Bills to OK carrying concealed guns without permits advance (Arizona)

[JonLP24]

Source: AZ Central

Proposed legislation that would make Arizona the third state in the nation to allow adults to carry concealed guns without permits may be the first of the dozen or so weapons-related bills proposed this session to hit the governor's desk.

Lawmakers have amended Senate Bill 1108 and House Bill 2347 so they consist of identical language that would, among other things, eliminate the requirement for concealed-carry weapon permits for U.S. citizens 21 and older.

The Senate bill, crafted by Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, was approved Tuesday by the Senate Committee of the Whole and now awaits a vote by the full Senate. The House bill, sponsored by Jim Weiers, R-Glendale, is on the agenda for a vote by the House Committee of the Whole today.

"If you want to carry concealed, and you have no criminal history, you are a good guy, you can do it," Pearce said of his bill. "It's a freedom that poses no threat to the public."

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.azcentral.com/community/surprise/articles/2010/03/25/20100325arizona-concealed-weapons-bill.html&ei=RiasS6q2NJHUtgO8j4XQDQ&sa=X&oi=news_article&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CDIQqQIoATAA&usg=AFQjCNG4Kuyd4tMrGsBtIqjBHa217c9Mxw

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[LiberalFighter]

1. The odds are that Republicans will exterminate each other.

[jazzhound]

3. The only thing surprising about this story to me is that Arizona

has chosen to forfeit the income derived from the permits.

[demosincebirth]

15. Is there any better legislation more inportant that this??

[PavePusher]

24. Civil Rights is pretty important stuff.

Though it would be nice if they'd balance the budget too.

'Cause that'll happen....

[flvegan]

2. Bad idea.

VERY bad idea.

[jazzhound]

5. Very bad idea? Care to back up your sentiment?

According to the story, this does nothing to change the required background check.

[flvegan]

9. Okay.

I'd like for the concealed carry folks to pass a comprehensive class, not just a background check.

You know...like a driver's license. Good enough?

[PavePusher]

21. Most places don't require a class for a drivers licence.

Admittedly, since vehicles kill more than three times as many people as all non-suicide firearms deaths, perhaps they should require training for driving.

However, as has been pointed out many times before, Bearing Arms is a Constitutionally protected Civil Right. Driving, not so much. Personally, I think one should have to pay a tax and pass a very difficult test to have the right to vote... much more dangerous than guns any day.

[Callisto32]

26. Yeah, especially since this has been such a big problem in VT.

:eyes:

[Glassunion]

27. I did not take any class whatsoever.

I just went and took a test.

[Robb]

4. I'm trying to figure out a reason to have a problem with this, actually.

I don't understand the issue fully, of course. Why is concealed carry a more difficult permit to get in most places?

[GoneOffShore]

6. Arizona - the land of unbridled capitalist greed and blood.

[RKP5637]

13. +1, n/t

[PavePusher]

23. Oh really? How so? n/t

[msongs]

7. just cuz the gun obsessed crowd wants to wave em in everyone's faces is no reason to bag on em nt

[jazzhound]

10. msongs said........

"just cuz the gun obsessed crowd wants to wave em in everyone's faces is no reason to bag on em nt"

Sure.....right. the "gun obsessed" crowd wants to wave their CONCEALED pistols in everyone's face? What part of *concealed* is so hard to comprehend? Concealing firearms prevents the hoplophobes from pissing their pants.

[PavePusher]

22. Even open carry is not "waving in everyone's faces".

Although to hear some people, it's tantamount to a severe beating and psychological trauma.

[defendandprotect]

8. Another advance for the GOP/NRA to a violent America ....

Comes in handy to have armed "pro-lifers" and armed "T-baggers" -- !!!

[jazzhound]

11. Okay.

"I'd like for the concealed carry folks to pass a comprehensive class, not just a background check.

You know...like a driver's license. Good enough?"

Yes -- in fact that is good enough. Beats the hell out of a vague three word response, right? And I happen to agree with you, by the way.

[defendandprotect]

16. Think you meant this response for "fivegan" . . . ???

[cowman]

20. You really are

a ------- aren't you? I'm a lifelong Dem who has had a CCW for years now, pro-choice and a lifelong supporter of the 2nd amend. Take your hatemongering elsewhere. BTW I also don't belong to the NRA

[friendly_iconoclast]

30. The "GOP/NRA" have cleverly been REDUCING the violent crime and murder rates:

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/data/table_01.html

How Machiavellian of them!

[mwrguy]

12. Soon Arizona will be a blood-soaked wasteland

just like Vermont.

[jazzhound]

14. Allowing for concealed carry hasn't produced any blood-soaked wastelands

Much less a *modification* of a concealed carry. A little bit of research required. Oh........I know. That's asking way too much.

[mwrguy]

17. Have you ever seen Vermont?

It's like Mad Max on crack.

[jazzhound]

31. No, I haven't been to Vermont

But I've seen the stats on the law-abiding nature of CC holders with enough frequency to know that the usual dishonest scare tactics of the antis are at play here. Further, the fact that police officers don't have issues with CC holders speaks volumes. Then there's simple deductive reasoning. If CC permit holders went on the rampages that you assume they do, why are the number of states that allow for concealed carry (shall-issue states) increasing rather than decreasing? The "blood in the streets" warnings never play out, yet the antis keep screaming that they will. Talk about dim!

[PavePusher]

18. J.H., I think you missed a mass of sarcasm there.

Vermont is not a blood-soaked wasteland. Even though they've not retricted bearing arms for over 200 years.

[jazzhound]

32. Thank you PavePusher

The sarcasm emoticon wasn't employed, and I haven't been around long enough to know who's who. I'm aware that Vermont has extremely liberal gun laws.

[PavePusher]

33. No problem, we're here to help each other.

For surely if we do not hang together, we will certainly hang seperately.

Keep 'em rolling!

[DesertFlower]

19. well i guess i'll put my 38 in my handbag.

actually i don't have room for it. :sarcasm:

[Glassunion]

25. Now these Bill guys in Arizona I like.

Bill from Chicago... Not so much.

[JonLP24]

28. Hey--you can like the bill

I don't care but please don't like the like guy who wrote the bill--Russell Pearce who is the State Senator from my area and he is as bad as a Republican as the likes of Bachmann. :)

[Glassunion]

29. Sorry... Bit of word play fun.