so by law.
North Dakota is one of 25 political trifectas in the United States, where the Republican party has control of both houses of the legislature and the governorship. In North Dakota, Republicans have 38 seats in the Senate, Democrats have 9. In the House, Republicans have 81 seats, Democrats have 13.
Governor Dick Burgum was elected in 2016, replacing fellow Republican Jack Dalrymple. Internet searches did not find any statements either in support or opposition to Constitutional carry.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Gun Watch
There appears to be a slow but encouraging trend towards "constitutional carry", and yet still many states require a permit - not to mention those states that do not even allow much option at all for CCW. NY, NJ and CA in particular are examples where 'may issue' seems all but an empty option, best interpreted as 'shall not issue'. it's long past time that the Second Amendment was fully respected, and the right to self defense not subjugated.
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